Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-12-11

5000 over Tire preceding fiscal year,
according to tho statistics given.
The excellent work of the life saving
corps is dwelt upon, showing u great
degree of perfection reached. The
army work of coast defense and the
need of federal prisons on the plan of
that at Fort Leavenworth are then
treated at some length.
Considerable attention is given to
the postal department, and the presi-
dent recommends that the law cover
ing second class matter be revised SO
that it exclude much that is at present
carried in the mails under the pro-
| visions at u loss. He adds that this
item alone would save enough to put
the service OF a paying basis and re-
lieve the taxpayers of a portion of
their burden.
The development of the navy is re-
ierred to with evident pride and the
president points out that the ability
to quickly strengthen it will serve to
make our position more secure. The
giving of premiums for speed will be
discontinued as soon as the vessels
now under construction are completed
The Indian question is discussed
briefly and q change in the present
! system is recommended. The presi-
dent advocates the appointment of
three commissioners, one ofwhom shall
be an army officer, to take the place of
the present commissioner. He is es-
pecially severe in his denunciation of
the practice of allowing Indians to OBJ
tain whiskey, and would have the law
against such enlarged in it's scope so
as to include all Indians.
Some little part of the message is
given up to the consideration of trusts.
While condemning them on general
principles the president says that CON
gress has but limited power and that
the states must take the action needed.
The portion OF the message devoted
to pensions will BE- of interest old SOL
diers. The number of pensioners has
increased so that the total number at
the end of the fiscal year vas 97O,67S.
the largest number ever reported and
to whom was paid s13S,214, 761. "a. The
frauds that invest the pension rolls
are alluded to which abuses the presi-
dent thinks has done i~ncalculable
harm in d~emoralizing the people and
undermining good citizenship.
The gravity of the Pacicfic roads
trouble is clearly pointed out and the
president says that if congress does not
adopt some prompt measures for the
protection of the governments inter-
ests the executive will.
The secretary of agriculture is COM
Mended for the management of his de-
partnent. nearly %one-iifth of the APP
preparation being saved and the eX-
ports of farm products increased. The
free distribution OF seed is commended.
The civil service is shown to have
been enlarged and he advises q further.
enlargement to include fourth class
postmasters. In this connection
NOISY" partisans are severely scored.
The tariff is defended and figures
presented to show that under ordinary
circumstances it is sufficient to pro
vide enough revenue to run the gov
eminent. He does not deem Il large
surplus wise as it is an invitation to
reckless appropriation and necessi-
tates unnecessary taxation.
His position regarding the retire
ment of greenbacks is iii keeping with
his previous expressions on the ques-
ton. He wants the government to go
out of the banking business and the
national banks to redeem their own
notes.
WHAT THEY THINK OF IT.
Senator Brice, DENY: "The presi-
dent has handled the questions in as
diplomatic q manner as possible"
Mr.. Pugh dem. Ala.): "The message
is sound on Cuba, sound OH tariff and
especially sound on trusts and mo.
nopolies."
Senator P~ettigrew: sit is the first
time in our history that an executive
who is the representative of a defeated
party even glorified as Mr.. Cleveland
does in the first paragraph of his mes
sage over the success at the polls OF
his party opponents.
Senator Nelson (rep. Mimi y: sit is
g fair statement; seems to be fair SO
far AS Cuba is concerned.'
Senator Chandler (rep. N. H.: sits
treatment of Cuba is elaborate and
strongand while not going as far as !
had wished it says by implication that
if Spain does not suppress the rebel
lion quickly the United States will in.
tervene to secure the independence OF
the island. The most notable feature