The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
A statement of Our Foreign Relations
Recommendations ON Tariff and FL
naneiaI Maffers-.GeneraI Report ON the
Affairs of Government.

consideration at the hands of the national
legislature. Our foreign relations are salts
factory. The war between China and Japan
is deplored, and in view of the dangers 1t
brings upon Americans resident in the East
the President declares that he would not
hesitate to heed any intimation that his friend
" aid for the honorable termination OF hos
tilities would be acceptable TO both belhger-
ents." Restrictions upon the importation of
American food products into Belgium and
Germany are noted, as also the s'unreason-
able and unjust fines imposed by Spain upon
American vessels trading with Cuba and
Porto Rico. Under the award of the Paris
tribunal of arbitration S425, 900 has been
agreed upon as the sun to be paid as damages
to British subjects on account of seizures Olives
sells in Boring sea, and Congress is asked to APP
propriate that amount. Thus far only France
and Portugal have assented to the regulations
agreed upon with Great Britain. With Rus
STA a modus vivendi has been reached in re-
spect to sealing interests in the North Pacific.
Germany having protested against the pro-
vision of the tariff act imposing a discriminat-
ing duty of one-tenth of cent pound on
sugars coming from countries paying an ex-
port bounty thereon, claiming that such duty
is in violation of the treaty of 1928 with
Prussia. the President warmly recommends
the repeal of so much of the recent tariff act
as continues the discrimination first introduced
in the Mckinley act Such repeal, it is add
ed, is in the interests of the commerce of both
countries, and is further desirable ''to avoid
even the accusation of treaty violation.
The Bluefields incident is discussed at some
length. By the treaty of 1860 Great Britain
granted Nicaragua sovereignty over the Mos
quito Coast country, STIMULATING for the reten-
tion by the Mosquito Indians of limited form
of self-govemment Recently Nicaragua sup
pressed the native government, attempting to
substitute for it 'an impracticable composite
administration. Ultimately, after various
conflicts. Nicaragua has established local
government at Buefelds. The rightful SOW
ereignity of Nicaragua over the Mosquito
country is not challenged. But wrongs were
committed upon a number of American cIh-
zens which were the occasion of remon-
strances.
Samoa is shown to be in very diso9dered
state, consequent upon the faulty character
of the 'entangling alliance" for its govern
ment entered into by the previous adminstra-
ton. The government set up by Germany,
England and the United States, acting to-
gether under the Berlin treaty, has been un-
satisfactory to the natives. Civil wars are con-
stantly in progress, causing much expense to
the three powers concerned. 1t is according
" recommended that Congress consider the
propriety of our withdrawal from its engage
ments with the other powers on terms not
prejudical to our existing rights.
The receipts of the government from all
sources of revenue during the fiscal year end
ed June go 1894, amounted to 1872, 9O2, 1885,
30, and its expenditures to $442, sos, 1853. 81,
leaving deficit of $69, 1903, 260.5S. tits esti-
mated that upon the basis of the present
revenue laws the receipts of the government
during the current fiscal year ending June 30,
1895, will be 1924, 427, 74S. A, and its expendi
lures S444, 427; 1854 resulting in deficit of
$50, 000, 900.
The strength of the army on September 30,
1894, was 2,135 officers and %, 1855 enlisted
men. While no considerable increase in the
army is demanded by recent events, the policy
Of seaeoast fertilization has so far developed
as to suggest that the effective strength of the
army be now made at least equal 10 the legal
strength.
1t is noted in the report of the Attorney
General that the Supreme Court is overcoming
rapidly the arrears of its business and it is
suggested that Congress will do well to give
an additional circuit judge to each circuit.
The President further recommends the aboli-
ton of the fee system as a measure of compen-
satioHto federal officers; the enlargement of
the powers of United States commissioners,
at least in the Territories, the allowance of
writs of error in criminal cases on behalf of
the United States and the establishment of
degrees in the crime of murder
The receipts of the Postofiice Department
during the year amounted to SIS, $50, 479.0
and the expenditures TO SS4, 324, Ala. Is. This
deficiency is regarded as unnecessary, being
due to an abuse of laws regulating rates upon
second-class mail matter. pretended news
papers, trashy novels and other publications
Of like character were made to pay proper
rates, and if the free distribution of seed
through the mails were abolished, the income
thus gained would suffice, it is thought, to per-
nit the carriage of legitimate papers and
periodicals free of cost.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
shows gratifying progress in the construction
of our new navy and presents with much
earnestness n plea for the authorization of
three additional battle-ships and ten or twelve
torpedo-boa The President accordingly
recommends that provision be made for the
construction of additional battle-ships and
torpedo-boats, and also the manufacture of
reserve supply of guns for the auxiliary feet.
The transfer of the work of the coast survey
to the Navy Department is urgently recon-
mended,
The report of the Secretary of the Interior
shows that the public domain still remaining
amounts to a little more than 600, 900, 600
acres, excluding, however, about 500, 200, 900
acres in Alaska, as well as military reserva-
tons and railroad and other selections of
lands yet unadj dedicated. Though the condition
ofthe Indians shows steady progress, their stu
ahon is not satisfactory at all points. Some
of them to whom allotments of land have been
made are found to be unable-or disinclined to
follow agricultural pursuits or to otherwise
benefcially manage their land.
At the close of the last fiscal year there were
900, 544 persons on the pension rolls, being
net increase of 8, 532 over the number report
ed at the end OF the previous year. OF these
pensioners 32,039 are surviving soldiers of
Indian and other wars prior to the late civil
war and the widows or relatives of such sol
diers. The remainder, numbering 937, sos,
are receiving pensions on account of the civil
war, and of these 469, 344 are on the rolls
under the authority of the act of June 81,
1890, sometimes called the dependent pension
law. The total amount expended for pensions
dnring the year was S139, S04, 461 .05, and the
sum necessary TO meet pension expenditures
for the year ending June 80, 1896, is estimated
at $40, 600.
The Secretary of Agriculture shows that
the exports of agricultural products from the
United States for the fiscal year ended June
80, 1894, amounted to S62S, 1868, 099, being
1928 per cent of American exports of every
description, and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain took more than "a per cent. of all
farm products finding foreign markets.
The advantages to the public service of an
adherence to the principles of civil-service
reform are constantly more apparent; and a
vast majority of the voters of the land are
ready to insist that the time and attention Of
those they select to perform for them import
ant public duties should not be distracted by
doing out minor offices. Numerous additional
offices and places have lately been brought
within civil-service rules.
The new tariff act needs important amend
ments so as to be executed effectively and with
certainty. In addition to such necessary
amendments as will not change rates of duty.
the President still very decidedly favors putt
ing coal and iron upon the free list As
regards the sugar schedule, he would be glad,
under existing aggravations, to see every
particle of differential duty in favor of refined
sugar stricken out of the tariff law
Legislation is recommended calculated to
promote the development Of our merchant
marine. To this end the new tariff should be
supplemented by an act allowing vessels built
abroad and owned by Americans to be regis
tered here.
Much space is given to a discussion of the
decrease of the GOLD reserve and the tecaseitv