New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-05
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

| THE YNESIDENI y -NESSIGE.
The President surprises in what he says and
| i'm what he does not say His prudent and con-
scrvative friends who hoped that he would re-
gard the depressed condition of business. are
surprised. Yet he does not devote his entire
message TO the tariff, as when Congress had
no power to settle the question. 1t is chilling
message for industry. The first snowstorm and
/ the message appropriately came together, TO
warn people that Il hard winter is coming. Bad
rs the Wilson bill is, the President commcnds
it as the fruit of much patriotic and unselfish
work." believes that it deals with the subject
as consistently and thoroughly existing con-
ditions permit and insists that the people
have ordered Congress to make a radical change
in the tariff. and that failure will be clear
recrcancy TO duty.
For full year Democratic manufacturers
and workingmcn have been consoling them
| selves with the assertion. often repeated
that the President would never favor n change
of tariff which would PROSTATE American indus
tries. They have said that he was too con-
sentative and prudent man to favor such
| changes when the business Of the country was
Frustrated, and in no condition TO stand IN adj
dtional strain Yet he commcnds TO Congress
Il bill more radical by far than most Democrats
ever expected to see reported Plainly they
have been mistaken in him, for he Is one of
those who persuade themselves that even the
most violent changes if in the direction of Free
Trade will harm nobody. The manufacturers
of the country know better. and the working
men know better and gave the President their
warning in the elections of November. But he
of han no u,
the signing Of the latest autumn breeze
The President even approves in advance an
Income tax derived from certain corporate in
vestmcnts.' declares such fax mot only alb
solutcly just and easily borne" but one which
can be RENTED without business disturbance
1t is true he supposcS that the proposed tariff,
with the present internal revenue taxes. will in
the near future yield additional revenue and
recommends an income tax only to provide
for temporary deficiency But he does not
seem to grasp the meaning Of the Treasury
ports which he submits. Regarding these he
says that the estimated revenue for the current
year falls short Of estimated expenses by S3S.-
100000 As the decrease in revenue for only
five months has been over S31,O0O.Ooo, the
statement seems sngularly out Of place in such
a State paper. The present law. under Demo
cratic conduct. yields less by about $7G,O0O,0OO
yearly than it did last year, and the proposed
tariff will cut off. according to Chairman vii
son. about s5o,OOOOo0 yearly from last years
revenue 1t is not TO the Presidents credit that
he avoids the problem thus presented.
The President might have gained different
ideas from a study Of the postal returns, which,
he says, show q deficiency Of $1,000. 600 for the
year instead Of an estimated deficiency OF
$1,5O000O and probable deficiency OF 5000
900 for the next year instead Of an estimated
surplus of $S72OOO Yet he urges an extcn-
sion Of the free delivery service. The silver
bill recently passed he pronounccs satisfactory
and far-reaching, but thinks it yet unknown
what other legislation may be cxpedien, and
therefore recommends further delay In the
same breath he urges a provision for the issue
Of bonds, which would force upon Congress the
question whether tho bonds should be made
payable in coin or in gold. Most properly he
urges that economy in expenditure is necessary
in the depleted condition Of the Treasury, but
evidently has little hope that the appropriation
will be much reduced.
Economy comes TO the front in his cOnsidera-
ton of naval affairs. After mcritcd but brief |
the new Navy, he asks Congress 10 take into |
consideration the depleted condition Of the |
Treasury" Presumably he has the same |
thought in mind in urging that distribution Of |
the seeds by the Agricultural Department should |
be stopped, the cost being $l3J,OO0 yearly.
much larger plaster for revenue deficiency is
suggested in his approval Of the wholesale sus
pension Of thousands Of pension payments on
the ground of alleged gigantic frauds" Pres
idcnt Cleveland has never explained how his
Pension Commissioner Black happened TO be
the man who drew the largest pension for dis
ability willie holding a fat Government office
but perhaps no explanation was needed.
In its treatment Of nearly all domestic qucs
tons, the message Is crcditablc in character,
not more verbose than is usual for Mr.. Clcvc-
land, and in the main reasonable in its sug-
gestions. But the country will Judge this mes
sage, and the President himself, mainly by the
position he has taken regarding the question
which most vitality affects the industries and
The earnings Of American worklngmen