Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-12-05
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The Usual Annual Review Of the Affairs
Of the Country,

With a Discussion of the New Tariff
and a Strong Plea in Behalf of Free
and Honest Elections.
The jlst Congress reassembled on Mon
day for its short or closing session, and has
a large attendance in both branches At
ter the transaction of preliminary business
committee was appointed to wait upon
the President and inform him that Con-
gress was in session and ready to receive
any communication that he might have to
make. In response the annual message
was sent in aud duly read. The document
opens with the customary allusion To the
orderly and peaceful way in which the af.
fairs of the government have been con
Quoted during the past year Then follows
| the usual discussion Of our foreign relations
with regard to which there is nothing of
especial interest Or Importance. 1t Is stated
| that the Nicaragua canal project. under
the control OF American citizens. Is max
ing good progress, and that all the prelm-
mary operations have been completed with
~ the prescribed time. Congratulations
are expressed over the cordial relations
which exist between this country aud our
sister republics Of France and Mexico.
Proceeding TO our financial interests it is
stated that the revenues ot the govern
ment from all sources for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1890, were SI63, 9G3, OSO
%, Hnd the total expenditure, Tor the same
period are $3jS. .GIs, ,js4.J9 The surplus
tor the year, including the amount applied
~ the sinking fund, was SlOj, 3ii 1876 03
The receipts for 1890 were SIG 0jU, y23 1g
aud the expenditures SO, 139, ,S1l IN excess
OF those of 1889. The customs receipts in
creased 50, $50 ,SI2 50 aud the receipts from
internal revenue Sll 12j, 1871 -, while on
the side OF expenditures, that for pension,
was Sl9,3l2, ,O1j 96 in excess OF the proceed
lug year.
la alluding to the new law for the in
creased coinage of silver the President
notes with regret the fact that il has not
nad the anticipated effect in enhancing the
price Of silver, but that on the contrary
there has recently been a marked decline
| ~ Its price. There has been IA cOnsdera-
| be increase in the amount Of silver which
the government has been able to get into
cli culatlon. 1t will require several months
yet to determine what will be the perma-
uent effect of the recent silver legislation
The efforts of the secretary Of the treas
! uTy to increase the volume Of money ia
circulation by keeping down the treasury
surplus u the lowest practical limit, have
been unremltting and III very high de
gree successful Tables presented toy him.
showing the increase Of NO ey in circulation
during the last two decades and especially
the taile showing the increase during tine ~
months he has administered the affairs of
| the department are interesting and instruct
i've The President notices with great
pleasure the statement of the secretary
that the receipts from internal revenue
have increased during the last fiscal year
nearly $l2 OUu, 600 aud that the cost Of col
lecting this larger revenue was less 10y $40.
Gl1 than for the same purpose IN the pre-
ceding year. The percentage of cost Of
collecting the customs revenue was less for
the last fiscal year than ever before
Brief illusions are made to the various
department reports and the statement Is
made that every possible effort has been
used to expedite business under the new
disability pension act. The expenditure
under this new law will not II i believed,
exceed the estimates made before its enact
ment This liberal enlargement Of the
law should suggest more careful scrutiny
of bills for special relief both as to the
cases where relief Is granted and as to the
amount allowed.
the non Mormon population in Utah are
observed with satisfaction Allusiou l.
made to President Woodruff deliverance
advising the MOrmons TO refrain from con
tracing plural MAJ rlageS, but attention IS
called to the fact that lie does not renouucr
the doctrine of pOlygamv, but simply re
Trains from teaching It because the law l.
against it. On this point Mr.. Harrison
forcibly SAYS: Now, it is quite true that
the law should not attempt to deal with the
faith or belief of any one but II is quite
another thing, and the only safe thing, 50
TO deal with the territory Of Utah rs thar
those who believe polygany to be r,ghttul
shall not have the power to make 1t lawful,
Proceeding to the affairs OF the depart
ment of agriculture the message saws il
will be fou d that the efforts Of the depart
meut have been intelIgemtly aud Leauusly
devoted to the promotion Of the interests
iutrusted 10 its care. a very substantial
improvement in the market prices Of the
leading products during the year is noticed
The price Of wheat advanced from 81 cents
in October, 1859, to 81 OO4 IN October 1880.
Corn from 81 cents To so cents oats from
l99 cents to 43 cents, and barley from 63
cents to ~ cents Meats showed sub
stantial but not so large an increase. The
export trade in live animals and fowls
shows a very large increase The total
value of such exports for the year ending
June 30, ls9u, was $50, 900, 900, aud the in
crease over the preceding year was over
$l5, O0O, 900 Nearly 2OO, 900 more cattle aud
over A., 600 more hogs were exported than
in the preceding year. The export trade
in beef and pork products and in dairy
products was very largely increased, the
increase in the article of butter alone be
ing from j,504,914 pounds TO 30 AS, ,04S
pounds and the total increase in the value
of meat aud dairy products exported he
ing S34, 00O, 900. This trade SO directly
helpful TO the farmer it is believed will be
yet further and very largely increased
when the system of inspection and santa
ry supervision now provided by law is
brought fully into operation.
The law relating to the civil service has
been executed by those having the power
of appointment in the classified service
with fidelity and impartiality and the ser
vice has been increasingly satisfactory
The report of the commission shows "A
large amount of good work during the year
with very limited appropriations.
President Harrison congratulates Con
gress and the country upon the passage at
the first session of the 5lst Congress Of an
unusual number of laws of very high i'm
TO tance That the result Of this legisll-
tion will be the quickening and enlarge
ment Of our manufacturing industries,
larger and better markets for our bread