Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-12-05
MEETING OF CONGRESS.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The second session of the 53rd Con-
gress met on Monday, and will expire
by limitation on the 4th of next March.
The Presidents Message was received
at 1877 P. NJ, and was read and listened
to with attention. The reading con-
sumed about two hours. We have
space only for the following abstract
of the message for which we are in
debted to the Baltimore San =
The Presidents message to the Con
gress Of the United States presents
briefly and in an admirably clear man
ner the facts and measures requiring
consideration at the hands of the ma
tional legislature. Our foreign rela-
tions are satisfactory. The war be-
tween China and Japan is deplored,
and in view of the dangers it brings
upon Americans resident in the East
the President declares that he would
not hesitate to heed any intimatiOn
that his friendly aid for the honorable
tie rmination of hostilities would be ac
ce ptable to both belligerents. Re-
strictions upon the Importation of
American food products into Belgium
and Germany are noted, as also the
unreasonable and unjust fines i'm
posed by Spain upon American vessels
trading with Cuba and Porto Rico
Under the award of the Paris tribunal
of arbitration 1926, 200 has been agreed
upon as the sum to be paid as damages
TO British subjects ON account of selz
ures of vessels in Boring sea, and Con-
gress is asked to appropriate that
amount. Thus far only France and
Portugal have assented to the regula-
tions agreed upon with Great Britain.
With Russia a mO(tltS ClCe7lG5 has been
reached in respect to sealing interests
in the North Pacific. Germany having
protested against the provision Of the
tariff act imposing a discriminating
duty of one-tenth of a cent pound on
sugars coming from countries paying
an export bounty thereon, claiming
that such duty is in violation of the
treaty of 1928 with Prussia, the Presi-
dent warmly recommends the repeal
jof so much of the recent tariff act as
continues the discrimination first in
PRODUCED in the Mckinley act. Such
repeal, it is added, is in the interests
of the commerce of both countries, and
is further desirable ''to avoid even the
accusation of treaty violation
The Bluefelds incident is discussed
at some length. By the treaty of 1860
Great Britain granted Nicaragua SOW
ereignty over the Mosquito Coast coun-
try, STIMULATING for the retention by the
Mosquito Indians of a limited form of
self-government. Recently Nicaragua
suppressed the native government, at
tempting to substitute for it IAN i'm
practicable composite administration"
Ultimately, after various conflicts,
Nicaragua has established a local gov
eminent at Bluefields. The rightful
sovereignty of Nicaragua over the
Mosquito country is not challenged
But wrongs were committed upon a
number of American citizens which
were the occasion of remonstrances..
Samoa is shown to be in a very dis
ordered state. consequent upon the
faulty character of the "entangling
allianee'~for its, government entered
into by the previous administration
The government set up by Germany,
England and the United States, acting
together under the Berlin treaty, has
been unsatisfactory to the natives
Civil wars are constantly in progress,
causing much expense to the three
powers concerned. 1t is accordingly
recommended that Congress consider
the propriety of our withdrawal from
it's engagements with the other powers
on terms not rejudical to our existing
rights.
The receipts of the government from
all sources of revenue during the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1894. amounted to
1872, 500, 498 30, and its expenditures to
Ion 6aE Of
S03, 260.58 1t is estimated that upon
the basis of the present revenue laws
the receipts of the government during
the current fiscal year ending June 80,
1895, will be 1924 427, 749 a, and its ex-
penditures $444, 1854, resulting in
deficit of 500, 100000.
The strength OF the army on Septem-
Der 80, 1894, was 2, 135 officers and %, 765
enlisted men. While no considerable
increase in the army is demanded by
recent events, the policy of seacoast
fortification has SO far developed as TO
suggest that the effective strength of
the army be now made at least equal
to the legal strength.
1t is noted in the report of the Attor
ney- General that the Supreme Court is
overcoming rapidly the arrears of its
business and it is suggested that Con
gress will do well to give an additional
circuit judge to each circuit. The Presi
dent further recommends the abolition
of the fee system as d measure of COM
pensation to federal officers; the en-
largement 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 Postoffice Depart
ment during the year amounted to
$75, 0S0, .Q and the expenditures to
$64, s24, 414 10. This deficiency is re-
garded as unnecessary, being due to an
abuse of laws regulating rates upon
second-class mail matter If pretended
newspapers, 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
permit the carriage of legitimate pa
pers and periodicals free of cost.
The report of the Secretary of the
Navy shows gratifying progress in the
construction of our new navy and pre-
sents with much earnestness plea for
the authorization of three additional
battle ships and ten or twelve torpedo
boats The President accordingly rec
ommends 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 fleet. The trans
Jer of the work of the coast survey to
the Navy Department is urgently rec
commended.
The report of the Secretary of the
Interior shows that the public domain
still remaining amounts to little more
than GOO, 900, 000 acres. excluding, how
ever, about 800, 10000 acres in Alaska,
as we'll, as military reservations and
railroad and other selections of lands
yet unadjudicated. Though the con
dition OF the Indians shows steady
progress, their situation is not satisfac-
tory at all points. Some of them to
whom allotments of land have been
made are found to be unable or dis
inclined to follow agricultural pursuits
or to otherwise beneficially manage
their land.
At the close of the last fiscal year
there were 969, 544 persons ON the pen
sion rolls, being a net increase of 3,532