The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-04
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER Z. 1895.
The Message.


full text of President Cleveland's mes
sage; 1t was read yesterday afternoon
in the hearing of the two houses of
congress 1t is a letter to the people of |
the United States rather than an OFF, |
cial communication to the members Of |
congress. 1t omits the summaries for |
the departments. under the charge of
cabinet officers. which usually form a
large part of presidents messages. 1t
reviews the country's foreign relations
in a routine way, without special rec
ommendation respecting the course this
country ought TO pursue In given
cases and Is without information that
is essentially new concerning foreign
affairs.
The Nicaraguan canal project gets
no notice; Cuba's troubles receive cob
orless mention, the message simply
affirming the administrations determi-
nation to be strictly neutral. In the
judgment OF the president. our govern
ment ought to own permanent resi-
dences for the use of dts ambassadors
in foreign capitals; and that is all there
is of account in the message as a rec
ommendation or suggestion respecting
the relations of the United States to
the outside world. The tariff question
gets scant mention In the message.
The second half OF the message is
devoted to a discussion Of the money
question. This was written. we repeat.
not with the purpose Of bringing
recommendations to the attention Of
congress. but rather to put an anti
silver argument before the public.
Manifestly this second half Of the
message Is not. first hand, the work of
President Cleveland. The change In
style, in composition and In expression
is so marked as to leave the reader to
Infer that he hardly revised 1t. But 1t
Is a compact summary of the situation
as viewed from the goldbug stand
point, whoever its author.
The public Is not in the habit of read
ing these long annual messages: we
earnestly commend to every man who
wants TO keep himself informed on the
currency question the careful reading
of the second half of the message
printed this morning-it is worth while.
No matter about the goldbug sophistry
In the conclusions reached by the pres
ident, some matters OF history are re-
cited and much Information Is given
respecting which 1t is well for the in
telligent citizen to refresh his memory.
The raid on the reserve gets liberal
attention in the message-it is referred
to as "the exasperating withdrawal OF
gold" This might have been stopped
long ago II Mr.. Carlisle had exercised
his unquestioned right to resort to pay
ment in silver. but the administration
won't have 1t that way. The president
scolds about the raiding of the treas
ury. Whose fault is II? Are the
American people to blame for Il or does
the responsibility rest on the little
money. cliques whose schemes have
been fostered by the administration
policy? Does the message denounce
the bankers and brokers whose specu.
lations. at the expense Of the reserve
nave constituted the menace about
which the message complains? There
~ the one-hundred-mlllion- Mr.
Cleveland admits that It stood virtual,
intact during eleven years. But wher
Mr.. Carlisle came into the treasury
Wall street began to play football witt
the reserve on the astonishing seal
described in the message. How dil
this change come about? Who, outsid
OF administration circles. is at faul
for conditions which made IL possibl
10 loot the reserve and loot It agail
and again?
Mr.. Cleveland's message takes grea
pains 20 have It appear that every dol
lar received by the government. as tn
result of the sale OF bonds. went for IN
replenishing OF the reserve. and for n
other purpose; he denies that any par
of the proceeds of the sale of bond
was used TO make good the currer
revenues. On that score the publ
simply knows that an eminent demS
cratic senator, who by the way is a
enemy Of silver. made on the senat
floor the charge which the message {
vigorously resents. The message quote