Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-07
THE MESSAGE.

President Harrison's last message
last in the double sense that it is his
latest utterance and also in all likeli-
hood his valedictory to congress-ap-
pears in the HERALD this morning.
Like all OF hia public papers it is vol
luminous and in no essential statesman'
like. He preludes defence OF 4 high
post war tariff by recapituiation OF the
prosperity which the country enjoys to-
day, and though it has been attained in
spite OF protection run mad, he coolly
ascribes it to McKinleyism. 1t ia, in
sootb, rather childish and undign;fied
for a public innctionary who las just
been repudiated by an overwhelming
majority of both the popular and elec-
toral votes to keep harping on this issue.
He suggests that the whole matter OF
tariff should be handed over TO the in
coming congress. The gentlemen who
sit in the fiitv-second house of represen
tatives will doubtless do as they please
in the premises. If there is any routine
work that can be done between now and
the assembling of the fifty-third con-
gtess, or if practicable scheme OF reye-
nue. can be ma,ured, the sooner it is
done the better.
The president discusses a great many
topics of commonplace character,
mainly our foreign relations and depart
mental reports, until, finally. he gets
down to what is left OF the force bill. 1t
must be confessed that he has abated
much Of his former truculence on thi3
head. He COOS you now as gently az
any sucking dove. Hear him, and con-
trast his present utterRnces on this at
one time fateiul issue with his militant
attitude in his three preceding mes
sages, particularly with his martial and
intolersnt pronunciamiento in his frst.
He has now got down to non-partizan
commission to take in hand the putting
of the states Of the south in leading
strings. We quote:
| hava in each of the three annual
messages which it has been my duty to
submit to congress called attention to
the evils and dangers connected with
our election methods and practices as
they related to the choice of officers of
the national GOV ernmeut. In my last
annual message | endeavored to invoke
serious attention to the evils Of unfair
apportlonments for congress. | cannot
close this message without again calling
attention to these grave and threatening
evils. l had hoped that it was possible
to secure non-partizan inquiry
by means Of commission into
evils, the existence of which ia
known to all, and that out of this
might grow legislation from which all
thought of partlzan advantage should be
eliminated and only the higher thought
appear OF maintaining the freedom and
purity OF the ballot and the equality of
the elector, without the guaranty of
winch the government could never have
been formed. and without the continu-
ance OF which it cannot continue to ex-
lst in peace and prosperity.
This mild and modified form of the
force bill will scarcely be recognized
as having anythipg in common with the
original sweeping programme o. B'rer
Harrison, and Lodge and his fellow
fanatics Of the house, and Hoar and
other old grann!e9 OF the senate. "A
non partizan commission" quotha, and
"the maintenance of the freedom and
purity of the ballot box" This is all
tol de rol, and no one knows it better
than the inheritor OF gran'ther's hat.
His abandonment Of his original posi-
ton, however, is an evidence of what
may be accomplished by an aroused
public sentiment.
The document will cut no figure in the
archives devoted to presidential mes
ssges.