Connecticut western news., 1891-12-17
POINTS OF THE MESSAGE.
PRESIDENT HARRISON'S PLAIN TALK TO THE FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS.

PRESIDENT HARRlSON'S PLAIN TALK
 TO THE FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS. We Are at Peace with All the World and
 Hope to Remain So, but-Good Crops
 and Fair Prices-Silver Dollars, Chinese,
 Etc.-Electoral Reform Urged.
 President Harrison's first message to the Fifty-second congress opens with the usual reference to the reports of the various exec utive departments, especially those of the secretary of the treasury and the attorney general, which are transmitted to congress direct, and on them invites the most search ing scrutiny. The work of the state depart ment is specially commended for it's reel procity treaties with the republic of Brazil, with Spain for it's West India possessions, and with San Domingo. Like negotiations with other countries have been much ad- vanced, and it is hoped that before the close of the year further definitive trade arrange ments of great value will be concluded.
 In view of the rapid decrease of seals an agreement was made with Great Britain and signed on June 15 last that British sub jects should take no seals in the Behring sea before May l, 1892, and the United States should allow the Fur Seal company to take but 7,5OO skins. In the meantime there is to be general arbitration of the seal and fisheries disputes, the terms of which have been agreed on and nothing re- mains but to name the arbitrators. The United States has also offered to arbitrate between Great Britain and Venezuela, though without success, and is still set in it's opposition to foreign interference on this continent.
 Germany, Denmark, Italy, Austria and France, in the order named, have opened their ports to inspected American pork and there is prospect of an early agreement with Germany on other articles of exchange The troubles in Brazil have interested us sentimentally, but not disturbed us. The lynching of Italians in New Orleans led to some ill natured correspondence, but it is not doubted that friendly conclusion is at hand. At this point the president makes a suggestion that offenses against the treaty rights of foreigners be made matter of de termination by the federal courts or that state officials and police officers in such cases be regarded in such sense as federal agents as to make this government answerable fol their acts in cases where it would be an swerable if the United States had used its constitutional power to define and punish crimes against treaty rights.
 The president gives full account of the civil war in Chii and approves the actior of Minister Egan and the American maya officers, laying stress upon the fact that nc official complaint has. come from Chili an6 expressing regret that partisan journals have made much of unofficial charges, which ho1 %bai, ~ieri,, ipto Ac fo fh6 outrages on American sailors perpetrated ir Valparaiso on Oct. 16, congress is assured that the state department is pressing the demand for reparation, and is promised an other message and full copies of all the pa pers at an early date. The troubles in Chins are similarly treated, and congress is asked to modify the Chinese exclusion act so fa1 as to admit Chinese laborers and artisans necessary to China's exhibit at the Chicago Worlds fair of 1893.
 Russia's expulsion of the Hebrews is con demned Congress is asked to take -actioI for having the United States properly rep resented at Spain's exposition in commemor ation of the 4O0th anniversary of the dis covery of America. The Nicaragua canal is warmly indorsed and recommendation made that the United States guarantee the 3 pei cent. bonds necessary to complete it, or Wl1Cl the preSlQonC says:
 A guaranty of the bonds of the canal compa ny to an amount necessary to the completion o the canal could, think, be so given as not t< involve any serious risk of ultimate loss. The things to be carefully guarded are the compile tion of the work within the limits of the guar anty, the subrogation of the United States tt the rights of the first mortgage bondholders fol any amounts it may have to pay, and in the meantime control of the stock of the compa ny a security against mismanagement an6 loss. most sincerely hope that neither party nor sectional lines will be drawn upon this grea American project, so full of interest to the peo pie of our states and influential in it's effects upon the prestige and prosperity of our com mon country.
 The island of Navassa in the West Indies is formally annexed to the United States Attention is called to the fact that the dis cipline now maintained on the island by the phosphate and guano company is that of { convict settlement, which calls for immedi ate attention and radical remedies. Muci space is given to the effects of the McKin ley bill, which are declared highly favorable The foreign commerce of the United State! for the year ending Oct. 1, 1891, amounted to $1,747, ,S06, ,406, against $1, ,647139, ,O93 i1 the preceding year. The value of free i'm ports increased SIS, ,O92, ,3S7, and that O dutiable imports decreased $106, ,846, sos me 1Tee imports were. 40. 10 per cent. or Cn( total against 34. .E per cent. in the preced ing year.
 The exports for the same period wer, $923, ,O91 ,135 against $86O, 177, 115 for the pre- ceeing year, of which increase $45 ,846, 19 was in agriculture and SIG, ,83s, ,24O in manu factured products. The country is congrat ulated on the facts that the crops were about 50 per cent. larger than in 1890 ant the surplus sold at better prices, and con gress is warned against disturbing thi happy condition by "agitation for radica changes ID uar1n ana nnanclaI IeglsIatlon The present silver law is highly commend ed, under which the secretary of the treas ury buys at market rates 54,OOO,O 900 ounce per year, almost the entire product of tn, United States, and issues silver certificate
 therefor. An elaborate argument agains free coinage is made on these facts
 The exports of gold between Februar, and July amounted to $70,0OO,O 900, of whicl $27, ,S54, 900 has returned. On March l. 1889
 there was treasury surplus of $1S3, ,s27 ,19C
 Since then $259, $50 in bonds have bee1
 redeemed, reducing the annual interest b, $11 ,6S4 ,675; so the circulation, which wa $23.O3 per capita, or $1 ,4O4, POS, ,s96 on Marcl
 1, 1889, is now s1, ST, ,262, ,67O, or S24.3s pc capita, and the people, especially the farm ers are called upon to reiOica accOrdinplv