, 1890-12-04
THE MESSAGE.

President Harrison's messag,
possesses a peculiar interest by ren
son of the recent republican defea
mt tho polls. 1t Is the first oflicla
uttcran ce regarding the future polio,
of -the republican party that ha
been promulgated since the Novem
ber tidal wave, and Its expression
have been awaited with widespread
interest. The message can be eplt
omized in five small words;
The flag Is still there.
The occasion affords Presiden
Harrison an excellent opportunity
to display those characteristic
which years ago pushed him To tn,
front in Indiana politics, aud whicl
the smooth paths of peace hav,
hitherto held In the background
IL demonstrates that he Is man o
strong convictions, conscientious o
purpose and reliant upon the ulti
mate triumph of his principles. H.
Is not II sail-trlmmer. Out of the
smoke of defeat and the bogs of dem
agogic suggestions, he brings tn,
flag of his party and plants 1t.
standard firmly upon the origina
ground of battle.
His Just declaration that the new
tariff law be tried upon its merits o
demerits, and that the voice of rea
son be heard In preference to that o
protesting foreigners and importing
merccnuries, will carry conviction
to the mass of the voters. The pres
ident is particularly loyal to the rec
iprocity clause OF the new law. re
garding whose beneticent fruits h,
entertains no doubts. The tone o
the tariff section of the message in
dicatcs n cordial understanding be
tween the president and his secre
tary of state.
Upon the silver question the mes
sage goes even further than tn,
country had expected, although /
can not be said to indicate the faint
est possibility that the presiden
would sign free coinage bill. a
the same time he unreservedly com
mits himself to bimetall!sm. II Il
only in the matter Of accomplish
ment that his views clash with thos,
of the great West. lie contend
that the United States can not atiorC
to take tbi step alone-that remon
etization should be general amonl
the earth's great powers, and tina
individual action would drain Us o
our gold and flood us with thu
worlds silver. The REVIEW be
lieves that this fear would not b'
warranted by the facts were free
coinage written upon our statute
books. But that is too complex q
question to open ut this iuncIure.
The presidents plea for the Lodge
bill Is uttered with spirit and rea
son, mixed with faint tincture o'
partisanship, due to the partisan
character Of the opposition. The
governments right to regulate elcc'
tious at which its own officers arc
chosen can not he successfully con
troverted, and there Is also much
force 10 the presidents declaration
that the proposed act is general in
its scope, and If the South should
suffer more than the North by rea'
son OF its application hers is the
fault, and not the Norths. Demo
cratic opposition 10 the bill Is pain
fully weak, because it Ia based upon
doctrines that have been moldering
in the grave for n quarter Of n cen
tury. But there are reasons against
the passage Of the bill that the presl
dent ignores in his message, and
strangely enough they have been
advanced by the independent wing
Of his own party journals. These
in brief arc that the proposed bill
would irritate an evil that Is surely
healing of it's own accord, and
arouse a dying hostility that would
better be lett unstirred.
Aside from these dominant prin'
ciples that mark tho gulf between
| the two great parties, the message Is
n convincing, business-like presenta'
ton of the affairs of the government
1t proves conclusively that all the
departments are in the hands OF CON
sclentious men OF ability, and that
| the country was never more prosper
Gus than 1t finds itself upon the
heels of the recent election. In the
postoillcc department the service
has been improved and extended,
the revenues increased and the def
lcit lowered, In the army the mum
Der Of desertions has been materially
lowered. Our foreign affairs have
been conducted with ability ana
honor to the flag. The navy IS
rapidly becoming n credit to the
nation. The department of justice
has been conducted with vigor ana
efficiency. Internal and seaboard
improvements of great value to tue
country have been prosecuted WIN
economy and good judgment. New
areas have been opened to the home
seeker, new states carved out oi the
West. The settler is no longer mar
assed by the land officers, and at
tho same time strong curb has
been placed upon the greed OF lana
grabbors. The veterans OF the war
are in the hands of their friends
The machinery of government mas
been unhampered by conflicts OIL