The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-12-05
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.
president S1arrison's Second
Annual Communication.
rHe SUBJECTS WHICH HE HANDLED.


Control Of Elections Favored-Benefi-
ciaI Working OF the New Extradition
Treaty with Great Britain--The Fur Seal
Question still UAsettIed--The Increase
In the Circulation of Money.
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 1.-The annual
message of President Harrison was sub
mitted to congress mt noon Monday. A
great deal ofit is devoted to q review OF
the departmental reports and our relations
with foreign countries. That part Of the
message which will attract the most at
tentionis that concerning the tariff legis-
lation of the last session of congress.
Speaking on this subject, he says: "The
general provisions of the law have been in
force less than sixty days. It's permanent
effects upon trade and prices still largely
stand in conjecture. 1t is curious to note
that the advance in the prices of articles
wholly unaffected by the tariff act was by
many hastily ascribed to that act. Notice
was not taken of the fact that the general
tendency of the markets was upwards 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 Ameri-
can legislation should conserve and defend
American trade and the wages of American
workmen. The misinformation as to the
terms of the act which has been so widely
disseminated at home and abroad, he
believes, will be corrected by experience,
and the evil auguries as to its results con-
founded by the market reports, the saw
ings banks, international trade balances,
and the general prosperity of our people.
Continuing, he says: 1.-THE criticisms Of
the bill that have come to us from for
eign sources may well be rejected for re-
pugnancy. If these critics really believe
that the adoption by us of free trade
policy, or of tariff rates having reference
solely to revenue, would diminish the par
ticipation of their own countries in the
commerce of the world, their advocacy
and promotion by speech and other forms
of organized effort of this movement
among our people is rare exhibition of
unseltishness in trade. And on the other
hand, if they sincerely believe that the
adoption of a protective tariff policy by
this country insures to their profit and
our hurt, it is noticeably strange that they
should lead the cutlery against the au-
thors of policy so helpful to their coun-
trymen, and crown with their favor those
who would snatch from them a substan-
tial share of trade with other lands al
ready inadequate to their necessities.
Markets for our Products.
''There is no disposition among any of
our people to promote prohibititory
or retaliatory legislation. Our pol
icies are adopted not to the
hurt Of others, but to secure for ourselves
those advantages that fairly grow out of
our favored position as q nation. Our
form of government, with its incident of
universal suffrage, makes 1t imperative
that we shall save our working people from
the agitations and distresses which scant
work and wages 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 the other great
powers.
"From the time of my induction into of
flee the duty OF using every power and in
fuence given by law to the executive de-
partment for 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 I'M
der no disadvantage in any foreign mar
KeU, except JnaJ we pay our workmen ana
workwomen better wages than are paid
elsewhere-better absolutely, better rela-
lively to the cost of the necessaries of life.
l do not doubt that very largely
increased foreign trade is accessible to us
without bartering for either our homo
market for such products Of the farm and
shop rs our own people can supply or the
wages of our working people.
Reciprocal Trade.
'In many of the products of wood and
iron, and in meats and breadstuffs, we
have advantages that only need better fa-
cilities of intercourse and transportation to
secure for the large foreign markets. The
reciprocity clause of the tariff act wisely
and effectively opens the way to secure q
large reciprocal trade in exchange for the
free admission to our ports of certain pro-
ducts. The right Of independent nations
to make special reciprocal trade conces-
sions is well established and does not i'm
pair either the comfy due to other powers
or what is known as the favored nation
clause, so generally found in commercial
treaties. What is given to one for an ade-
quate agreed consideration can not be
claimed by another freely. The state of
revenues was such that we could dispose
with any import duties upon coffee, tea,
hides and the lower grades
of sugar and molasses That the
large advantage resulting to the countries
producing and exporting these articles by
placing them on the free list entities us to
expect fair return in the way of customs
concessions upon articles exported by us to
them, was so obvious that to have gratitous-
ly abandoned this opportunity to enlarge
our trade would have been an objectionable
error. There were but two methods of
maintaining control of this question open
to congress: To place all of those articles
upon the dutiable list, subject to such
treaty arrangements as could be secured,
or to place them all presently upon the
free list, but subject to reimposition If
specified duties of the countries from which
we receive them should refuse to give to us
suitable reciprocity benefits. This latter
method, think, possesses great advant-
ages. II expresses in advance the consent
of congress to reciprocity arrangements af-
fecting these products which must other
wise have been delayed and unascertained
until such treaty was ratified by the SEN
nte and the necessary legislation enactad