The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-02
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1890.
TIVE rREsIDErT's MESSAGE

Tho last general message OF the President
q, the United States 10 the Fifty-frst Con-
gross was read 10 that body yesterday
With due Difference to the exalted official
from whom 1t emanates, the only Term
which can be appropriately applied 10 ]. is
commonplace, for II contains nothing strik-
ing and nothing original.
Following the usual stereotyped practlce
IN all such documents, the President begins
BY congratulating Congress upon the isc'
that our foreign relations are all peaceful
and that our domestic Affairs are all pro
crossing satisfactorily. Reports OF the va
r,ous heads of the departments are synop'
slzed and approved, and the attention OF
Congress is merely called to the Suggestions
therein contained.
The only matters in the entire message
calculated TO excite the slightest unusnal
interest are the few recommendations MADE
which recommendations are, IN every in.
stance, purely partisan and political. Inc
Federal Legislature is warned that It's days
Of existence are few. and that considerable
legislation OF importance-i.e. e., important u
future Republican success-was left unhn
ished at the last session. or course th'
main subject considered under this head II
the Force bill.
The necessity ofpushing this measure u
speedy passage is quite lengthily and EN-
phaticaly dwelt upon. 1t is urged that i
is required by the deslrability o.
securing 10 the people of the United
States honest elections, ana
10 claimed that the proposed law
ia wholly unsectional, and that its passage
10 demanded In the interest Of good govern
ment. Without discussing the plain dis
righteousness Of such position, and win
out attempting again to show what Is 81
well known, that the disguise OF virtue as
sumed in recommending the passage q
this bill 10 Congress is the gauzies
possible, 1t is sufficient at this time
only 10 remark that q man ike Harm
son prating Of honesty in politics reaches
almost the sublimity of righteousness
Here IL a President Of the United States
who knows that he owes his own election
10 the most fragrant bribery, perpetrated II
the most shameless manner by th'
chairman of the National Republl
can Committee, in Indiana, and king'
county. New York. lie also knows
that he himself appointed MIR. Wanamaker
q clothing merchant Of Pennsylvania, to tho
high and responsible Office Of Postmaster
General, because he (Wanamaker) had been
personally instrumental in adding s4OO,OO'
10 the corruption fund thus expended. The
yirtuous utterances OF a public official
with such a record can hardly carry with
them much weight.
The next recommendation OF interest is
that Congress lose no time in passing an
apportionment bill. A measure Of this ma
ture. such as Mr.. Harrison proposes, and
passed by the present Republican Congress
would be no less partisan than the FORCE
bill. 1t would be manipulated and en-.
gineered entirely in the interests Of Radi-
calisn without regard TO public welfare OF
public right, and the Democrats would be
fully justified in resisting it by every means
In their power.
The remainder of the message is common
place In the extreme. 1t is only such a
document as a Republican politician could
write, and as Republican politician would
write. There is not an utterance or sen.
tlment contained in it worthy in the slight.
est degree of being dignifed as statesman.
like.