The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-12-04
DECEMBER 4. 1894
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The presidents message has been
made public, and although it contains
10000 words, the unbiased reader can
not discover in that fact any reason why
the president should have shut himself
up for two weeks to create it. 1t is a
resume of the past years acts of the ad-
minietration and therefore devoid of in
terest. That part of it which will at
tract the most attention is that concern
ing the proposed changes in the banking
system. The president heartily in
dorses Secretary Carlisle's plan of chang
ing this system so as to allow of more
rapid expansion of the currency.
Concerning the tariff, which is still
the one great question. he speaks as fol-
lows:
''The tariff act, passed at the last ses-
sion of congress needs important amend
ments if it is to be executed effectively
and with certainty. In addition to such
necessary amendments as will not
change the rates of duty, am still very
decidedly in favor of putting coal and
iron upon the free list. So far as the
sugar schedule is concerned, 1 would be
glad, under the existing aggravations, to
see every particle of differential duty in
favor of refined sugar stricken out of
our tariff law. If with all the favor ac-
corded the sugar-refning interest in our
tariff laws, it still languishes to the ex-
tent of closing refneries and discharing
thousands of workmen, it would seem to
present a hopeless case for reasonable
legislation. Whatever else is done or
omitted, 1 earnestly repeat here the
recommendation have made in an
other portion of this communication,
that the additional duty of 1-10th of a
, cent per pound, laid upon sugar i'm
ported from countries paying bounty
on its export be abrogated. 1t seems to
me that exceedingly important consid
erations point to the propriety of this
amendment with the advent of new
tariff, not only calculated to relieve the
consumers of our land in the cost of
their daily life, but to invite a better de-
velopment of American thrift and create
for us closer and more profitable COM
mercial relations with the rest of the
world, it follows as logical and impera-
tive necessity that we should at once re-
move the chief, it not the only obstacle
which has so long prevented our partici-
patton in the foreign carrying trade of
the sea. A tariff built upon the theory
that it is well to check imports, and
that a home market should bound the
industry and effort of American pro-
ducers, was fitly supplemented by re-
fusal to allow American registry to YES
sells built abroad, though owned and
navigated by our people, thus exhibit.
ing willingness to abandon all contest
for the advantage of American trans
oceanic carriage. Our new tariff policy,
built upon the theory that it is well to
encourage such importations as our peo-
pie need, and that our products and
manufactures should find markets in
every part of the habitable globe, is
consistently supplemented by the great
est possible liberty to our citizens in the
ownership and navigation of ships in
which our products and manufactures
may be transported. The millions now
paid to foreigners for carrying American
passengers and products across the sea
should be turned into American hands.
Shipbuilding, which has been protected
to strangulation, should be revived by
the prospect of profitable employment
for ships when built, and the American
sailor should be resurrected and again
take his place, a sturdy and Industrious
citizen in time of peace and patriotic
and safe defender of American interests
in the days of conflict. The ancient
provision of our law. denying American
registry to ships built abroad and owned
by Americans, appears in the light of
present conditions not only to be fail
ure for good at every point, but to be
nearer a relic of barbarism than any,
thing that exists under the permission
of statute of the United States.
earnestly recommend its prompt re-
peal.''
The other parts of the message are ex-
eeedingly commonplace. The pension
list is spoken of briefly, the president
indorsing the action of the present head
of the department in guarding against
fraud. The compilation of the census
of 1890, we are assured, will be COM
pleted in 1895. The president thinks
very properly that the postofice depart
ment is abused by persons sending
cheap advertising schemes and trashy lit
erature through the mails as periodicals.
The message then proceeds to mention
In detail every branch of the govern
ment service, most of which being of an
uninteresting character, will be left un /,
read.