Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-11-20
MESSAGE rs UNDER WAY.
The President Has Completed a
Rough Draft.
He VIII Discuss Many TopIcs-ComInE
Session of Congress Bids Fair to
he Devoted Mostly TO Busi-
ness Legislation.

Washington, Nov. 16.-President Nc
Kinley has begun active work on his |
message to congress, and, in fact, the |
rough draft already completed and the |
message could be delivered to congress |
within 4s hours if it were necessary.
All that remains is to fill in details,
bring figures down to date, and sub
init the matter to the cabinet as &c the
relative Importance of different topics
and the modes of expression.
President Mckinley has either from
accident or design been placed in a
fortunate position as to topics. Each
cabinet officer has speciality, which
will be brought to the attention of con-
gress in their reports and referred to
in the presidents message. Each ad-
ministration generally starts in with
n number of pet schemes, but Presi-
dent Mckinley will have popular move
to suggest on behalf of each of the
great departments of the government.
Secretary Sherman will press the Ha-
waiian annexation treaty and Secretary
Gage will ask for display head on his
financial scheme. The secretary of war
will make a patriotic move in the di-
rection of rapid work on the coast de-
fenses, and Secretary Long will make
n speciality of torpedo boats, besides the
battle ships. Postmaster-GeneralG Gary
has elaborated his scheme for postal
savings banks, while Secretary Bliss
will make a leading feature of the
schemes to reclaim the arid lands in
the far west. The encouragement will
report the successful conclusion Of the
Central Pacific negotiations and sug-
gest n settlement of the Central Pacific
Indebtedness. There will be many side
issues, but each of the presidents ad-
visers will have a special topic in the
message.
1t is probable that the president will
make no recommendation in his mes
sage upon the subject of general ar
bitration. The fact that he made his
views clear on that subject in his in
augural address and that no arbitration
treaty will be pending when the annual
message is sent in makes it unneces-
sary to say anything further on the
matter al this time.
Washington, Nov. 16.-The work be-
fore congress at it's coming session,
which will convene three weeks hence,
readily divides itself into four classes.
W the annual appropriation bill, (2)
measures pertaining to foreign rela-
tiohR, (3) currency and banking reform
and (D general business legislation.
| 1t is in dealing with this fourth class
that the coming session is likely to dis
| tinguish itself. Political considerations
will be too strong in session immedi-
ately preceding the congress elections
OF 1898, and with the nominating con-
vcntions therefor held probably before
the lawmakers get chance to go home.
| TO; the second and third classes-for-
eign affairs and monetary reform-to
be treated earnestly and sincerely. But
next 10 the appropriation bills, which
must be passed anyway. general busi-
ness topics are the best measures for
the consideration of n congress just on
the eve of national election.
The general subject of currency and
banking reform will be very gingerly
handled. OF that evidence has long
been abundant, and the reasons for il
are not hard to see. If the testimony
of the congressman who have already
gathered here may be taken as indi-
cative of the final action of the body to
which they belong, currency reform
has already been substantially dropped
from their list of serious undertakings
1t is not likely the republicans il
either house of congress will allow tho
administration to suffer on account O
Cuba in the coming session. A few
members of both houses, to oe sure
may disregard questions of party pol
icy and keep up the Cuban fire. Senator
Mason, of Illinois, has already an
nounced that he will do so, and ther
may be enough like him in the senate
to occasion some disturbance, but thi
will be promptly checllmated by the re
poseful course of Speaker Reed in tn
house. In other words, congress in tn
, session Immediately preceding the gen
eral election is likely to stand by al
executive of its own party. And cor
; | versely President Mckinley has FIRE
| uuently announced that he desired t
| stand by congress in this matter and de
, | fer his own views to those of the legis
lative branch of the government. Th
desire is now very general on the par
Of the politicians and statesmen t
leave the Cuban question to somebod
else, since any exercise of individua
preference one way or the other nigh
7. be followed by dangerous consequences
and particularly so just before the col
gressional election.
The appropriation bills constitute n
y important branch of each years dutie
which cannot be disregarded withou
imposing upon the subsequent sessio
: the necessity of providing by urgenc
: deficiency bills for current expenses.
i All things considered, it does not loo
as If the coming session of congre'
i will be either short or unimportan
Whatever estimates one might no
= make as to probable Legislative result
: it is safest to predict that there will be
y vast amount of talking done betwee
Q December and adjournment.