New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-10
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

annual Message which most impresses every
candid reader is its absolute freedom from par
tisanship or prejudice. There is in it no strain
ing for effect 1t is simple clear and business
like statement of public affairs full of wise and
practical suggestions, and so dispassionate that
its perusal, after the crazy fractional contests OF
Democrats, is like breath of cool mountain air.
The President calmly invites the closest public
scrutiny of every Department, in full confidence
that inquiry would strengthen the trust of the
people in their administration. He treats very
briefly of the tariff, only to urge that the new
law should have fair trial, and that agitation
"cannot help but must seriously impede busl-
ness" which needs measure OF stability. lie
points out that results thus far have falsfed the
predictions of opponents that imports have not
decreased: that the Treasury is not bankrupt ;
that prices have not advanced, and says " Rare
ly, if ever before in the history of the country,
has there been time when the proceeds OF one
DAYS labor or the product of one farmed acre
would purchase SO large an amount OF those things
that enter into the living of the masses OF the
people" He also shows in detail that the per-
centage of free imports is 4S.1S, against 34.27
for the previous year, and since the repeal of
the sugar duties 55.37 per cent OF imports are
free. proportion never before attained under
any tariff.
The Presidents remarks on the silver question
are so dispaSsionate that his recommendation that
the present law should have fair trial will have
the greater weight. He urges that expectations
of friends and foes alike have been disappointed,
sets forth with care the causes of failure Of silver
bullion to advance in consequence of Govern
ment purchases, and expresses strong hope that
the law will yet help siver-producers as it has
not hitherto helped them. But he speaks in the
plainest terms of the unwiSdOm of continued
agitation and especially of the efforts for free
coinage which would bring disaster upon the
whole people because it would make it impos-
sible to maintain equal purchasing power for the
gold and the silver dollar, and adds, in words
that deserve serious thought
The producers OF the country, its farmers and
labOrer have the highest interest that every dollar
paper or coin, issued by the Government shall be as
good as any other IL there Is less valuable than
another its sure and constant errand will be 10 pay
them for their toll and for their crops The money
lender will protect himself by stpulatng for payment
in gold but the aborer has been able to do that
To place business upon silver basis would mean a
sudden and severe contraction Of the currency by the
withdrawal of gold and gold notes. and such an I'M
settling Of all values as would produce commercial
panic.
It is the less necessary here to review in de-
tail the remarks of the President regarding the
operations of the different Departments, because
the recommendations of those Departments have
been considered in connection with annual re-
ports. He refers especially to the removal OF
causes of desertions from the Army, to decisions
of the courts which embarraSS the prevention
of Chinese immigration across the Canadian bor-
der, to the great improvement of the postal
service, and to the creation of the new Navy,
especially urging that i" there should be no hest
tation in promptly completing Navy of the
best modern type, large enough to enable this
country to display its flag in all seas for the pro-
lection of its citizens and of its extending COM
merce."
The Indian Service the President believes,
was never more carefully conducted, but he sub
mits that the existence of the Indian Territory
is "a startling anomaly" and that the rights
and interests of the Indians should be represented
on the floor of Congress, and not merely in the
lobby His statement as to the diminished valuo
of first payments under the new Pension law
will explain to many their great error in esti-
mating the effect Of recent legislation, and his
approval of the excellent work done by the new
Agricultural Department is justified by its re-
suits. The Presidents approval of the Civil
Service system is unreserved and hearty, and he
refers with pleasure to the fact that during the
year he has extended it's field of operations.
If there be partisanship in urging that there
should be honest free and fair elections, the
President is clearly partisan. His comments
on the gerrymander by which in Michigan
method of choosing Presidential Electors, which
has been unanimously followed in the States for
many years, has now been broken for partisan
purposes are strong and earnest, and he is JUST
fed in calling it " dsgraceful partisan jugglery."
He recommends legislation TO secure uniformity
in the choice of Presidential Electors, and urges
that the chief National danger lies " in the over
throw of majority control by the suppression or
perversion Of the popular suffrage" To the end
that these evils may be removed, he proposes
the creation of bipartisan commission which
shall investigate the whole subject of election
laws and existing abuses, with the hope that
it may be able to submit remedies which will be
unanimously adopted. The closing remarks of
the President express pride in the Increased
unifcation of our people and revived National
spirit" and he adds "A trust, momentOus in
its influence upon our people and upon the
world, is for a brief time committed to us, and
we must not be faithless to its first condition
the defence of the free and equal influence of
the people in the choice of public officers and
in the control of public affairs"
FOREIGN RELATIONS.