The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1890-12-05
Che geu1orrat.
TnE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

President Harrison delivered his mes
sage to congress last Monday. II Is vol
luminous, but lacks ability and depth of
thought. II takes up first our foreign re-
iatious aud treats of them In a common
place way. The revenues OF the govern
ment from all sources for the year ending
june 80, 1890 was $4654o3,oSo,SS and the
total expenditures for the same period was
$3sS,6tSSSI,s'. The surplus was $IoS,
3t4,4o6o3. (Mueh of this however, the
president should have ssld, has been used
up by many special appropriations sinee
June 3o.) The message relates the effort |
that has been made to keep down the sur
plus by the purchase and retirement of Y.
S. bonds. Since March 4, 1850, bonds to
the amount Of $srI,S5a,ISo have been pur.
chased at a cost Of Ss+66lo,74r. This the
president boastingly says Is a saving Of In.
terest to the amount Of SSt,sI6,7o6. The
fallacy In this statement Is clearly seen
when the fact Is considered that the pre-
MUM paid for the privilege Of redeeming
these SaII,Sss4so bonds was the enormous
sum Of SS4,7SS,s9I. The excuse for paying
this large premium on bonds not yet re
deemable, (by the act of John Shermau,) J
Is, that tits desirable 10 get rid Of part Of
the surplus. Had this money, used to prr-
chase bonds been left in the poeSets OF the
people where 1t belongs, the interest on II
added to the above premium of more than
81 millions would far exceed the SsII, ,si6,-
700 which the president says was saved as
interest. The presidaLt distributes quite
an amount Of tariff for the farmers by re-
ferring to the report of the department ol
agriculture In which the statement Is made
that the year has marked In a very unusual
degree by agitation and organization a
mong the farmers, looking to an increase
In the profits of their business. II will be
found that the efforts of the department
have been intelligcnuy and zealously de
voted to the promotion of the interest in-
trusted to Its care,
very substantial improvement In tn,
marke; prices of the trading farm products
during the year is noticed. The price o.
wheat advanced from 81 cents In October
1889, to sooA cents in October, IS0o corr
from 81 cents to sos cents; cats from sosa
cents TO 45 cents, and barley from O. cent
TO 73 cents. Meats showed a substantial
but not so large an increase.
BY reference to these figures the presi-
dent seeks TO leave the impression upor
farmers that somehow this administration
has so administered the government a
to increase the price of wheat and corn, ,bu
farmers are no longer to be deluded b,
such subterfuges. The price Of corn an,
wheat east is higher this year than las
solely because the crops of these produ.t
are short this year. The message deals Il
lauGation of the reciprocity clause In tn
Mckinley bill, as being largely beneficial
to the people of the United States, but, a
under that clause, no other articles are In
cluded in the list of those which the pres
ident may make the basis of reciprocal
stipulation with foreign nations excep
coffee, tea, hides and sugar, Il will be sect
at once that there Is no ground for hop
thatany advantageous arrangement may b
= made with foreign nations as, If the pres
ident should impose duty upon coffee O
tea, imported, because the nations pro
ducing these articles refuse to make sucI
arrangements, then the duty thus impose,
would simply be a tax upon American con