The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-12-11
NATIONAL AFFAIRS.
6ynops.s Of President Harrison's
Annual Message.
HIS Visws on tho Tariff Law and Its Ef-
focts-RecOmmendatio In Favor
Of the Election Bill-Other
Suggestions.

focts-RecOmmendat In Favor
Of the Election Bill-Other
Suggestions.
THE TARIFF BILL.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The annual message
Of President Harrison was submitted to Con-
gress at noon to-day. A great deal Of it is de-
| voted to areview Of the department reports and
our relations with foreign countries. That part
| OF the message which will attract the most at
tention is that concerning the tariff legislation
Of the last session OF Congress. Speaking on
this subject, he says:
The general tariff act has only partially gone
into operation some OF its important provis.
ions being limited to take effect at dates yet
| In the future. The general provisions Of the law
have been in force less than sixty days. Its
permanent effect upon trade and prices still
largely stand in conjecture. It is curious to
note that the advance in the prices Of articles
| hastily ascribed to that act. Notice was not
tsxen CT the fact that the general tendency OF
sne markets was upward from influences
wholly apart from the recent tariff legislation.
The President believes that in its general
scope and effect the act will justify the support
of those who believe that American legislation
| should conserve and defend American trade and
| the wages of American workmen. The misin-
| formation as to the terms of the act which has
| been so widely disseminated at home and
| abroad he believes will be corrected by expert
ence, and the evil auguries as to its results con-
founded by the market reports, the savings
| banks, in ernational trade balances and the
general p prosperity Of our people. Continuing
he says:
| The criticisms Of the bill that have come to
| us from foreign sources may well be rejected
| for repugnancy. If these critics really believe
that the adoption by us OF free-trade poll
cy, or Of tarin rates having reference solely to
| revenue, would diminish the participation of
i their own countries in the commerce Of the
| world, their advocacy and the promotion by
| speech and other forms OF organized effort OF
this movement among our people Is rare ex
hibition OF unseliishness in trade. And on the
adoption OF protective tariff policy by this
country inures to their profit and our hurt it is
noticeabiy strange that they should lead the
| outcry against the authors OF policy so help.
| full to their counlrymen and crown with their
| favor those who would snatch from them sub
| stantial share of trade with other lands, al
| ready inadequate to their necessit es.
There i:i no disposition among any OF our
people to promote prohibitory legislation,
Our policies are adopted not to the hurt OF
| others, but to secure for ourselves those
advantag"s that fairly grow out Of our u,
Government, with its incident Of universal
suffrage, makes 1t imperative that we shall
save our working people from the agtations
| that have no margin for comfort always
beget. But after all this is done it will be
| found that our markets are open to friendly
commercial exchanges of enormous value to
other great powers.
From the time of my induction into Office.
the duty OF using every power and influence
the development Of larger markets for our
products, especially our farm products, has
been kept constantly in mind, and no effort has
been or will be, spared to promote that end.
We are under no disadvantage in any foreign
market except that we pay our working men
and working. women better wages than are paid
elsewhere better abstractly, better relatively
to the )st OF the necesSarieS Of life do not
doubt that very largely increased foreign
trade is accessible to us without bartering for
| either our home market for such pro 1ucts OF
the farm and shop as our own people can sup.
ply or the wages Of our WORKING people.
! In many Of the products of wood and iron.
and ih meats and Dreadstuffs, we have advant
ages tfat only need better facilities of inter
i course and transportation to secure for them
large foreign markets: The reciprocity clause
of the tariff act wisely and effectively opens tie
way to secure large reciprocal trade in ex:
change for the free admission to our ports OF
certain products The right Of independen,
nations to make special reciprocal trade con
sessions is well established, and does not
what ls known as the Favored nation clause
| so generally found in commercial treaties
What is given the one for an adequate
agreed can not BE- claimed
dispense with any import dutie.
upon tea, hides and the lower grades Of sugai
| and m.Jlasses. That the large advantage re
sulting to the countries producing and export
| ing these articles by placing them on the free
| list entitle us I'd expect fair return in way o
us to them was so obvious that to have gratu
| ituousy abandoned this opportunity to enlarge
our trade would have been an unpardonable
error.
| control of this question open to Congress. Tt
| place all of these articles upon the dutiable
| list subject to such treaty agreements as could
be secured. or to place them all presently upor
the free list. but subject to the reimposition o
| specified duties if the countries from which
we receive them should refuse to give to ut
tGsns srsa.
conse9ts consents Congress to reciprocity arrange
msnts afesting these products which mus
! tained until each treaty was ratified by the
| Senate and the necessary legislation enacted
by Congress Experience has shown that
failed to secureo two-thirds vote iii the
Senate for ratification, and others have
ing passed the stage have for years
| and Senate in such notifications of our reve
| nue. laws were necessary to give effect te
their provisions. We now have the concur
renee OF both houses in advance in distinct
and definite offer Of free entry to our ports o
| specific articles. The Executive is not re
| quired to deal in conjecture as to what Con
grsss vii? accept ,,a Indeed !s this reciprocity
the bargain is complete; delivery has beef
| made and when the countries from which We
| receive our sugar, cofee, tea and hides have
| placed on their free lists such Of our products
| as shall be agreed upon, as an equivalent fol
our concession, a proclamation Of that fact
| completes the transaction and in the mean
| time our own people have free sugar, tea, cof
| fee and hides.
| COMING LEGISLATION.
ho coll 10 aff ~
to a number Of bills Of high Importance, which
| were we'll advanced toward Anal vote before
| the adjournment Of the last session, and, ii
| view Of the fixed limit Of the present session
| urges their speedy consideration, so that the
| work done upon them b, not lost.
He repeats his Recommendations contained
| in his last message in relation to the develop
ment OF American steamship lines. The ben
| ehts OF the reciprocity clause OF the tariff bill
| will be retarded aud diminished he says, II the
! establishment of first-class steam communica
| tion is not encouraged between our ports ant
| the ports of such nations as may meet oul
| overtures for enlarged commercial exchanges
| He Ienews his recommendation Of last MAJ
| that careful and well guarded charter b<
| with view to facilitating money exchange:
between the States represented in the inter
| national American conference.
ELECTION LAWS.
The President says it is gratifying to know
| that generally there is growing and non parti
san demand for better election laws. The neet
of a law providing = Federal supervision o
Congressional elections has manifested itself IL
many parts Of the country. The present law
he says stops just short OF effectiveness, for i
| surrendcrS ~ the local authorities all contro
| over the ccrtilcation which establishes th'
pri",n .tnci- right to seat in the Hous'
| Of Representatives This defect should b,
cured. The law should give the advantage t.
| honesty ansl the control to majoriiies. In re
| ferring to the enforcement of such law, th'
| President says it should not be forgotten tha
every law, whether enacted by the State or by tn
| Ma; ion, has force behind it. The courts tn
| marshai or constable, the posse conaifatus, tn
| prison. arc all and always behind the law. NJ
choice Is left him. he says, but to enforce will
vigor all laws intended to secure to the citizel
| his constitutional rights and to recommen'
| that the iradequacies of such laws be promptly
| rcmcdied He says:
Congress h,s already fxe1 the time 10
I thc election 81 members Of Congress. 1t has de
| elarcd that votes for members Of Congress
must must ie by written tteia.a or pr'nte' ts
| appointment by the circuit courts In Ger
| tain cases, and upon the petition Of
| certain number Of citizens. Of election super
visors, and made 1t their duty to supervise
| the registration of voters conducted by tn,
State.officers; to challenge persons Offering Z