Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-06

easy victims Of the plague. This consideration,
a. well Gs tho~e affecting the political. moral,
and industrial interests of our country, lead me
to renew the suggestion that admission to our
country and 90 the high privileges % IL. clt-
zenship should be more restricted ana more
. CAREFUL We have. think. right aud eve
duty TO our own people. and especially o. our
working people. not only 90 keep out the
vicious. the ignorant. the ci'h clsturter, The
panper, and the contract isborcr. bus b cbeck
the too great aow % immigration nos coming
by further limitations.
The repor; Of the worid's Columbian Expo-
sition has not vet been submitted. Thai q
the Board q, Management % the Government
exhibit has been received and l. herewith trans
mitted. The work o; construction ana q
preparation for the opening - the Imposition
IN May next has progressed mcst satisfactorily
and upon a scale 81 hhsrality and msgnifcsnce
that vii wcrthily sustain the honor Of the
United States.
THr DISTRICT IIoroK Law.
The District Of Columbia is left. bv de-
cision OF the supreme court Of th@Dis,ric,.
without any law regulating the liquor trasso.
An old statute of the legislature Of the District,
relating To the licensing Of various Vocations.
has hitherto been treated by the Commission
ers as giving them power % grant or refuse
licenses TO sell intoN eating liquors. and -s sub
tecting those who sold without license o. pen
alties; but IN Nav last the supreme court %
the District held against tins view Of the pow
ers OF the Commissioners. ltn of urgent i'm
poriance, therefore. that Congress should sup
piy. either by direct enactment or hy confer
ring discretionary powers upon the Commits
sioners proper limitations and resiraints u.on
the liquor traffic In the District The District
has suffered IN It's reputation by many crimes
OF violence, large per cent OF them resulting
from drunkenness and the liquor traffic. The
capital " the nation should lie freed from this
reproach hy the enactment Of stringent re-
strictions and limitations upon the traffic
In reneNing the recommendation which I
have made in three preceding annual messages
that Congress should legislaie for the protee-
ton Of railroad emplyeos against the dangers
incident 10 the old and inadequate methods OF
breaking and coupling which are still In use
upon freight trains. | do 50 with the hope that
this Congress may take action upon the subject
Statistics furnished by the Interstate Commerce
Commission show that during the wear ending
June 80. 1891, there were A. different stylas %
car couplers reported 10 be IN use and that
during the same period there we're q GO ON
plovees Killed and 26,l40 injured. Nearly rs
per cent OF the deaths occurred m the eouTling
and uncoupling Of cars. and ever So per cent OF
the injuries had the same origin
The Civil Service Commission ask for tn In
creased appropriation for needed clerical as
sistance which ! think should be given. I eN-
tended the classified service March 1. 1854 20
Include physicians, superintendents. assistant
superintendents, school teachers. aud matrons
in the Indian service. and have had under con-
slderetion the subject OF some further extern
sions, but have not Yet fully determined the
lines upon which extensions can most properly
ID usefully be made.
ELECTION METHODS.
have, in each Of the three annual messages
which 1t has been my duty 10 submit 10 Con-
gress, called attention 10 the evils and dangers
connected with our election methods and prac-
tees as they related 10 the choice Of officers
asaFff In rsaU L..
nual message 1 endeavored TO invoke serious
attention TO the evils 81 unfair apportionments
for Congress. cannot close this message with
out again calling attention 90 these grave and
threatening evils had hoped that Il was pos
slole TO secure non-partisan inquiry by means
OF commission. into evils the existence OF
which Is known 90 ALL and that out Of this
might grow legislation from which all thought
OF partisan 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
which the government could never have been
formed aud without the continuance Il which
1t can not continue TO exist in peace aud pros
perity.
]; is time that mutual charges Of unfairnc..
and fraud between the great parties should
cease. ana that the sincerity of those who pro-
Tess desire for pure and honest elections
should be brought 10 the test of their willing
ness to free orr legislation and our election
the public confidence in the announced result
The Necessity for an inquiry. and for lcgisla-
ton by Congress, upon this subject t. emTha-
sized by the fact that the tendency of the legi--
ton IN some States In recent wears has in some
Important particulars been away from and not
toward free and fair elections and equal appor-
tionments. IL il not time that we should come
together upon the high plane Of patriotism
while we devise methods that shall secure the
right of every man qualified by law Co cast
ha md s~Ka 70. III Aa11g
equal value in choosing public officers aud
In directing the policy Of the GOVERNMENT
MOB LAW.
Lawlessness is not less such. but more. where
it usurps the functions of the peace officer aud
of the courts. The frequent lynching Of col
ored people accused Of crime IL without the ex-
cuse which has sometimes been urged by mobs
for n failure % pursue the appointed methods
for the punishment Of crime. that the accused
have undue influence over courts and iurics
Such acts are rcproach TO the community
where they occur. aud far they can be
made the subject of Federal jurisdiction the
strongest repressive legislation l. demanded.
public sentiment that Will sustain the officers
of the law in resisting mobs and in protecting
accused persons in their custody should be pro-
NOTED by every possible means. The officer
who gives his lie in the brave discharge of this
duty is worthy of special honor. No lesson
needs TO be 10 urgently impressed upon our
people this. that no worthy end or cause can
be promoted by lRwlessncsS.
This eXhiDIt of the work OF the Executive
Departments il submitted 60 Congress and TO
the public in the hope thar there viii be found
In IT a due Sense of responsibility and
earnest purpose 20 maintain the national honor
aud 20 promote the happiness ard prosperity ~
all our people. And this brief exhibit Of the
growth and prosperity OF the cor1tTy will give
us a level from which 20 note the increase or
decadence that new Legislative, policies NAV
bring TO u. There j. no reason why the
tioaal influence power. and prosperity should
not observe tine same rates OF Increase that
have characterized the past thirty years We
carry Che great impulse and increase OF these
years into the future. There is reason why
in many lines of production should not
surpass all other nations have already
done in some. There are no near frontiers TO
our possible development. letrogres-ion would
be n crime. BENZ. HARRISON.
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
December c. 1892.