Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-10
THE MESSAGE aNaIyzED

the Nation is described as satisfactory
! The unusual feature is that the author OF
the State paper, in painting the prevailing
prosperity thickly applies the rose tiDts
and so mixes his coiors as to claim fol
himself the necessity for their applica-
ton.
The progress of the Bering Sea dispute
to arbitration and the state of the New
Orleans trouble with Italy are clearly
stated, the Message properly taking pains
to declare that the action of the mob was
deplorable and discreditable. 1t states the
intention of the Government "to make an
investigation" with a view to determining
whether there is any obligation on the
United States. The suggestion is made
TO Congress of a law making offenses
against the treaty rights of foreigners
cognizable in United States Courts. From
this the Message passes to the Chilean
affair. 1t states the fact that before the
ltata had arrived in Chile after
her famous runaway the Congressional
Government had voluntarily stated to Ad-
mirai Brown its intention of restoring the
vessel-which puts the reported demand
was surrendered in the light either of a
fairy tale or unnecessary bluster. From
this the message goes on to discuss the
show of enmity on the part of the Chilean
people toward onT Government without
referring otherwise to its cause. It re-
counts the statement made as to the Val
paraiso mob, and ends with the pointed
promise that unless the investigation by
the Chilean courts comes to something
before long he will send special message
TO Congress on the subject. All the above
are mere narratives with which the public
are familiar
But here the iTrepTessible conflict be-
tween our position on the New Orleans
riot and that on the Valparaiso riot breaks
out The message has already referred to
its intention to investigate the New Or
leans affair, but gives no evidence that it
is in progress Yet that mob murder pre-
ceded by some months the Chilean row,
the investigation of which by the Chilean
court is nearly finished Would not i'm
partiality recognize that we can hardly
blame Chile when her investigation is pro-
ceeding so much more rapidly than our
inquiries into our own riots? As to the
probability that the Chilean affair has
been aggravated by the personal enmities
of our representatives there the message
does not of course say a word.
The President reviews the financial
status Of the country, showing satisfactory
condition of foreign trade and favorable
working of tariff legislation. He recog-
nizes much more frankly than Secretary
Foster has been able to do that the sur
plus has diminished but does not regard
that as unfavorable He shows a much
superior perception of the silver issue
than his finance minister when he declares
that the present silver law is but an eX-
pertinent not an eXpedieEt, and gives it no
more commendation than to say it should
have fair trial.
On the pension business he says: "The
Commissioner expresses the opinion that
he will be able to carefully adjudicate and
allow $50. 900 cases during the present fis-
cal year" This is a more satisfactory
way ofputting it than the Commissioners
promise to ''dump 350,000 original cases."
But when we come to consider the proba-
bility of carefully adjudicating an average
Of 1,166 cases each working day in the
year, especially with the view expressed
in advance that they are all to be allowed,
we are left in doubt as to whether the
Commissioner description is not the
most accurate.
In recommending the guarantee of the
Canal bonds, the President puts
himself carefully in the wrong. As THE
DISPATCH has frequently shown, what
ever the United States has to eXpend in
canals for the next few years, can be far
more prcfitably invested in improving the
internal waterways of the country, than
in project thousand miles away from
our territory. But beyond that there is
an even more inadmissiable phase of the
project. The fact that the Government
is asked to guarantee loan of S100,000,-
coo on a project which is estimated by its
engineer, to cost but S60,000,000 or'S70,-
OCO, 900 has never been explained, because
it cannot be- The President has been
wofully misled in giving his official en-
dorsement to such manifest and gigan-
tic Job. His emphatic endorsement of
this stupendous speculative scheme shows
that the Nicaragua Canal lobby is very
close to the Presidential parl0r.
On one point the President does not find
the condition of the country satisfactory
That is in the Michigan Legislatures plan
for the selection of Presidential electors.
The message is weak in referring to this
matter, as it does not come within the do
main of National Administration. This
~, &c rnlo iply Whot
ever may be the views of private persons
with regard to the Michigan plan, the
President in his official documents has no
right to demand anything of the States
except obedience to the Constitution
Argue the question as he may, he cannot
conceal the fact that the Michigan method
is strictly within the warrant of the Con-
stitution, and is amply sustained by prece-
dent. There is no doubt that it departs
from extra constitutional usage, simply
for partisan advantage. But that is a
matter which Benjamin Harrison as an in
dividual may disapprove, but on which
President Harrison puts himself in error
when he NEEDLES with it in his message.
As whole the message happily disap-
points the promises of something senSa-
tional iii its utteranceS. In the points in
dicated it shows weakness Of logic or
error of Judgment, but it fortunately alb
stains from any attempt to take the coun-
try or Congress by storm. 1t bristles with
BIDS for second term.
BOHENZOLLERN ECCENTRICITIES.
Cable dispatches show the doubt as to
tie sanity of the German Emperor is
In, ,I,fh hic,