Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-03-04

of whatever party, firmly bound by the
voice of the people-a power vastly
more potential than the expression of
any political platform. The paramount
duty of Congress is to stop deficiencies
by the restoration of that protective
legislation which has always been the
firmest prop of the Treasury. The
passage of such law or laws would
strengthen the credit of the govern
ment, both at home and abroad, and go
far towards stopping the drain upon
tine gold reserve held for the redemption
OF our currency which has been heavy
aud we'll nigh constant for several
years. In the revision of the tariff,
he said, especial attention should be
given to the re.enactment and extern
sion of the reciprocity principle of the
law of 1890, under which so great q
stimulus was given to our foreign trade
in new and advantageous markets, for
our surplus agricultural and manufact
ured products. The brief trial given
this legislation amply justi6es further
experiment and additional discretionary
power in the making of commercial
treaties, the end in view always to be
the opening up of new markets for the
products of our country, by granting
cor csssions to the products of other
lands that We need and cannot produce
ourselves, and which do not involve
any loss of labor to our people, but tend
to increase their employment. The de-
preston of the past four years has fallen
with especial severity upon the great
body of toilers of the country, and upon
none more than the holders of small
farms. Agriculture has languished and
labor suffered. The revival of manu-
featuring will be relief to both. The
restoration of confidence and the revi-
val of business, which men of all
parties so much desire, depend
more largely upon the prompt, ener-
getic and intelligent action of Con-
gress, tina, upon any other single
agency affecting the situation.
The great essential to our happiness
and prosperity, Mr.. Mckinley urged, is
that we adhere to the principles upon
| which the government was established
and insist upon their faithful observ-
ance. He then went on to recount the
many blessings the country has ever
enjoyed. One of the Lessons taught by
the late election, which all can rejoice
! in, is that the citizens OF the United
States are both law-respecting and law
abiding people, not easily swerved from
the path of patriotism and honor. This
is in entire accord with the genius Of
our institutions, and but emphasizes
the advantages of intoxicating even a
greater love for law and order in the
future. The declaration of the party
now restored to power has been in the
past that of opposition to all combina-
lions of capital organized in trusts, or
elsewhere, to control arbitrarily the
condition of trade among our citizens,
and it has supported such legislation as
will prevent the execution of all schemes
to Cypress the people by undue charges
on their supplies, or by unjust rates for
the transportation of their products
to market. This purpose will be stead
lily pursued, both by the enforcement
of the laws now in existence and the
recommendation and support Of such
new statutes as may bo necessary to
carry 1t into effect. Our naturalization
and immigration laws should be further
improved to the constant promotion of
safer, better and q higher citizen
ship. A grave peril to the republic
would be citizenship too ignorant to
understand, or too vicious to appre-
ciate, the great value and beneficence
of our institutions and laws-and
against all who come here to make war
upon them our gates must be promptly
and tightly closed. Nor must we be
unmindful of the need of improvement
among our own citizens, but with the
zeal OF our forefathers encourage the
spread of knowledge and free educa-
ton. Illiteracy must be banished from
the land, if we shall attain that high
destiny as the foremost of the enlight-
ened Dations of the world, which, under
Providence, we ought to achieve.
Reforms in the civil service he said
must 60 on. But the chances should
be real and genuine, not perfunctory,
or prompted by zeal in behalf of any
party, simply because it happens to be
in power. As member of Congress, l
voted and spoke in favor of the present
law, and l shall attempt its enforce
ment in the spirit in which it was en-
acted. The purpose in view was to Sc.
cure the most efficient service of the
best men who would accept appoint
ment under the government, retaining
faithful and devoted public servents in
office. but shielding none, under the
authority of any rule or custom,
who are inefficient, incompetent, or
unworthy. The best interests of the
country demand this, and the people
heartily approve the law wherever and
whenever it has been thus administer
ed. Congress should give prompt at
tention to the restoration of our Ameri-
can merchant marine, once the pride of
the seas in all the great ocean high
ways of commerce. To my mind, few
more important subjects so impera-
lively demand its intelligent considera.
ton. Our American merchant marine
has been steadily declining until it is
now lower both in the percentage of
tonnage and the number of vessels en-
ployed than it was prior to the civil
war. Commendable progress has been
made of late years in the upbuilding Of
the American navy, but we must sup
plement these efforts by providing as
proper consort for it merchant ma
rine amply sufficient for our carry
ing trade to foreign countries.
1t has been the policy of the
United States since the foundation of
the government, to cultivate relations