The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-12-18
THE MESSAGE.

President Harrison's message is
a plain, business-like document.
Iedeals with emphasis upon the
Chilian and Behring sea questions,
the New Orleans lynching, the
silver and tariff problems, the ger
rymander, and many other impor-
tant matters. On the tariff ques-
ton the president comes out bold
ly in defense of the Mckinley law,
and says:
Rarely, if ever before in the his
tory of the country, has there been
a time when the product of one
days labor of the product Of one
farm crop could purchase such a
large amount of things that enter
Into the living of the masses Of the
people. I believe that full test
will develop the fact that the tariff
act of the fifty-first congress is
very favorable in its effect upon
the prices of articles flowing into
common use.
The president makes some plain
lcomparisons on imports and ex-
ports the past year with previous
years, and shows the economy
linaugurated in the operations of
the new tariff law. 1t is evident
THAT the country's industrial in
tterests have been materially bene-
fitted, and that commerce has
been enlarged and strengthened.
THE president says again:
| 1t is interesting, and to some
will be surprising to know that
during the year ended September
80, 1891, our imports of merchan-
dise amounted to $824,745,27O
which was increase of more than
81, 100000 over the value of the
J imports of the corresponding
months, of the previous year, when
the imports of merchandise were
. large in anticipation of the tariff
Legislation then pending. The
average annual value of the i'm
, ports of merchandise for the ter
5 years from 1881 to 1890 was $692,
: 1852, and during the year end
ed September 80, 1891, this annua
average was exceeded by $132,
: 52S.469. The value of free i'm
!. ports during the twelve month
: ended September 80, 1891, wa
n $11S, S,O92, ,3S7, more than the cor
f responding months of the preced
Hing year, and there was, during th
v period, decrease of $16,864,50
e in the value of imports of dutiabl
h merchandise.
t The message justly scores tn
e Michigan s'gerrymander," a schem
e devised by the democratic part
: to divide the electoral vote an
n make doubtful a safe republica
d state. Upon this question tn
e president makes few emphati
points as follows:
81 1t is not my purpose here t
e discuss the question, whether
l. choice by the legislature or by th
% voters of equal single districts is
It choice by the state, but only
= recommend such regulations
" this matter by constitutions
Ie amendment as will secure uniform
e ity and prevent that disgracefl
v partisan jugglery to which sue
= a liberty of choice, if it exist
le offers temptation. Nothing no
A. is more important than to provid
"a every guarantee for the absolute
leIly fair and free choice by an equ'
a. suffrage with their respectly
y states of all the officers of Il
national government, whether th;
N suffrage is applied directly, as
or the choice of members of the hou'
J. of representatives, or indirectl
IN as in the members of the sena
o. and the electors of the presiden
ID Respect for public officers al
a. obedience to the law will NJ
re cease to be the characteristics
Id our people until our election
TO cease to declare the will of m
jorities fairly ascertained witho
re fraud, suppression, OF ''gerryma
a. der"
lit All in all, President Harrison
Mt message is model state pape
IN 1t reflects craftsmanship and wi
Id dom on the part of its autht
IN while it indicates a determinatit
IN of devotion to duty in the serv
le tude of the public welfare, and
ne conscientious regard for the col
oh mon interests.
a. ------
r0RV4LTTC $40 W GRO WITH.