The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-07

| Orable to 4 calm consideration by the
wage-earner of the effect upon wages OF the
tectiye system The facts that his wages
were the highest paid in like calliugs in
the world, and that the maintenance OF
this rate of wages in the absence OF pro-
tectve duties upon the product OF MS
labor was impossible. were obscured by
the passion evoked sy these contests. be
may now be able to review the question 10
the light of his personal experience under
the operation of a tariff for revenue only.
If that experience shall demonstrate that
the present rates of wages are thereby MAIN
| tanned or increased, either absolutely or
| in their purchasing power, and that the
! aggregate volume of work TO De done IN
| this country Is Increased or even main
! talned: that there are more or AS many
| days work in the year AT as good or bet
ter wages for the American workman as
has been the case under the protective
system, every one will rejoice. A general
process of wage reduction cannot be con-
/ templated by any patriotic citizen With
out the gravest apprehension. 1t may
! be-indeed, | believe il is-pos-
sible for the American manufacturer
to compete successfully with his
foreign rival in many branches of produc-
J tion without the defense of protective
duties. if the pay rolls are equalized; but
| the conflict that stands between the pro-
! ducer and that result and the distress of
/
are not pleasant TO contemplate. me
societies of the unemployed now holding
! frequent ana threatening parades IN the
streets of foreign cities should not be
allowed TO acquire an American domicile.
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS.
| The reports OF the heads of the several
executive departments, which are here
with submitted, have very naturally ln-
| Guided q resume of the whole work of the
| administration, with the transactions of
/ the last fiscal year The attention, not
! only of congress, but OF the country, is
| again invited to the methods of adminis-
! tration which have been pursued, and to
| the results which have been attained.
! Public revenues amounting to 81 l,414 079,
| 292 % have been collected and dsbursed
without loss from misappropristion, with
| out single defalcation of such Importance
! as to attract public attention, and at a
diminished per cent of cost for collection.
! The public business has been transacted
not only with fidelity, but progressively
and with view to giving 10 the people in
the fullest possible degree the benefits of
service established and maintained for
their protection and comfort.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Our relations with other nations are
now uudisturbad by any serious con-
troversy. The complication and threaten
ing difference with Germany relating to
Samoan affairs and with England in rela
tion to the seal fisheries in Bering sea, and
with Chilli growing out of the Baltimore
affair, have been adjusted There have
been negotiated and concluded under Sec
tion of the tariff law commercial agree
meutS relating to reciprocal trade with
the following countries: Brazil, the Domln-
gan republic, Spain Qor Cuba and Porto
RicO), Guatemala, Salvador, the German
empire. Great Britain Qor certain West
Indian colonies and British Guiana, Mica
ragua, Honduras and Austria-Hungary
OF these treaties those with Guatemala,
Salvador the German empire, Great Brit
ain, Nicaragua, Honduras and Austria
Hungary, have been concluded since my
last annual message. Under these trade
arrangements IA free and favored admis-
sion has been secured in every case for an
important list of American products.
Especial care has been taken to secure
markets for our farm products, IN order to
relieve that great underlying industry of
the depression which the lack or an ade-
Quate foreign market for our surplus often
brings. An opening has also been made
for manufactured products that Will I'M
dOubtedly, if this policy Is maintained,
greatly augment our export trade.
The full benefits of these arrangements
can not be realized instantly. New lines
of trade are TO be opened. The commercial
facturer must adapt his goods to new
markets, and facilities for exchange must
be established. The work has been well
begun, and our merchants and manufac-
turers have entered the new fields with
courage aud enterprise. In the case of
food products, and especially with Cuba,
the trade did not need TO walt and the lm-
mediate results have been most gratifying.
If this policy and the trade arrangements
can be continued in force and aided by the
establishment of American steamship
lines. do not doubt that We shall within
a short period secure fully one third of the
total trade of the countries of Central and |
South America, which now amounts to
about 5000, 100000 annually. Ia 1865 we
had only 5 per cent of this trade. The fol- |
lowing statlSti show the increase In our /
trade with the countries with which we
have reciprocal trade agreements from the |
date when such agreement went into effect |
up Sept 30, 1892, the increase being in /
some almost wholly aud IN others IN an /
important degree the result of these agree |
meuts.
The domestic exports to Germany and |!
Austria Hu lgary have increased in value !
from S47 613 156 to S51, ,993O64, an increase OF
Sl0,3I9 30S, or 2L03 per cent. With South !
American countries the value of our eX- |
ports has increased from $fi 100, 2S0 10 s54. !
6lS, 59S an increase OF $40, 453, 3l3, or % 81
per cent. The total Increase in value OF
exports so ali the countries with which we |
have reciprocity agreements has been $20,- |
772 63I. TEiS increase Is chiefly in wheat |
flour, meat and dairy products and manu- |
features of iron and steel and lumb ber |
There has beena large increase in the value |
of imports from all these countries since |
the commercial agreements went into ef- !
feet, amounting to SI4 294 .525; but II has (
been very important III tie South American |
countries consisting mostly OF sugar, /
coffee, india rubber and crude drugs. The /
alarmed attention of our European COM /
petitors for the South American market |
has been attracted TO this new American /
policy and TO our acquisition and their loss
OF South American trade.
THE SEAL FISHERIES.
\ treaty providing for the arbitration of
the dispute between Great Britain and the |
United States as to the killing of seals in /
the Beriug SEA was concluded on the 10Th (
OF February last. This treaty was accom- /
panied by an agreement prohibiting /
pelsgic sealing pending the arbitration !
and a vigorous effort was made during this /
season to drive out all pOaching steamers !
from the Beriug sea. six naval vessels, /
three revenue cutters and one vessel from I
the fish commission service, all under the !
command OF Commander Evans OF the /
navy, We're sent into the sea, which was |
Systematically patrolleG. Some seizures !
were made, and it is believed that the !
catch in the Bering sea by poathers !
amounted TO less than $40 seals. Il is /
true, however, that in the northern Pa 4
cific, while the seal herds were OF their /
WAY to the passes between the Aleutisu +
islands. a very large number, probably 81 4
coo. were taken. The existing statutes of 4
the United States do not restrain our citi- /
zens from taking seals ia the Pacific 4
ocean, and perhaps should not until the /
prohibition can be extended TO the citizens .
of other nations. | recommend that power i
be given 10 the president, by proclamation I