Morning journal and courier., 1892-12-07
THE PREsIDENYs MESSAGE

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Following are the most interesting and
i'm portant parts of the Presidents message,
sent to congress yesterday:
THE PROTECTIVE SYSTEM.
If any are Disseminated with their state |
here; if any believe that wages or prices,
the returns for honest toll, are inadequate, |
they should not fail to remember that there
Is no other country in the world where the |
conditions that seem to them hard would
not be accepted as highly prosperous. The
English agrieultuIist would be glad to
exchange the returns of his labor for those
of the American farmer, and the Man
chester workmen their wages for those of
their fellows at Fall River. I believe that
the protective system, which has now for
something more than thirty years continu-
ously protected them in our legislation,
has been a mighty instrument for
the development of our national wealth,
and most powerful agency in protecting
the homes of our workingmen from the
invasion Of want. have felt most 80
licitous interest to preserve to our work
ing people rates of wages that would not
only give daily bread but supply a COM
lions end family comforts and enjoyments
without which life is neither hopeful nor
sweet. They are American citizens-a
part of the great people for whom our
| constitution and government were framed
| and instituted-and it cannot be per-
| version Of that consultation to SO legislate
as to preserve in their homes the comfort,
independence, loyalty and sense of interest
in the government which are essential to
| good citizenship In peace and which
will bring this stalwart throng, as In 1861,
| to the defense of the flag when it is as
sailed.
| 1t Is not my purpose to renew here the
| argument in favor of protective tariff.
1ne result of the recent election must be
accepted as having introduced new poll
cy. We must assume that the present tar
iff, constructed upon the lines of protec-
tion, is to bs repealed, and that there is to
be substituted for it a tariff law construct
ed solely with reference to revenue; that
no duty ia to be higher because the increase
will keep open an American mill or keep
up the wages of an American workman,
but that in every case such rate of duty
ID to be imposed as will bring to the treas
ury of the United States the largest re-
turns of revenue.
The contention has not been between
schedules but between principles, end il
, would be offensive to suggest that the pro
tecting party will not carry into legisla
ton the principles advocated by it, ant
the pledges given to the people. TIL
tariff bills passed by the house of repre-
septatives at the last session were as
suppose, even in the opinion of their pro
motors, inadequate, and justified only b
, the fact that the senate and house of rap
resentatives were not in accord, and that
h | general revision could not therefore be III
dertaken. I recommend that the Who'll
subject of tariff revision be left to the il
coming congress. It is matter of regre
that this work must be delayed for at leaf
three months, for the threat ,
great tariff changes introduce
80 much uncertainty that q
amount, not easily estimated, of busine.
in active and of diminished productio
will necessarily result 1t is possible als
that this uncertainty may result in d
creased revenues from our customs dutie
for our mechanics will make cautious O
ders for foreign goods in view of the tart
reductions and the uncertainty as to whe
they will take effect. Those who have a,
vocated a protective tariff can well affo1
to have their disastrous forecasts of
change of policy disappointed. If
system of customs duties can
framed that will set the idle whee
and looms Of Europe in motto
aud crowd our warehouses with foreig
I made goods, and at the same time Ike,
onr own mills busy; that will give US i
creased participation in the "markets
the world" of greater value than the hon
market, we surrender; that will give
creased work to foreign workmen upt
products to be consumed by our peor
without diminishing the amount of wo
- to be done here; that will enable Il
~ American manufacturer to pay to his wor
I men from so to 100 per cent. more
is wages than is paid in the foreign mill 81
i'd yet to compete in our market and
lie | foreign markets with the foreign produce
90 that will further reduce the cost of articl
" | of wear and food without reducing Il
ia wages of those who produce them; tn
n can be celebrated after its effects ha
~ been realized, as its expectation has be
e. In European as we'll as in Americ
cities, the authors aud promoters OF
of will be entitled to the highe
It. praise. We have had in our histo
ns several experiences of the contrasted
fects of revenue and protected tart
- but this generation has not felt them al
the experience of one generation is n
highly Instructive to the next. The frien
of the protective system, with undimi
ished confidence in the principles til
have advocated. will await the results
the new experiments. The strained a
too often disturbed relations existing
tween the employees and employers in @
great manufacturing establishments ha
not been favorable to a calm considerati
by the wage earners of the effect upon was
of the protective system. The fact tt
his wages were the highest paid in Il
callings in the world, and that a main
nance of this rate of wages in the abser
of protective duties upon the product
his labor was impossible, were obsoul
by the passion evoked by these contes
He may now be able to review the gu
ton in the light of his personal exporter
under the operation of tariff for rever
. only. If that experience shall demonstr
Il that present rates of wages are there
Ia maintained or increased, either sbsolut
or by their purchasing power and that
aggregate volume of work to be done
this country is increased or even ma
tanned SO that there are more or as me
days work in a year and as good or bet
wages for the American workman as
been the case under the protective syste
every one will rejoice. A general proc
of wage reduction cannot be contempla
by any patriotic citizen without the gr
est apprehension.
It may be, indeed I believe is, posi-
N for the American manufacturer to CT
. pete successfully with his foreign rival
many branches of production with
the defense of protective duties, if the
rolls are equaiized; but the conflict t
stands between the producer and that
cult, and the distress of our working +
pie when it is attained are not pleasan
. contemplate. The society of the
employed, now holding Its frequent
threatening parades in the streets of !
eign cities, should not be allowed to
quire an American domicile.
RECIPROCITY.
The1e have been negotiated and concl
ed, under section of the tariff law, c.
mercial agreements relating to recipr,
trade with the following countries: Brs
Dominican Republic, Spain for Cuba
- Porto Rico, Guatemala, Salvador, the {
man empire, Great Britain for GER
West Indian colonies and British Guif
e Nicaragua, Honduras and Austria Hung
u OF these, those with Guatemala, Hondr
and Austria Hungary have been conclu
since my last annual message. Ur
e.. these trade arrangements free or fave
admission has besn secured in every
for an important list of American produ
Especial care has been taken to SCI
markets for farm products in order to
lteve that great underlying industry of
depression which the lack of an adeq
- foreign market for our surplus o
brings. An opening has also been n