The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-02

adopted not to the hurt of Others, but to
secure for ourselves those advantages that
1alfiy grow out of our favored position as
a nation. Our form of government, with
It's incident OF universal suffrage, making
IL imperative that we shall save our work |
ing people from the agitations aud dis
tresses which scanu work and wages that
nave no margin Tor comfort always beget:
In many of the products of wood and
iron, and in meats and breadstuffs, we
have advantages that only need better |
facilities of intercourse and transporta-
tloa to secure for them large foreign mar
kets The reciprocity clause of the tariff |
act wisely and effectively opens the wav
to secure large reciprocal trade in ex-
change for the free admission to our ports
of certain products. The right of indepen-
dent nations to make special reciprocal
trade concessions is well established and |
does not impair either the comfy due to
other powers or what is known as the |
favored nation clause" so generally |
found III commercial treaties. What is |
given to one for an adequate agreed |
consideration caunot be claimed by an |
othel freely. |
DEVELOPING LARGER MARKETs
From the time of my induction into
Office the duty of using every power and |
influence given by law to the executive |
department. for the development of larger |
markets for our products, especially our |
farm products. has been kept constantly |
In mind, ana no effort has been or will be
spared TO promote that end We are I'M
der no disadvantage in any foreign
market, except that we pay our workmen
and workwomen better wages than they
are paid elsewhere = better abstractly,
better relatively to the cost of the neces- |
stiles of life. 30 not doubt that very
largely increased foreign trade is access |
IDLE to us without bartering for it, either
our home market for such products of the 1
farm and shop as our own people can sup
ply or the wages Of working people.
Experience has shown that some treaties |
looking to reciprocal ira e have failed to |
secure a twO-thirds vote in the senate for |
ratification, aud Others having passed that |
stage have for years awaited the concur |
renee of the house and senate In such
notifications of our revenue laws as were |
necessary to give effect to their provisions |
We row have the concurrence OF both |
houses in advance in a distinct aud defin-
lite offer of free entry to our ports of speci- |
fic articles. The executive is not required |
to deal in conjecture as to what congress |
will accept Indeed, this reciprocity pro- |
vision is more than an offer Oar part of |,
the bargain is complete, delivery has been /
made, and when the countries from which |
we receive sugar, coffee, tea and hides /
have placed on their free lists such Of our |
products as shall be agreed upon as an 1
equivalent for our concession, proclama-
ton of that ia completes the transac-
ton.
In the meantime our own people have
free sugar. tea, coffee and hides. The in /
dications thus far given are very hopeful |
OF early and favorable action by the coun-
tries from which we receive our large i'm
ports of coffee and sugar, and it is conf Il
IDENTIFY believed that il steam commuuica-
ton with these countries can be PROMPTLY
improved AMI enlarged the next year viii |
show most gratifying increase in our
export of breadstuffs and provisions. as /
well as some important lines OF manu-
featured goods
UNFINISHED LEGISLATION
In addition to the important bills that
became laws before the adjournment Of |
the last session, some other bills OF the 1
highest Importance were well advanced
toward final vote and now stand upon
the calendars of the two houses in IA
vored positions. The present session has
fixed limit, and if these measures are
not now brought to a final vote, all the /
work that has been done upon them by |
this congress is lost.
The proper consideration of these. OF an
apportionment bill aHd of the annual an
preparation bills win require not only that
no working day OF the session shall be lost
but that measures OF minor and local in
terest shall not be allowed to interrupt or
retard the progress of tn )se that are of uni-
versal interest In ve~ of these condi-
tons refrain from bringing before you at
this time some suggestions that would
otherwise be made, and most earnestly in
woke your attention to the duty of perfect
ing the lmpOrtarl giSlatiOn now well adj
vanced. To some of these measures which
seem to me most important | now briefly
call your attention. l desire to repeat
with added urgency the recommendations |
contained in my last annual message in re-
lation TIC the development of American
steamship lines.
The reciprocity clause Of the tariff bill
will be largely limited and its benefits re-
tarded and diminished if provision is not
n tam als afNf.fsrf sslx il
the establishment of first class steam
communication between our ports and the
ports OF Snch nations as may meet our
overtures for enlarged commercial ex-
changes. The steamships carrying the
mail steadily and frequently, and Offering /
to passengers Il comfort be safe and |
speedy transit, is tha first condition of
foreign trade 1t carries the order or the /
buyer, but not all that is ordered or
bought. l. gives 10 to. sailing vessels
such cargoes rs are not ur.att or perisha-
bic, aud Indirectly, at lea4,. promotes that
important auJ iact Of commerce.
There Is t'n in this cou lt-y and in the
nations 81 Central and SJlth America a
state of expectation and oanli lence as to |
increased ira Q III will give double |
value to your prompt &C ion upon this |
question. The present stuition OF our
mail COMMUNICATE N with Australia illus
trates tue lmp2rta re OF early action by |
congress. lac Oceanic Steamship COM
pany maintains Il liuo of steamers between
San francisco. 81 iney and Auckla /. con-
sisting Of hire. vessIs, two uf which are
of United States registry and oAa Of for
eign regis,fy. For the serfic.. dane nv
this line Ia carrying the m:i;s we pay
annually ihe sum OF SO d n, neitIs as estf-
mated the fall ga All Iii. ed States in
land postage. w:iicl is tbs llni5 fixed by /
law.
The Saath Atlantic and gulf ports oc-
cupy very dy)re position towards the
new ana important c;lmniesca which the
reciprocity ause OF t~e tariff act and tie |
postal shipping bill are uessuel to pro-
mote. Steamer lines frum these ports to |
some northern part OF South America viii
almost certainly eli: ct connection be-
tween tae railroad systems Of tbs cauti-
nents before centinu )lls line OF RAILWAYS
can he put into operation.
The very large appropriation ma !e at
the last session for Eae har5or Of Calves
was justified, as il seemed to M by these
considerations. TIe great northwest viii l
feel the advantages of truak lines
to the south as well as to the
east, ana OF Ghe new markets opened for
thelr surplus fool products, and for
many OF their manufactured products | /
had occasion il May last to transmit to
congress ieport adopted by the Iuter-
national A'nerlcan conference upon the
subject OF the iac JPporation of an inter
national American bank with a view to |
facilitating money exchange between the
states represented III that Conference
The colonies OF New South Wales and L
New Zealand have bsen paving Annually
to these lines 93I,0j0 for CARRYING the
mails from Sydney aud Auckland TO San
Francisco. The contract under which |
this payment has been made is now about
to expire, and those colonies have refused |
to renew the contract unless the United |
States shall pay more equitable proper
tion of the whole sum necessary to MAIN |
tain the service | am advised by the post
master general that the United States re-
ceives for carrying the Australian mails
brought to San Francisco in these steam
ers by rail to Vancouver an estimated an
nual income of fs75, 900, while, as I have
stated, we are paying out for the support
Of the steamship line that brings this mail
to us only $46 600, leaving an annual sur
plus resulting from this source;of S29.O
Tht trade of the United States with
Australia, which is in considerable part
carried by these steamers, and the whole
OF which is practically dependent on the
mail communication which they MAIN
tain, is largely in our favor Our total
exports OF merchandise to Australian
ports during the fiscal year ending June
30, 1890, were $1l ,266.4S4, while the total
imports of merchandise from these ports
were only $4,2T,676. II we are not will
ing to see this important steamship line
Withdrawn, or continued with Vancouver
substituted for San Francisco as the
American terminal, congress should put
1t in the power of the postmaster general
to make n liberal incraasa in tho an,ourt |