Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-12-08
Congress and the Message.

long n pubic lie, WnOee IcOoiu 40
Congress and the Message.
rha Presidents message was received I'D
almost perfect silence by the senators ano
meuobers Monday afternoon. IL evokeo
hardly any semblance Of applause IN the
House with. its nearly 100 Democratic ma
iority. In fact, the GOODNESS with wnicn
II was received was remarkable. All eA
nected il would contain some interesting
information respecting the situation ID
Hawaii; while not q few of the Democrats
boped- it woulo give them some news on
this point on which they could give the
administration hearty support. BUTT iurn-
ished nothing new. 1t simply confirmed
The un-American attitude announced o5
Secretary Gresham.
Another reason for the cold reception OF
the message was the news that it had oeeD
published in London that morning. Thi'
news reached the capitol about noon ano
spread like wildfre. 1t aroused intense IN
dienation ON all hands, Democrats and he
uublicans joining in denouncing the action
of the administration.
Capt Boutelle of Maine said with mock
surprise at the outburst of indignation;
.rWhy. that is the right step for this admin
istration TO take. England is more inter
ested in his views than we are.'
Ex-Speaker Reed dryly remarked;
nWsll, il London is to remain the head
quarters Of this administration. our enter
6risipe newspapers viii be compelled to
station their correspondents there In order
to SECURE the latest and most reliable news
from here"
Mr.. Sibley OF Pennsylvania said: 1f
that report is true. we ought not to have
the message read. 1t ought to be laid up
on the table until the British house OF lords
had considered it."
The other comments were on the same
line. So disgusted were the members that
there were many vacant seats while the
message was being read.
That night all were discussing the mes
sage. The Republicans found many weak
points upon which to successfully assail II,
while the Democrats, as O rule, evaded
commenting upon it for publication.
Ex-Speaker Reed said: ri dislike to
comment on the message, because it would
not be seemly to do it in adequate terms
1t is exceedingly disappointing beth in
matter and manner. IL 1s largely maoe
up of wearisome resume OF the reports OF
his secretaries, which they have hardly
improved by condensation. On the hs'
waiian question we are left as much a.
ever In the dark and must wait the news
OF the rext steamer Just as we have been
waiting SO long.
.sTbat part Of the message which relates
to the tariff Is most surprising. II assev-
crates that the house committee in charge
OF that subject has formulated plans and
methods Of taxation, which, as member
of the committee, have not even heard
proposed. 1t Is rather unusual sensation
TO learn Of the deeds of the committee, not
In the committee-room, but from the
President of the United States.
"Has that committee ceased even in form
TO be composed Of both parties and has it
without the formality Of word in open
committee informed the President of its
determination in such way that the Presi-
dent can officially communicate IL to the
housef How long has it been part Of our
system that the committee is not an inde-
pendent branch, and above ell. the COM
inittee which controls the purse, shall re-
port to Congress through the Presidentf
In this the result Of the rumored blending
Of the sppointive with the legislative
powerf :,
"It is bad enough to have . tariff bill
made up by little coterie-'political bill,
as Mr.. Wilson calls it-but TO have it com
muuicated to the President before IL reaches
even the committee, still less the House.
shows q determination to be moved by no
facts and modified by no arguments, which
makes apparent the absurdity of appoint
ing Republicans on the committee Of ways
and meaps at all"
Congressman Dalzell, after carefully
reading the presidents remarkable docu
ment, summed IL up as follows: "There
are some remarkable things In connection
with the presidents message. In the first
place, If the report that 10 current and gen
orally believed be true that the message
was published in the London morning
papers prior to Its transmission TO congress,
that Il certainly very remarkable exhibi-
tion of bad taste, to characterize it by no
more appropriate term. As the tariff views
of the message are in the interest Of the
English instead of the American PEOPLE,
il was perhaps thought the message was
more likely TO receive favorable recep-
tion on the other side of the water than
here.
aside from the manner Of It's publica-
ton the next most remarkable thing about
it in iss extreme length. the number Of It's
words and the paucity Of it's original ideas
Thirty good sized phamphlet pages are fill
ed for the most part with figures, statistics
accessible in the reports Of neads Of depart
ments; and truly without interest In u
presidential message. especially In view OF
the fact that In most cases they do not
furnish the subject OF conclusion or sugges-
onsfpon the part Of the president.
1.-THE message IL remarkable for its omis-
sions. Only two or three subjects of living
interest the people are touched upon,
and they only in the most meagre way.
With respect to finance, the president re-
commends donothing policy, which per
haps is wise enough at this time. His dec
laration upon this subject is significant as
conveying a warning to the free silver men
not to tamper further with legislation for
the present, and his suggestion ~ TO addi-
tional legislation in regard 70 the issuance
Of government bonds is especially signif-
cant. In view OF the fact that his party.
under the guise Of pretending to provide
revenue for the government have devised
q measure 10 reduce revenue some $6O. OO0.-
900 per aunum, it is perhaps wise that the
power should be vested somewhere and
method provided TO keep US from going
into national bankruptcy.
"The president gives somewhat less than
be int mi tf
Hawaiian affairs. He tells u.s. with q
brutal lrankness, that representative Of
the republic OF the United States has been
sent 10 Honolulu with instructions TO over
throw popular government in that island,
if practicable and restore monarchy in the
person OF semi barbarous queen.
"The only relief that an American IL
likely to experience after receiving this In.
formation is TO be found IN the further in
formation that the president does not know
as yet whether this has been accomplished.
He then oismisses the subject after telling
the American people that when he fluids
out anything more with respect to il, he
will LET them know. / think that part of
the message that the average American
will recur TO with great deal Of pride.
with respect To the tarid question, the
president furnishes us lot Of glittering
ceneralities and reinsurance Of some of
his free trade fallacies. When we hear
him talk about the voice OF his countrymen
having spoken in favor OF tariff reform we
are inclined to belive that there has been
sedulonsy kept from him the recent news
from Mpssachutctts, New York. PenDsyl-
vana, Ohio and Iowa. He still seems to
have nis eye on foreign markets. When
those foreign markets are and what We
could srTnDiy them with, he wisely reiTa rs
from npeclfying. IL ia gratifying 70 see,