The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-05
An Evaslvo and Unsatisfactory Message

An Evaslvo and Unsatisfactory Message.
When It occurred to Mr.. CLEVELAND. six
years ago, that political duty required him
10 lead crusade against Protection, every
other topic 4 national or international In
terest dropped out Of sight In the message
which b, BAT to Congress.
This year. with two questions Of surpass-
ing Importance before the President and the
public, pressing for attention aud demand
ing the frankest and fullest treatment. the
message II multtudinous with details
concerning n vast variety OF subordinate
subjects; and it Is conventional. almost to
the degree OF platitude In Its statements
OF opinion and recommendations. Mr..
CLEVELAND devotes more space to
what he regards as an excessive pur-
chase OF seeds by the Department
Of Agriculture. than to tho momentous
enterprise OF throne-building which he has
undertaken In Hawaii. He devotes almost
as many words to the condition Of the North
American Indian tribes as to the tariff.
which occupied all OF his thoughts in 1887.
and which has become In 1898 an affair not
merely OF promises. but Of performance.
For these reasons the message submitted
yesterday may fairly be criticised as I'M
satisfactory In its range. IL not actually
evasive in its intention.
Concerning Hawaii. Congress gets no sat
isfaction. 1t gets only the assurance. ex-
traordinary at any time and under the
present circumstances amounting almost
to insult. that as soon as the President has
accomplished the restoration OF monarchy
In the islands by the overthrow OF Gov
eminent with which our own Govern
ment is In friendly diplomatic rela-
tions. Mr.. CLEVELAND will communicate to
the law-making and war-making author
ity what 1t was that he instructed Minister
WILLIS to do. The assumption of the
power to dictate to Hawaii its destiny. on
his individual responsibility and without
consulting Congress, is complete. From
the facts developed" says this execu-
tive oflcer. 1T seemed TO me that the only
honorable course for our Government to pur-
sue was to undo the wrong that had
been done by those representing US. and to
restore as far as practicable the status ex-
listing at the time Of our forcible interven-
ton. With q view to accomplishing this
result within the constitutional limits OF
executive power. our present Minister at
Honolulu has received appropriate instruc-
tions to that end" Congress Is not likely to
forget that 1t was actually In session at
the time when the President undertook to
constitute himself the Government for the
purpose Of undolng wrong which his In
dividual Judgment had alone discerned.
Furthermore. Congress will reserve to It.
self the right to determine whether the
policy OF infamy. now openly avowed by
- p,.aaIAapf haa ad ~
tonal limits OF executive power" or has
boldly overleaped them.
In what he has TO say about the reform OF
tho tariff. Mr.. CLEVELAND recognizes "the
emphatic verdict Of the people," but he Is
very careful not to say what that emphatic
verdict was. There Is not word about the
limitations on the taxing
power OF the Government. as affirmed by
the Democratic platform on which he
was elected. The generalities and half
truths and solemn nothings which are so
characteristic OF his rhetorical style. are
employed to hide the naked iniquity OF his
that the platform shall be re-
pudiated by the party. and that the Democ-
racy shall now engage In the construction |
Of an avowedly protective tariff. differing
from the MCKINLEY tariff In the degree
Of its McKinleyism. but not in kind.
The Presidents approval of the WILSON
protectionist bill is distinctly expressed. |
He Processes to regard the new rob- |
ber tariff OF 1898 as tho result OF much |
unselhsh and patriotic work." and records |
his belief that 1t ideals with its subject |
and as thoroughly as sristin0 |
conditions permit" Tho tariff for revenue
,nly which Mr.. CLEVELAND now favors is |
tax upon incomes derived from certain
Investments" the extent OF tax |
md the character OF the corporate invest
nents TO be taxed. are not specified,
The personal note sounds as usual |
the message. swelling In the last
TO an impressive acknowledg-
nent OF the Presidents Intense feeling Of
not only for his own share
n the management Of the nations affairs.
tut also for the doinRs OF the Congress-