Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-05
TOWNS.
President McKinIey's Address.

1t is gratifying to be able to print a
Presidents address in full with the
certainty that it will be read. The con-
trast between President Mckinley S
inaugural of 5000 words and the mes
sages of his predecessor is refreshing
one. Nor has the brevity been OBJ
tanned at sacrifice of clearness. ex-
lpressiveness or completeness. Presi-
dent Mckinley said that which he
wished to say and stopped. but not un-
til he had defined his position upon
important questions SO that there can
be no installing him. AS was expected
and as the people have demanded by
their votes he urges immediate action
country may as quickly as possible be
in position to pay it's debts as fast as
it incurs them. His call for Congress
to meet March 18th and Immediately
undertake the passage Of such meas
ure has been anticipated and cannot be
successfully criticized by any party.
The public will keep in mind these
words from the message. and insist
upon Congress observing the same: Be
tween more loans and more revenue,
there ought to be but one opinion. We
should have more revenue and that
without delay, hindrance or postpone
ment." The country has approved of
that sentiment and will mark for dis
favor any party that attempts to
thwart this the unmistakable will of the
people.
While emphasizing the needof protect
i've revenue legislation the President
does not lose sight of the demand for
currency legislation and his allusion to
the neglect in the past to remedy ourc
rency laws in time of prosperity, when
lit could be done to much better advan-
tage than in time of emergency, indi-
Gates his purpose to urge the passage
|cf adequate measures as soon as ii
may be practicable to do so. There is
no good reason why he should commit
himself at this time to any definite
proposal of a remedy, indeed it would
be unwise to do so were he convinced of
the exact measure or measures need
ed. Advocates of State banks on the
l. &c <.r
ment from the currency on the other
can derive little satisfaction from his
frank statement that "our currency
should continue under the supervision
of the government" He appreciates
the gravity of the problem and the
desirabiity of making haste slowly and
declares his Willingness to concur with
Congress in the appointment of non
partisan commission to take the revis-
ion OF our coinage laws under coDsid-
|eration, a commission that should COM
mand respect and whose findings
should have weight.
On the subject of international BIZ
metallism he stands upon the national
platform of his party. He recognizes
the desirability of reciprocity and urges
its renewal. He squarely states that
our laws against trusts should be en-
forced and added legislation that may
become necessary should be had. He
is 1diametrically opposed to the attitude
of President Cleveland in vetoing the
immigration bill and expresses the
conviction that both our naturalization
and immigration laws need amending.
Those who have been recently engaged
in crying down reform in the civil SER
vice will get little satisfaction from the
unequivocal approval of that reform
by the President, who evidently takes
pride inl abiding to the part he took in
securing the passage of such laws in
Congress and who now declares ire
form in the civil service must go on
in the spirit in which the reform was
naugurated and not perfunctorily.
IHc SuUdH QueStlUu Is felorred TO
|cnlyin general way and not by name.
Nevertheless, there is all the assurance
needed in his avowed purpose to main
tain a firm and dignified foreign policy,
to protect American citizens anywhere
and everywhere in all their rights. The
American people want no wars and no
conquests. he says, statement which
neither indicates hostility to the an
nexation of Hawaii nor affords the
slightest comfort to the Spanish, while
we think the tone of the message will
satisfy Gen. Lee at Havana that he
will not continue toNappeal in vain for
authority to compel the release of
American citizens from the horrors of
the Spanish dungeon. The address as
whole must be conceded to be alto
gether an admirable one.
The cabinet appears to have been
Blissfully arranged, at last.
!. President Mckinley.