Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-12-15
would be great relief to the executive
and great benefit to the service.
The President devotes much space to the
TuhI~p uDaat;an


and great benefit to the service.
| The President devotes much space to the
Indian question.
The report of the commissioner of pen.
sions, to which extended notice Is given by
the secretary of the interior In his report,
will attrsct great attention. Judged by
the aggregate amount of work done the
last year has been the greatest in the his
tory OF the Office. l believe that the or.
gan zation Of the office is efficient and that
the work has been done with fidelity. The
passage OF what Is known as the disability
Dill has, a. was foreseen, very largely in.
creased the annual disbursements to the
disabled veterans OF the civil war. The
| estimate for this fiscal year was Sl44, 1856.
600 and that amount appropriated. A de-
hclency amounting to $40, sos, ,62l must be
provided for at this session.
The estimate for pensions for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1924. is Sl65, 900. 600.
The commissioner of pensions believes
that If the present legislation and methods
are maintained and further additions to
pension laws are not made the maximum
expenditure for pensions will be reached
June 30. 1894, and will be at the highest
point. Slss,ooo 900 per snnum. | adhere
10 the views expressed In a previous mes
sHg" that the care Of the disabled soldiers
OF the War of the Rebellion Is a matter OF
national concern and duty. Perhaps no
emotion cools sooner than that OF graft
tude. but | cannot believe this process has
yet reached the point with our people that
would sustain the policy OF remitting the
care Of these disabled veterans to the mad
equste agencies provided by local laws.
The parade on the goth of September last
upon the streets Of this capital Of 60 600 Of
the surviving Union veterans of the War
OF the Rebellion was a most touching and
thrilling episode, and the rich az d gracious
welcome extended to them by the Distri CT
OF Columbia and the applause that greeted
thelr progress from tens of thousands OF
people from all the states did much To re-
s've the glorious recollection Of the grand
review, when these men and many thou
sand Others now In their graves, were well
coined with grateful JOY A. victors In a
struggle In which the national unity, hon
or and wealth were all at issue.
The subject OF quarantine regulations in
>pection. and control was brought sudden
ly To my attention by the arrival at our
ports In August last OF vessels infected
with cholera. Quarantine regulations
should be uniform at sll our port-. Uuder
the constitution they are plainly within the
exclusive federal jurisdiction when and SO
iar as Congress shall legislate. In my
opinion the whole subject should be taken
int" national control, aud adequate power
given To the executive TO protect our peo-
pie against plague invasioDs. On the lst
OF September last | approved regulations
establishing 20 days quarantine for all
vessels bringing immigrants from foreign
ports. This order will be continued In
force.
Some loss and suffering were borne by
passengers, but a due care for the homes
OF our people jus,lfies In such cases that
utmost precaution. There Is danger that
with the coming of spring cholera will
again sppear, and a liberal appropriation
should be made at this session to enable
our quarantine and port officers to ex-
ciude the deadly plague. But the most
careful and stringent quarantine regula-
tions may not be sufficient absolutely to
exclude the disease The progress Of med
lcal and sanitary science has been such
however. that II approved precautions are
taken at once to put all our cities and
towns In the best sanitary condition, and
provision is made for isolating all spor-
sdic cases and for a thorough dsinfec-
tion, the epidemic can, | am sure, be avoid
ed.
TNis work apperta!ns to the local au-
thorliies AID the responsibility and the pen
atty will be appalling If 1t is neglected or
unduly delayed. We are peculiarly subject
in our great ports to the spread of infec-
tous diseases by reason of the fact that
unrestricted immigration brings To us out
OF European cities in the overC row ded
steerages OF great steamships, large num-
Der of persons whose surroundings mske
horn I h.,..
consideration a. well a. those affecting the
political, moral and industrial interests Of
our country leads me TO renew the sugges-
tion that admission to our country and TO
the high privileges of its citizenship should
be more restricted and more careful We
have, | think. a right and owe a duty to
our own people, and especially to our
working people, not only TO keep out the
vicious. the ignorant. the civil disturber
the pauper and the contract laborer, but to
check the too great flow OF immigration
now coming, by further limitations
The work Of construction and prepara-
ton for opening Of the exposition in May
next progresses most satisfactorily and
upon scale Of llberality and ma ayniticence
that will worthily sustain the honor of the
United States
ln renewing the recommendation which
| have made in three preceding annual
messages that Congress should legislate
for the protection of railroad employees
against the dangers incident to the old and
inadequate methods Of braking aud coup
ling which are still in use upon freight
trains, | do So with the hope that
this Congress may take action upon the
subject.
| have in each of the three annual mes
sages 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 are related
TO the choice of officers OF the national
government.
In my last annual message | endeavored
TO invoke serious attention to the evils of
unfair apportionments for Congress. l
cannot close this message without again
calling attention to these grave and threat
ening evils. had hoped that it was pos
sible to secure a non partisan inquiry by
means of a commission into evils the eX
istence of which is known to 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 free
dom and purity of the ballot and the
equality Of the elector, without the guar
anty of which the government could never
have been formed and without the con-
tinuance Of which it cannot continue to
exist in peace and prosperity. 1t is time
that mutual charges Of upfairness and
fraud between the great parties should
cease, and that the sincerity of those who
profess desire for pure and honest cleo
tions should be brought TO the test Of
their willingness to free our legislation
and our election methods from everything
that tends to impair the public confidence
in the announced result.
The necessity for an inquiry and for
legislation by Congress upon this subject
Is emphasized by the fact that the tenden-
cy Of the legislation in some states in recent
years has in some important particulars
been away from and not toward free and
fair elections and equal appointments.
Is 1t not time that we should come to-
gether upon the high plane of patriotism
while we devise methods that shall secure
the right of every man qualified by law to
cast free ballot, and give to every such
ballot an equal value, in choosing our
public officers and in directing the policy
of the government
This exhibit of the work Of the execu-
tive departments is submitted to Congress
and to the public In the hope that there
will be found in it due sense of RESPONSE
bility and an earnest purpose to maintain
the national honor and to promote the
happiness and pOsperity of all our people.
And this brief exhibit of the growth
and prosperity Of the country will give Us
a level from which to note the increase or
decadence that new legislative policies