The morning call., 1894-12-04
EsDAY....................D DECEMBER 4. 1894
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Mr.. Cleveland has added TO the Der
of our people who only read a synopsis of
q Presidents message. His message this
year would make faiT-siZed volume in
book form and is mainly devoted TO details
that reach the public through other chan
nels. 1t may be good practice to have
yearly resume of the dOings of the Gov
eminent in official form, hut undue elabor-
alton is attended with danger to the custom.
There are subjects upon when the pub
lie desired to get the Presidents opinion.
Perhaps the most important of these is
the tariff. h tells the public that the
present tariff does not go far enough in the
direction of free trade. He would have
free cnal and free iron and would abolish
the differential duty on refined sugar. He
finds the sugar trust q hard organization
to get along with. Having secured a de-
gree of protec ion which was believed to
be ample II now closes its works and turns
its employees adrft. The remedy in the
Presidents opinion Is to put American
sugar refners on a dead level with the re-
fners of other countries. He also recon-
mends the removal of the additional duty
of one-tenth of a cent a pound on sugar
imported from countries which pay a
DUuul1 UH lU6lE 6ADOTtS VI HueaTs L MS
of course would place our producers
at corresponding disadvantage in COM
petition with the sugar producers of
countries which encourage the industry
with bountes. He also advocates giving
American registry TO foreign-built ships.
He injects general argument in support
of a revenue tariff into an argument de-
signed to show that Americans would re-
cover the ocean carrying trade if our
merchants were allowed to buy ships in
the cheapest market. He says that many
foreign-b4 lit vessels. owned and navigated
by Americans, are sailing under foreign
flags. In the same paragraph be regrets
the millions that are paid to foreigners for
ocean TRANSPORTATION, not needing the fact
that to the extent of the American owner
ship and navigation of foreign vessels the
earnings of such vessels are as exclusively
American as if they sailed under the Amer
lean flag.
In respect to the currency, the President
simply indorses the plan of Mr.. Carlisle
He sees no harm in the repeal of all laws
requiring the banks to deposit bonds to in
sure the redemption Of any currency they
may issue. The security afforded by capt.
tai stock and by small guarantee fund is
considered sufficient. & repeal of the law
subjecting State banks to Federal tax in
case where the banks can convince the
Comptroller of the Currency that their
outstanding circulation notes do not ex-
coed Is per cent Of their paid-up and unim-
paired capital is recommended. But the
President kindly admits that Mr.. Carlisle's
scheme may be usefully amended in some
of its details.
In somewhat cireuitous way the Presi-
dent advises Withdrawal from the agree
ment under which Samoa has been gov
erned by Germany, Great Britain and the
United States. The government of the
Islands has not been productive of good to
the natives and is a source of annoyance
to this Government. The Bluefelds i'm
broglio Is explained, but no new light is
thrown upon the situation. The subject
naturally looks up to the Nicaragua canal
proiec, but somehow did not lead into it.
In this respect the message is remarkable
for what it did not say. The Hawaiian
question is disposed Of in few words. A
Government was organized TO succeed The
Provincial Government and the new Gov
eminent has been recognized.
The message indicates perfect satisfaction
with the results of the Boring Sea arbitra-
ton. The United States will be called
upon to pay Great Britain the sum OF
S425. 900 for seizures of sealers before the
case was submitted. We appear, there.
fore, not only to have lost any exclusive
rights in the seals, but TO be under agree
ments to pay handsome sum to the par
ties who won what we lost.