The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-09-02

President Cleveland offered a notable
exception, and present in his annual
message general review of our for
eign and domestic affairs, with such
recommendations as he adopts, and
in order to have the facts necessary
for such a message, he will have to
wait until November
In speaking of the general example
OF his predecessors il this regard, |
do not forget that Washington and
John Adams presented their reviews
and recommendation in the form of
an annual address, read by them in
person at the opening of Congress
and arranged like the Queens address
at the opening of Parliament, with a
special paragraph about appropria-
tions, addressed to the Gentlemen
OF the House of Representatives in
the midst of the address which was
directed to his 'Fellow- citizens of the
Senate and House of Representa-
tives,' to which the two Houses
responded like the two Houses of
| Parliament with formal addresses
| that the President duly acknowledged
in formal reply. But, though the
form was different, the character Of
the contents was the same as it has
| been in the annual messages of most
of the Presidents since Thomas JEFF
ferson first set the democratic exam
| pie of sending in a message instead of
delivering a speech.
President McKinleys first annual
message, following the general order,
may, therefore, be expected to begin
with expressions of congratulation on
the work of Congress at the extra
session in passing the Dingley Tariff
act and the subsequent, if not conse-
quent, return of prosperity, followed
by a review of our foreign relations,
/ a summary of the work of the differ
ent departments, and, in the language
of the Constitution, recommended
tiOn to consideration of ''such meas
ures as he shall judge necessary and
eXpedient.'
The most important part of the
message will be that relating to for
eign affairs, and for this President
Mckinley will want the latest possible
information. General Woodford will
do his best to get satisfactory assur-
ances for a peaceful settlement of the
Cuban question in time flor the mes
sage, and will doubtless tell the
Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs
that it is desired to do so, so that the
answer of Spain may be expected by
the first of November.
The WOlcOtt Silver Commission has
| been promised the answer of England
in October, after the British Govern
ment has had time to consider and
consult its representative in India,
and will by the first Of November be
able to report the result of its mission
which at the present outlook will be
nothing but failure.
The proposed arbitration of the
controversy between Japan and Ha-
waii will have taken shape by Octo-
Der, and in that month the conference
on the preservation of the fur seals,
which John W. Foster arranged, will
do its work here in Washington. The
President will, of course, recommend
the consummation by Congress of the
annexation of Hawaii and will warn
off the rest of the world from inter
fering with it.
The President proposes to make the
building OF the Nicaragua Canal one
of the achievements of his admins
tration, but The new commission, of
which Admiral Walker is president,
will hardly be able to get back from
Nicaragua and make its report before
December, so that the President will
send it in, in all probability, with a
special message, which will emphasize
the Importance of action to forward
the project.
The paragraph about Cuba will
probably be the last to be written,
because of the importance of the sub
ject and the difficulties in dealing
with it. General WOodford goes with
a large discretion rather than strict
Instructions to induce the Spanish
Government to stop the hostilities in
Cuba and give the Cubans the prac-
teal independence of self-gOvern-
ment like that of Canada. If Spain
should accept our good offices the
administration has every reason to
believe that the responsible Cuban
leaders may do so also and come to
terms of peace with Spain. President
Mckinley would rejoice with all his
heart to have such a result to report
in his message to Congress, and he is
hopeful that he will be able to do so,
although it may take until late in
November to accomplish it. But if
| Spain or the Cubans shall refuse he
will lay the whole matter before Con
gress and ask for its action