The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-12-19
THE MESSAGE IN BRIEF.

This is the Presidents message
boiled down for busy men:
President Harrison begins his mes
sage to Congress with an array of fig
ures from the eleventh census, which
show that the commercial and indus
trial conditions of the country are
good. Since 1860 the wealth of the
people has increased 287 per cent. and
the mileage of railways has increased
448 per cent. Since 1880 the capital
invested in manufacturing has been
increased by over six hundred million
dollars, and in ali branches of enter
prise there is general prosperity.
A paragraph is devoted to tin plate,
in which it is stated that thirty-two
companies are manufacturing that
article at the rate of over forty million
pounds year. Labor Commissioner
Peck is quoted to demonstrate the
growth of manufacturing in New
York, and Massachusetts, is cited as
an example of industrial progression.
The President reviews the production
of iron and steel and foreign trade,
and makes comparisons of the present
volume of exports and imports with
the annual average of the past ten
years. The value of exports during
1892 is shown to be 81 per cent.
in excess of the average for the
ten years prior to 1891, and
the imports during 1892 have exceeded
the annual average for the same ten
years by $135, 100000. The growth of
internal commerce, savings banks oe-
posits and bank clearances are also re-
counted as further evidence of the
country's development.
Work has been abundant and wages
have been high, "whether measured
by the currency in which they are
paid or by their power to supply the
necessaries and comforts of life" The
farmers have been prosperous in spite
of the fact that the prices of wheat
and cotton have been low. The total
value of farm products has increased
by 230 per cent since 1850, and the dis
contented are admonished to remem-
Der that conditions which seem hard
would be acceptable in any other
country.
The President expresses hiss belief
that the protective system has been a
mighty instrument for the develop
ment of the national wealth and that
it has been a blessing to the working
men. He concludes that it cannot be
a perversion of the Constitution to
legislate on their behalf, but he does
not directly renew the argument in
favor of protective tariff.
The result of the election is accepted
by the President as proof that the
American people desire change OF
the contest has not been merely for
a change in the tariff schedules, but
for a change of policy. and the first
direct recommendation of the mes
sage is that the whole subject of tariff
revision be left to the incoming Con.
gress, although the work must be de-
layed three months with the country
in a state of uncertainty in the mean
time.
President Harrison is not, however.
disposed to take pessimistic view o
the situation. While declaring his
own conviction that lower tariff
will be disastrous, he observes tina
those who have advocated protec
tive tariff can we'll afford to have
their forecast of change of polio.
disappointed. If the Republican
party is proved to have been mistaken
then the promoters of a tariff for rev
enue only will be entitled to tn,
highest praise. Nevertheless, TIN
President does not refrain from dwell
ing upon the contrast between rev
enue and protective tariff from tn
Republican standpoint, and states hi
belief that under o low tariff tn
American workman will not be abb
to compete with his foreign rival.
Referring to the Homestead an'
other labor troubles, President Har
rison thinks they have been unfavor
able to a calm consideration of protec
tion's real effect upon wages.
The attention of the country is in
vited to the work of the Administra
ton and the results that have beef
achieved. All public business ha
been transacted with fidelity an
public revenues to the amount G
81, Ala ,079, 1925 have been collecte
and disbursed without loss or irregu
larity.
Our relations with all foreign cour
tries are pleasant. The Samoan diff
Guilty with Germany, the trouble wit
England about the Behring sea an
the Chilean affair have ali been &C
justed. Reciprocity has been estal
lished with many of the Central an
South American countries. TIL
promises a great increase in the vo