The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1898-12-10
THE MESSAGE.

all OF our readers who take an interest
ia National affairs have read that
message and formed their own con.
illusions We believe, however that a
'ew words from us on the subject will
Iot come amiss. IN the first place we
,elieve that we can justly say that the
message is n sincere disappointment to
all western men, and particularly to
bat class known as silver Rcpubli-
cans The message Is particularly
distinguished by two characteristics;
tlrst, by its unusual length, and secoud
by its almost total lack of recommen.
dations for Congressional action. The
message commences with, what we
may call, the customary hcmily, on the
satisfactory condition of the country
and its progress since the last effusou
II exalts in It's preface the condition of
the nations finances and then in "a
later part of the same message dis
proves the point las we will endeavor
TO show later in this articlel. The
beginning, and we may say, the main
portion of the message is taken up with
a history of the recent war with Spain
and the causes leading up to that war,
all of which has been detailed in the
daily press and Is familiar TO every
citizen. and even 10 the members Of
Congress. As the Salt Lake Herald
says:
1t is more OF n review than mes
sage. 1t might have been compiled
from the files OF any leading daily
newspaper. They nearly all printed
better and more complete accounts of
the war, more extensive reports from
the various departments, more sug-
gestious, even In their news columns
than the President has permitted TO
creep into bis own.
All Of the facts related by the Presl.
dent In his message may be interesting
to posterity, In fact they may form
portion OF American history to be
written later. but as au alleged mess
age of the chief executive OF a great
nation to body Of lawmakers it cor
tainly looks childish and out of place.
The congratulauon Of the President
to the nation on being at peace with
the world may be rue hut unnecessary.
The nation knows all that fact as well
as he does. The President recon-
mends the building of the Nlcaraguan
canal and its control by the United
States; talks IA little about Hawaiian
without recommendation
speaks again at same length in regard
TO our foreign relations and then.
branches off into that subject in which
we are all most vitality interested, our
system aud our monetary
standard. The President admits that
under our present war tax the receipts
Of the government for the year ending
June 80, 1899, will be Sll2, 0O0 600 less
han the expenditures, He does not
attempt TO explain where this enor-
nous deficit arises. Notwithstanding !
hat the war tax haS brought in mil
ions of money over that expended for
he war ana, yet as we say in the be-
ginning. has the nerve to compliment
he hation on the successful admins.
ration" OF the finances. The Fresi.
lent Is evidently profound humorist. |
AS TO where the mouey has gone, ask
Hanna and other favored government
He gives that "chest-
nut" talk about the government re-
iourcosn aud STRENGTHENING the trea-
'ury,' and follows up by u reiteratiou
II his advice OF 1897 to retire the green
packs, thus giving national banks the |
control OF our currency. He puts in
! plug" for the gold standard as fol.
ows:
The importance OF adequate provi-
ion which will insure TO our future a |
money standard related us our money |
tandard now Is TO that OF our com
nercial rivals, is generally recognized.
This can mean nothing else but The
of the gold standard anu
must be severe disappointment to
hose so-called SILVER Republicans,
Who have so often asserted that hi.
netalism Will be secured through Nc
(lnley and the Republican party. He
avors y standing army OF 100, 900 men,
which must mean the retention of the
although he fails to say so.
lie also favors corresponding increase
n the navy, His expressed purpose OF
out the volunteers VIII meet
nth unanimous approval. They have
eryed the purpose for which they en-
isted and deserve discharge.
The message closes with mention Of
he proposed Washington Centennial to
commemorate the removal OF the ma
lonal capital to the District of Column
ia, reference to the labor laws and
he statement that the remainder of
acts necessary for Congress to con.
lder will be found in the reports of
he various departments. AS whole,