Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-12-09


be accepted as highly prosperous. The
English agrtculturist would be glad to ex-
change the returns or his labor for those
OF the American farmer, and the Man
chester workmen their wages for those
OF their fellows at Fall River.
/ believe that the protective system,
which has now for something more than
thirty years continuously prevailed I'm our
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
ample solicitous interest TO preserve TO
our vorking people rates of wages that
would not only give daily bread, but sup
ply comfortable margin for those home
attractions and family comforts and en-
loyments without which life is neither
hopeful nor sweet.
THE TARIFF.
IL is not my purpose TO renew here the
argument in favor OF a protective tariff.
The result OF the recent election must
be accepted as having introduced a new
policy. We must assume that the pres
ent tariff, constructed upon the lines
of protection, is to be repealed, and that
there is to be substituted for IL a tariff
law constructed solely with reference 70
1 recommend that the whole subject OF
tariff revision be left to the incoming Con-
gress. IL is matter OF regret that this
work must be delayed for at least three
months; for the threat OF great tariff
changes introduces so much uncertainty
that an amount, not easily estimated, OF
business inaction and or diminished pro-
duction will necessarily result. 1t is pos
sible also that this uncertainty may re-
suit in decreased revenues from customs
make cautious orders for foreign goods
in view of the prospect Of tariff reduc-
tions and the uncertainty as to when
they will take effect. Those who have
advocated a protective tariff can well af-
ford to have their disastrous forecasts OF
change of policy disappointed. IL a
I0NNt
that will set the idle wheels and looms of
Europe i'm motion. and crowd our ware
houses with foreign-made goods, and at
the same time keep our own mills busy;
that will give us an increased participa-
ton in the markets of the world of
greater value than the home market we
surrender; that will give increased work
to foreign workmen upon products to be
consumed by our people without dimin-
fishing the amount OF work to be done
here; that will enable the American man
ufacturer TO pay his workmen from 50
to 100 per cent more In wages than is
paid in the foreign mill, and yet compete
In our market and in foreign markets
with the foreign producer; that Will fur
Their reduce the cost of articles of wear
and food without reducing the wages or
those who produce them; that can be
celebrated after its effects have been
realized, as it's expectation has been, in
European as well as in American cities
the authors and promoters of it will be
entitled TO the highest praise. We have
had in our history several experiences of
the contrasted effects of a revenue and of
protective tariff; but this generation
has not felt them, and the experience OF
one generation is not highly instructive
10 the next. The friends of the protec-
tive system, with undiminished conf
dence in the principles they have advo-
Gated, will await the results OF the new
experiment.
WAGES AND THE PROTECTIVE sYs-
TEN.
The strained and too often disturbed
relations existing between the employees
and the employers in our great manu-
featuring establishments have not been
favorable To a calm consideration by the
wage-earner OF the effect upon wages OF
the protective system. The facts that his
wages were the highest paid in like call
ings in the world, and that a mainte-
nance OF this rate of wages, in the abb
sence OF protective duties upon the prod
uct of his labor. was impossible, were
obscured by the passion evoked by these
contests. general process of
templated by any patriotic citizen
without the gravest apprehension. 1t may
be. indeed l believe is, possible for the
American manufacturer to compete sue
cessfully with his foreign rival in many
branches OF production without the de-
Tense Of protective duties, IL the pay
rolls are equalized; but the conflict that
stands between the producer and that
result, and the distress of our working
people when II Is attained, are not pleas
ant to contemplate; The Society. of the
ana threatening parades in the streets OF
foreign cities, should not be allowed to
acquire an American domicile.
WORK OF THE ADMINISTRATIONS.
The reports of the heads of the several
executive departments, which are here
with submitted, have very naturally in
Guided 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 admins
tratlon, which have been pursued, and to
the results which have been attained.
Public revenues amounting to $1,414, 079,-
w Is have been collected and dsbursed
without loss from misappropriation, with
out a single defalcation of such import
ance as TO attract the public attention,
and at a diminished per cent of cost for
collection. The public business has been
transacted not only with fidelity, but pro-
excessively, and with view to giving to
the people in the fullest possible degree
the benefits of service established and
maintained for their protection and COM
fort.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Our relations with other nations are
now undisturbed by any serious contro-
difference with Germany and England re-
lating to Samoan affairs, with England
in relation to the seal fisheries in the
Behring Sea, and with Chilli growing out
or the Baltimore affair." have been adj
justed.
RECIPROCAL TRADE RELATIONS.
There have been negotiated and con-
cluded, under section g. of the tariff law,
commercial agreements relating to recip-
rocal trade with the following countries:
Brazil, Dominican Republic. Spain for
cuba and Puerto Rico. Guatemala, Saliva
dor, the German Empire, Great Britain
for certain West Indian colonies
ana British Guiana, Nicaragua,
Honduras, and Austria-Hungary or
these, those with Guatemala, Sal
vador, the German Empire, Great Brit
ain, Nicaragua, Honduras and Austria
Hungary, have been concluded since my
last annual message Under these trade
arrangements, free or favored admission
has been secured in every case for an
important list of American products Es-
pecial care has been taken to secure
markets for farm products, in order to re-
lieve that great underlying industry of the
depression which the lack of an adequate
foreign market for our surplus often
brings. An opening has also been made
for manufactured products.
BEHRING SEA DISPUTE.
treaty providing for the arbitration
of the dispute between Great Britain and
the United States as to the killing of
seals i'm the Behring Sea was concluded
on the 10Th OF February last. This treaty
was accomplished by an agreement pro-
hibiting pelagic sealing pending the ar
bitration, and vigorous effort was made
during this season 10 drive out all poach-
ing sealers from the Behring Sea SIX
naval vessels three revenue cutters and
one vessel from the Fish Commission, all