The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-12-16
The Presidents Message.

The presidents message was received
at the WATCHMAN Office Wednesday
night and published ia an extra edition
early Thursday morning. With all
great political and constitutional ques-
tons practically settled, craftsmanship
has become very largely a matter of
business management, and the duties
of the chief executive are very like the
duties of the president of vast COM
mercial concern. So the president has
to do with ques ions relating to trade
and commerce, business and finance,
and his annual message is a statement
of the business affairs of the govern
ment to the representatives. of the peo-
| pie who constitute the government.
This is the presidents last annual mes
sage preceding the next national cleo
ton. 1t has sometimes happened that
an occupant of the chair of the chief
! executive, ambitious of reelection, has
improved this opportunity to "sound
bugle note that should rally political
supporters to his standard. Impartial
readers will search President Harrison's
message in vain for any evidence of
bid or Of an itching for denomination.
The document is a clear, strong,
straightforward presentation of the
matters of leading interest and i'm
portance to the people. There is in it
no alloy of selfish personal ambition;
there is no buncombe," no dramatic
appeal TO the galleries, no trenchant
phrase or glittering epigram to catch
the ear, intoxicate the reason and raise
a cheer Partisans may dep'ore the
severely business character of the mes
sage. They may have wished to see in
its lines the CLEAN of bright rhetoric,
something of the felicities which have
enlivened his speeches and for which
his public addresses have become ia
nous. 1t might have been polite to =" let
the eagle scream" but the president
withstood all such temptations and gave
TO the country story of marvellous
material growth and prosperity, of dig
niied, resolute dealings with foreign
nations, of the strengthening of the
country's strong right arm on land and
sea, of plans for still further advancing
the national power aud elevating its
standard that must stir the national
enthusiasm and arouse the national
spirit more ardently than "the glittering
generalities " of a partisan political APP
peal.
How are the calamity predictions of
the free traders, as to the effect upon
foreign trade of the Mckinley bill, put to
the blu ,h! The volume of foreign trade
during the first year under the new
tariff was far greater than ever before,
and exceeds by $100,O0O,O0O that of
1890, it must be remembered that
the imports for the latter year were
enormously swollen to anticipate the
advance in tariff rates. Exports have
increased, imports have increased, and
all in no stinted sums, but in amounts
that indicate the existence of whole
some and powerful operating cause.
The value of imports on the free list
exceeds by 100000 the value of
imports of this class for the previous
year. There is hardly an argument
made or prediction ventured by the
opponents of the Mckinley bill in the
long debate on that measure that has
been verified by the facts of experience,
and the grand aggregate of the presi-
dents splendid exhibit should forever
place quietus upon this Fictitious and
irrational tariff agitation. Ga the ques-
| ton of free coinage of silver, the presi-
dent adheres to the opinions he has
heretofore expressed, and enforces them
with convincing logic. The political
student, the citizen seeking the facts
for intelligent action at the polls, will
find the message most instructive doc
ument. While it is innocent of the
smell of partisan politics, it is, never
theless, for the party TO which the pres
ident belongs, by reason of its inherent
strength and honesty, most powerful
campaign document, and will fight for
its author and his party,
The Liquor Prosecutions.