New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-10
,,yrENING TO THE MESSAGE.
WORE THAN USUAL ATTENTION PAID IN THE
HOUSE.
.sx,roR PETER MUCH ISrEREsTED-No Ex-
pppssoN- OF OPINION YET.
nv ,r,Kcn,pH TO THE rnrpuyE.I

.,x,ros PETER MUCH ISrEREsTED-No Ex-
PREsNoNy OF OPINION YET.
far TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuSEI
w.shnrton, Dec o.-To-day's session Of the Senate
s.,oed almost exclusively to the reading Of the
s'sssut,s message, on Adjournment being taken i'm
rs,.s,s,y after secretary McCook had finished his
s a an hour and a half The reading Of the an
~, Message IN either branch of Congress is always
80, tedious and perfunctory ceremony, borne with
-. nsiIence and desOrum as a necessary compliance
a established legislative forms. Each listener is
odd. Of course, with printed copy of the docu-
f, and can find out what the President has to say
~. more conveniently and readily from the pages
90 before him than by following the even and
ss moootonous sound Of the readers voice. Prob
~, srty senators were visible this morning when the
s,oe ~ the message was begun, and perhaps fifteen
'.rens, listened attentively to the end.
n, opening portion, on foreign affairs, always
= the most general attention. Last year the
s-~sssut announced the recall of Minister Miner in
A. massage piece OF fresh information. No similar
:, N news from the State Department was made
~,ue to-day. senatoI Morgan, of Alabama, seemed
r,,ysed and gradhed to hear the President quote
..nnyipgly from speech he had made last winter
y ,,e Nicaragua Canal bill. References of this sort
sr.pohes made by Senators rare in Presidential
sss.res Mr. Proctor was also present TO enjoy the
'..a.ome compliment paid him by the President on
:. Airbv successful administration Of the War Do
srent lust ended. Mr.. Teller and Mr. Stewart
1xd some interest while the Presidents views on
4. diver question being read and Mr. Dawes
s.d attentlvely TO the discussion of Indian affairs.
On the Republican side the most appreciative audi
,s seemed TO be the venerable Mr.. Morrill,. Mr..
crn,u Mr.. Frye, Mr.. Hale, Mr.. Allison and Mr..
w,s. On the Democratic side Mr.. Coke Mr. Vest
y Gay and Mr.. Morgan were conspicuousy attentive
IL
sssage with great earnestness lie seemed to think
as that was just what he was there for and he
Md eonseientiously to earn his salary. Mr.. Hoar
,sssoned much comment by putting his head on his
..k hce downward, and apparently dropping off TO
dep Nr. George, OF Mississippi, who once took of
NJ shoe In the senate turned his back TO the Secre
n,s desk and read a newspaper industriously.
colonel John K. Fellows paid visit to the Senate
shgs the latter half of the message was being read
and made tour of the Democratic side. lie was
ssrnly greeted by Mr.. Brice Mr.. German and many
cher, with whom he exchanged congratulations on
he result Of the speakership contest in the House.
senator Plumb got the floor ms sOCn Secretary Nc
Cook reinquished 1t, and at his request the Senate
stourned until tomorrow at noon.
larger number OF Representatives than usual lis
tDed to the reading Of part all Of the Presidents
message to-day. This may have been due in part TO
IL fact that nearly one-haf Of them had before
nJOyed the privilege Of hearing tie annual message
rad the House of Representatives, but it is also true
Aat more interest than is usual existed 10 know what
As President would have TO say and how lie would
nv IT, The free-coinage leaders and many Of their
bIcvers listened with apparent not TO say evident
sspprObaOn TO the part in which the silver question
i 50 clearly and effectively discussed but they pre-
trvd 10 reserve their criticisms until after they had
rad and studied the argument. This was an eXlbi-
ton Of Seli-restraint which was wholly unexpected.
Democrats and Republicans alike prckad up their
when the clerk began to read that portion of the
Message which relates TO gerrymandering' and the
safeguards which should surround the exercise of the
asht Of suffrage The arguments well the ideas
new to many of the Representatives, and for that
nsscs attracted more attention than otherwise would
have been the case. OF course it is too much to ex
pet that such men as GovernorSenator Hill, senator
Gotham OF ayOrRepressntltive Chaplin will approve
tlu The suggestion OF constitutional amendment to
uniformity in the mode of choosing electors for
President and Vice President, for the appointment
hs Bipartisan commission to investigate the subject
AM propose such changes and notifications of the law
VIII insure honest and fair elections for Representa-
tVe IN Congress, but II is reasonable to hope that
many Democrats will join with Republicans in Con-
rss TO give effect to both Of these important, wise
Nd timely recommendations.
The cheerful contained in the message OF the
odtion of the finances and the Treasury, and also
4 the foreign trade of the United States since the
nacment of the existing tariff law, did not appear
D raise in the least the spirits of the Democratic
eerpish whose loud lamentations over bankrupt
Tnasury" have filed the land during the last twelve
months These false prophets of evil are simply I'M
IDLE TO believe and comprehend that their false
,rOphecies have not been and not to be fulfilled.
An Official assurance, based upon ascertaned facts and
Predicted upon estimates which known TO be trust
s0thy that there was a balance Of surplus revenue
mounting TO 37. 237 762 81 in the Treasury on June
30, 1891 that the balance June 80. 1892, will
probably amount TO $24 900 900 and the June 80
ls93 10 more than $14,O00,O00 will be received with
confidence and regarded as satisfactory by most people,
but not BY the partisan prophets of evil who hold
seats in Congress preside the editorial columns
u Democratic and Mugwump newspapers.
Among the other passages in the message the read
hg Of which was listened to with much apparent
Interest were those relating TO the reciprocity negotia
tons under the third section of the Tariff law and the
probable effect thereof: the progress Of the navy
ue relations between the United states and Ch the
bhrng Sea and Ckiucsc questions, and the removal Dy
France, Germany Denmark, Austria and Italy OF the
Prohibition OF American pork. The announcement that
reciprocity agIeeme II has boon concluded with Ger
s aac VIZ soon be P2oafo NIL oS during pG the
AS three months
Representatives, whose opinions respecting the mes
ase as whole would carry weight prefer 10 reserve
the expression Of them until they shall have found
pDe carefully 10 read and digest the contents OF that
important state paper. On the completion OF the
hselng the message was, on motion OF Mr. outn-
Vale Of Ohio, referred to the Committee OF the
NhOe and ordered printed. On motion OF MIR. Hol-
nan the House then adjourned until saturday, with the
.hoeisianding that further adjournment should be
Nen hken until Wednesday
Fw teri Of the President Message, sea page II,