Connecticut western news., 1892-12-15
HARRISON'S MESSAGE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. To the Senate and House of Representa-
 tives:
 In submitting my annual message to con- gress I have great satisfaction in being able to say that the general conditions af- fecting the commercial and industrial in terests of the United States are in the high est degree favorable. A comparison of the existing conditions with those of the most favored period in the history of the country will believe, show that so hig4 degree of prosperity and so general diffusion of the comforts of life were never before en joyed by our people.
 I believe that the protective system, which has now for something more than thirty years continuously prevailed in oul legislation, has been mighty instrument for the development of our national wealth and most powerful agency in protecting the homes of our workingmen from the in vasion of want.
 It is not my purpose to renew here the argument in favor of protective tariff. . The result of the recent election must be accepted as having introduced new policy. We must assume that the present tariff, constructed upon the lines of protection, Is UO D6 Tcpedleu, anu IndC CneEe lS CO De SUD stituted for it & tariff law constructed sole. ly with reference to revenue; that no duty is 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 8 rate of duty is to be imposed as will bring to the atreasuFy ot the United States the largest returns of revenue.
 The contention has not been between schedules, but between principles, and. 1t would be offensive to suggest that the pre- vailing party will not carry into legislation the principles advocated by it and the pledges given to the people. e.
 recommend that the whole subject of tariff revision be left to the incoming con gress. It is matter of regret that this months, for the threat of great tariff changes introduces so much uncertainty that an amount not easily estimated of business inaction and of diminished pro duction will necessarily result
 It is possible also that this uncertainty may result in decreased revenues from GUS toms duties, for our merchants will make cautious orders for foreign goods in view of the prospect of tariff reductions and the uncertainty as to when they will take ef- feet. Those who have advocated pro tective tariff can well afford to have their disastrous forecasts of change of policy disappointed.
 We have had in our history several ex- periences of the contrasted effects of 8 rev enue and of protective. tariff, but this generation has not felt them, and the ex- perience of one generation is not highly instructive to the next The friends of the protective system, with undiminished con- fidence in the principles they have advocat- ed, will await the results of the new ex. pertinent.
 A treaty providing for the arbitration of the dispute between Great Britain and the United States as to the killing of seals in the Behring sea was concluded on the 29th of February last. This treaty was accompanied by an agreement prohibiting pelagic sealing pending the arbitration, and 8 vigorous effort was made during this season to drive out all poaching seal CTS from the Behring sea.
 I recommend that power be given to the president by proclamation to prohibit the taking of seals in the North Pacific by American vessels, in case either as the re- suit of the findings of the tribunal of arbi- tration or otherwise the restraints can be applied to the vessels of all countries.
 During the past year suggestion was received through the British minister that the Canadian government would like to confer as to the possibility of enlarging, upon terms of mutual advantage, the com mercial exchanges of Canada and of the United States, and a conference was held at Washington, with MT. Blaine acting for this government and the British minister at this capital and three members of the Dominion cabinet acting as commissioners on the part of Great Britain.
 The conference developed the fact that the Canadian government was only pre- pared to offer to the United States in ex- change for the concessions asked the ad- mission of natural products. The state ment was frankly made that favored rates could not be given to the United States as against the mother country. This admis- sion, which was foreseen, necessarily termi- mated the conference upon this question.
 There is no disposition on the part of the people or government of the United States to interfere in the smallest degree with the political relations of Canada. That ques- tion is wholly with her own people. It is time for us, however, to consider whether, if the presenI state of things and trend of things is to continue, our interchanges upon lines of land transportation should not be put upon different basis and our entire independence of Canadian canals and Of the St. Lawrence as an outlet to the sea secured by the construction of an American canal around the Falls of Niagara, and the opening of ship communication between the great lakes and one of our own sea- ports. We should not hesitate to avail ourselves of our great natural trade advan- tages.
 We should withdraw the support which is given to the railroads and steamship lines of Canada by traffic that properly be- longs to us, and no longer furnish the earnings which tighten the otherwise crushing weight of the enormous public subsidies that have been given to them. The subject of the power of the treasury to deal with this matter without further leg islation has been under consideration, but circumstances have postponed conclusion. repeat with great earnestness the recom- mendation which 1 have made in several previous messages that prompt and ade- quate support be given to the American company engaged in the construction of the Nicaragua ship canal.
 The report of the secretary of the treas ury will attract especial interest in view of the many misleading statements that have been made as to the state of the public rev enues Three preliminary facts should not only be stated but em phasized before look ing into the details-frst. that the public debt has been reduced since March 4, 1889, s250 04. 200, and the annual interest charge e1l 1884 ,469; second, that there have been paid out for pensions during this administration up to Nov. l, 1892, s432, ,564, l7s.70, an excess of sl14, ,466, 3s6. 09 over the sum expended dur ing the period from March 1. 1885, to March l, 1889, and third, that under the existing tariff up to Dec. about s93, 900 900 of rev. enue, which would have been collected upon imported sugars if the duty had been maintained, has gone. into the pockets of the people and not into the public treasury, h,<