The herald., 1894-12-04
THE MESSAGE.

Mr.. Cleveland to address congress and
the American people editorially. Asa
consequ his message 10 almost ex-
clusively q review of events, leaving the
reader to adjust and form an individual
opinion. He quotes literally from de.
partment reports and confines himself
to facts as presented in state papers re-
garding our foreign relations and the ei-
feet OF the internal policies Of other
countries on our own. In all this Mr..
Cleveland adverts only occasionally to
the effect OF the conditions - he has
found them and then only BY inference
and indirection. By his qualifying and
Introductory remarks we may arrive at
the presidents own opinion concerning
the subjects he discusses, and ~ rule
be has been content to merely arrange
and formulate the facts and Statistics
without indicating wherein they operate
for good or i'll and Offering no suggestion
Of personal approval or disapproval.
On the subject OF civil service refor m,
the public health, tariff legislation, bond
issues and banking and currency he re.
iterates and reafirms previous utter
ances, adhering closely to his policy in
each instance and showing wherein 1t
has been beneficial and salutary.
The message 10 not "a ststesmsnlike
document" in the haokneyed sense of
that term, but it is = valuable state
paper and one W hich will commend itself
to thinking citizens, presenting. ~ 1t
does, in condensed form, the salient
features OF our history during the past
six months. In this form it is safer
document than one that would please
the political partisan better.
The Presidents review OF tariff legisls-
ton is based on sound Democratic doc
trine, and his recommendation that the
additional duty of one-tenth of . cent
per pound laid upon sugar imported
from countries paying bounty be Abro-
gated, is in line With the principle Of free
competition as opposed TO monopoly
of staples and the necessaries OF life.
Mr.. Cievelsnd's assumption that the
new tariff policy, built upon the tn cory
that it is we'll to encourage suoh impor.
tations ss our people need, and that
their products and manufactures should
find markets in every part OF the habit.
able globe, is a proposition that cannot
be successfully refuted and will meet
with unanimous approval by the people.
The only objection that will be urged to
this plain home protective policy will
smanate from the syndicates, trusts
and monopolies, which are in no sense
q part OF the people, except as parasites
are part OF the human body.
The people of California would have
been grstitied if the president had en-
lsrged upon the Nioaraguan canal pro.
no subject of more vital interest to the
Pacific coast. A positive declaration by
Mr.. Cleveland that it was the policy of
the administration to encourage by
every legitimate means the completion
Of the canal and to control the water
way for the commercial aggrandizsment
of this country. would have palliatsd
many sins OF commission and omission
charged against the Democracy by par
tisan antagonists on this coast. That
only the merest reference was made to
the Nicaragua canal in the presidents
message cannot be regarded a. an over
sight, and an explanation from the
president is in order. 1t is possible that
he does not thoroughly understand the
temper OF our people in this matter. and
it may be that he does not realize that
the canal is regarded on the Pacific
coast as an absolute emancipation from
the thralldom OF the Southern Pacific
railroad corporation.
As whole the message is worthy of
the closest consideration, not only by
our represent ntetives in congress, but by
the people. 1t is at least an index to
i'm portant questions of state policy and
will afford ample scope for profitable
discussion.