The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1892-12-14
HARRlsON's LAST MESSAGE.
The Old, Old Story Of Wonderful Pros
perity and WeaIth---He Still Feels @
/" gOliCitOus Interest" in the Working
People.
People.

10 THB SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPREsENTA-
EvEs I'm submitting nv annual message to
congress have great satisfaction in being able
10 say that the general conditiCn MS affecting the
commercial and industrial in erests OF the
United States are in the highest degree favor.
able. In @ mparison, the existing conditions
with those OF the most faVo able period In tho
history Of the country will, believe, show that
20 high degree of prosperity and so general
diffusion OF the comforts Of life wee never be-
fore enjoyed by our people.
The president then gives statistical statements
of the country's wealth an adds
The new industrial plants established since
October 8, 1890, and up to October %, 1892,
number 49, andthe extension Of existing plants
1903; the new capital inve. ted amounts to S4O,.
44s,06O, and the number OF additional employees
to S7,2S5.
During the frst six months Of the present cal.
endar year, l55 new factories were built, Of
which forty are cotton mil forty-eight knit
ting mills, tWenty-sIE W olen mills, fifteen Sllk
mills, four plush mills and two linen mills. Ot
the forty cotton mills, twentyone have been
built In the southern sta es.
The total value OF our foreign trade exports
and manu- 'actures during the last fiscal year
was 81 e67 $50 6lO, an increase Of $26 23 6O4 over
the previous fiscal year Tho average annual
value Of our imports and exp 'rts OF merchandise
for the ten fiscal years prior to 1884, was 81 sAb7,
II viii be observed that onr foreign trade for
1892 exceeded this annual average value by $780,,
&8,S9l. an increase OF g7.4! per cent The sig
nifcance and value Of this in, rease is shown by
the fact that the excess in the trade OF 1892 over
1891 was who ly in the a.ue of exports, for
there was decrease in the value OF imports OF
&17,b13, 2A.
Tho vessel tonnage passing through the st.
Mary's canal for the fiscal year 1892 amounted to
9,828S74 tons, and the freigh tonnage Of tho De-
tr0it river 10 estimated for that year at 900 900
tons against %, 2O9,8l9 Z MS in 1871. The aggre.
gate traffic on our railroads for the year 1891
amounted to 70l, ,S9s 100 tons Of freight, compared
with 691, ,344 437 tons Ia 1870, an increase OF 49,
O54 l72 tons while the total mage OF the ports
Of London and Liverpool during 1880 was but
"a ,422,bjS tons.
The number Of depoeitors in savings banks in
creased from 6g $40 in 1860 to 2S 1893 in 1880 an
increase of SIS per cent and the amount OF depOg-
itsfromSl b04 in 1890 to 81 sos in $780,
an increase OF 821 per cent. In 1891 the amount
OF deposits in savings banks was $l,62S. .079, ,749
1t is estimated that 81 per cent Of these deposits
represent the savings of wage earners.
There never has been time in our history when
work was so abundant, or when wages were so
high, whether measured by the currency in which
they are paid, or by their power to supply the
necessaries and comforts OF life 1t Is true that
the market prices of cotton and wheat have been
low. Il is one OF the unfavorable incidents OF
agriculture that the farmer cannot produce upon
orders,
But while the fact have stated is true as to the
crops, have mentioned, the general average Of
prices has been such as to give TO agriculture
fair participation in the general prosperity. The
value OF our total farm products has increased
from 81 $685. 1853 in 1860 to ST. 600 GOO In 1891,
as estimated by statisticians, an increase OF 2S0
per cent. The number OF hogs January /, 1891,
was 80, ,62s l0S and their value $2l l9S 025 on jan
nnrvl
valuo $24l, ,9S1, ,A16. On january i 1891, the num-
Der or cattle was e6 S7S.8lS aud the value $544,-
12 sos; on January /, 1902 the number was 651,-
230 and the value $570,749,lAs.
IL any are discontented with their state here; II
any believe that tho 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 whore the conditions that seem to them
hard, would not be accepted as highly prosperous
The English RgTiculturist would be glad to ex-
change the returns OF his labor for those OF the
American farmer, and the Manchester workman
his wages for those Of his fellows at Fall River
believe that the protective system, which
now for something like thirty years has pre-
vailed In our legislation has been O mighty in
Btrument for the development OF our national
wealth, and most powerful agency in protect
ing the homes OF our worldngmen from the In
vasion OF want, have felt most solicitous
interest TO preserve TO our working peoplo rates
OF wages that won d not only give daily bread
but supply comfortable II argin for those homo
attractions and fan lily comforts and enioyments
without which life 10 Moth IT hopeful nor sweet.
They are American citizens q part OF the great
people for which our constitution ard govern
ment were framed end instituted IL cannot
be perveFsion OF tlHt constitution to 20 legis-
late RB to preserve In their homes the comfort,
Independence, loyalty and sense Of. interest in
the government which are sential TO good
citzenship in peace and which will bring them,
as In 1851, TO the defonso OF the tag when it is
assailed.
1 recommend that the whole subject Of tariff
revision be left TO the incoming congress. IL 10
a matter Of regret that q is work must be de-
layed for at least three months for the threat OF
great tariff changes intI oduces so much uncor-
tainty, that an amount not easi timated OF
business lnaction and Of diminished production
will nece Sarly result IL is possible, also, that
this uncertainty may result in decreased reve-
nues from customs dut es, for our merchants
win make cautious orders for foreign goods in
view Of the prospect OF tariff reductions and
the uncertainty rs to when il viii take etfs t