Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-12-11
Summary OF Presidents Message

The message opens with an express
sion of satisfaction Eat the growing
spirit of fraternal regard and unitica-
! ton in ali sections of our country,
and the lifting of great public Ques-
tions above party prejudice"
The subject of greatest Importance
is the revision of the currency, and
President Mckinley discusses it at
length. He says, that Congress
ought not to hesitate now to enter
upon reform of the currency which
will make our demand obligations
less ouerous to the government and
relieve our financial laws from ambi-
guilty and doubt. 1t is manifest, he
says, that we must devise some plan
TO protect the government against
bond issues for repeated reGemptions.
| If this evil is not corrected
by legislation, the President suggests
that the Secretary of the Treasury
be authorized by Congress to sell
bonds at long or short periods bear
ing less rate of interest than is now
authorized by law. The President
also recommends that, as soon as the
receipts of the government are sutli-
cient to pay all its expenses, all Uni
ted States notes, after their redemp-
ton in gold, shall be set apart and
only be paid out again for gold.
The President invites careful con.
sideration by Congress of Secretary
Cages plan to protect the gold re-
serve, and concurs with the Secretary
that national banks be allowed to is
sue notes to the face value of their
bonds deposited; that the circulating
tax be reduced to one half of one per
cent, and that national banks may
be established with q capital of
] SEQ 000 He also recommends that
the issue of national bank notes be
restricted to the denomination of $40
and upward, and that they be re
auired to redeem their notes in gold.
The President devotes much space
in his message to consideration of
the Cuban question He outlines his
recent instructions to Minister Wool
ford, which were to impress upon the
| Spanish government the sincere wish
of the United States to aid in termi
mating the war by peaceful methods,
! accomplishing result which would
be Just and honorable to Spain and
to the Cuban people. 1t was also
made known to the Spanish govern
ment that the United States could
not contemplate an indefinite Teriod
for the accomplishment of this result
SPANS response WAS an announce
meut of its change of policy, the re-
call of Weyler and the proposition TO
bestow autonomy upon the Cubans.
lie says that it is honestly due TO
Spain that il be given a reasonable
rime in which to test its new policy.
Present conditions in Cuba do not
justify the recognition of the bellig-
erent rights of the insurgents, nor OF
their Independence. The President
declares, in conclusion, that ''the
near future will demonstrate whether
righteous peace is likely TO be at
tanned; if not he adds, the eXigen-
cy of further and other action by the
United States will remain to be
taken"
He heartily approves the annex
alton of Hawaii, and says that, while
abrupt assimilation of the immature
elements of its population should be
avoided, just provision should be
made for self rule IL local matters,
with the largest political liberty 70
the Hawaiians The dispute between
Japan and Hawaii over the immi-
grafton question he declares to be in
satisfactory stage Of settlement by
negotiation without the intervention
OF the government Of the United
States.
While the international monetary
commission failed to secure an agree
ulent for international bimetallism,
qualification is expressed at the action
of France, and it is said the negotia
lions are still pending. The Presi-
dent expresses the hope that the
i labors OF the commissions may bring
about an agreement.
The opinion is expressed that by
reciprocity arrangements under the
tariff act the volume of our CONNER
cial exchanges may be enlarged. The
President earnestly hopes for the i'm
provement of our merchant marine,
The inferiority OF which, he says, is
humiliating to our national pride
International arbitration Is Endorsed
by the President and declared to rep
resent the best sentiment of the civil
,, Lied world. A liberal appropriation
is urged for creditable exhibit at
the approaching Paris Exposition.
The President urges speedy legls
lation to procure armor for the three
battle ships now building, and says
that for a time any increase in the
naval equipment should take the
form of increased facilities for our
vessels. He urges that three or four
OF the largest docks should be pro-
vided on the Atlantic coast, at least
one on the Pacific coast and float
ing dock in the Gulf. He indorses
the proposed increase in the number
of officers and enlisted men, and
recommends an appropriation for
only one more battle ship. He thinks
several additional torpedo boats are
required.
Attention is called to the need for
prompt legislation as to Alaska and
the extension of civil authority with
in the Territory. The President APP
proves the suggestion of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury for an extension
of the quarantine laws, and also rec
ommends the appointment of a
special commission to ascertain the
cause of yellow fever. Referring to
the pending sale Oh the Kansas racine
Railroad, the President states that
the Secretary of the Treasury has
been instructed to bid at the sale a
sum equal to the principal OF the
debt to the Government.
Referring to the civil service law,
the President says the system has
the approval OF the people, and it
will be his endeavor to uphold and
extend it. At the same time the
President declares that he shall not
hesitate to exempt cases which he
thinks have been improperly includ-
ed in the classified service, or to in
clude those which, in his judgment
will best promote the good OF the
service.
In conclusion the President urges
Congress not to encourage the in
crease of the estimates for the main
| rpOance of the government On the