St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-10
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The presidents message is a volumi-
nous and conventional document with
out any features of particular saliency.
1t is coherent, welt expressed, and gives
evidence of that very respectable de-
gree of Intelligence of which Mr.. HAIR
RIsoN, somewhat to the surprise of the
public, has shown himself possessed. 1t
is open in general to the same criticism
which was made of the prayer in How
ELS "a Modern Instance" in that it
contains nothing especially calculated
to interest young people. The opening
paragraphs reviewing our foreign rela-
tons will be found the most entertain
ing portions. There is 10 recommends
ton that reparatiOn be made to Italy for
the New Orleans episode, as was expect
ed in some quarters, and the troubles
with Chill are detailed with much full
ness and the promise that further Sug-
gestiOns on the same subject will follow
after investigations now pending have
been concluded.
In the department of domestic politics
the president expresses his renewed
faith in the virtue of she MCKINLEY
bill and the SHERMAN silver law. He
says that the former~haS disappointed
the evil prophecies of its opponents and
in large measure realized the hopeful
predictions Of its friends. and that the
same is true of the carrency legislation
Of the last congress. He admits that it
may be plauSibly argued that changes
in our laws on one or both OF these sub
jectS might increase the general pros
perity, but he urges the dangers which
may attend experiments in such COM
pick matters. He thinks thSt we are
getting along very nicely as 1t is, and
expresses the opinion that it will pay to
let we'll enough alone. Stability he re-
CARDS as the most important feature to
be sought for in our national finances,
and he counts it wiser to adhere to an
Objectionable system than to upset pub
lie confidence by radical steps, the out
come of which cannot be accurately pre-
dicted.
The usual summary of the work of
the various branches of the government
takes a good deal of space, and dIscloSeS
nothing which can crafty by its novelty
or excite adverse comment because of
the rashness Of its recommendations
In conclusion he refers to the evils of
gerrymandering which he finds to be
popular fad of contemporary legisla-
lures, and he particularly deprecateS
movements for the division of states
electoral vote, like that perfected in
Michigan. the effect Of which is not
likely to contribute to the success of the
Republican party. The LODGE bill,
now fortunately dead beyond the pos
sibility of immediate resurrection, re-
ceiveS a spirited defense at the end,
along with a reminder of the sol emnity
which attaches to a seat in the United
States congress. Only one man has oc-
cupied the White house since the civil
war who was capable of imparting a
tone Of elevation and effectiveness to
his state papers, and he was GROVER
CLEVELAND. Men read his messages
because they repaid perusal, and re-
membered them because they abOunded
i'll sententious phrases which lodged
firmly in the popular mind. Mr.. HAIR
RIsON does not and cannot rise above
the dull level of a sodden partisanship.
and his present effort can be dismissed
as digniied presentation of the pre-
vailing Republican doctrines, from
which the voters of this country have
now at two elections expressed the most
unequiyocal dissent.