Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-06
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
The public men, the press and the
people generally of this country who
have been on the tiptoe of expectancy
with regard to the Presidents message,
especially important at this most vital
jurcture In our national affairs, when
a mighty crisis in our relations with
the world at large is pending and
fraught with portentous meaning for
the IuJure OF the American natlon, VIII
read the message of Mr.. Mckinley and
possibly in their bewilderment reread
1t to discover what the chief magistrate
of this greatest nation on earth has to
say and to recommend to the national
law-naking body as to the solution or
disposition of the mighty problems
growing out Of the war with Spain,
but they will read and reread it in
vain.
Humiliating as it is for the American
people to have to admit it, their chief
magistrate miserably begs the ques-
ton from beginning to end, his recon-
: mendations regarding Cuba, alone,
kEoring OF anything fke a definite
" or purpose. With that excep-
"a on ~ L. MOI Oh reed mmendation 10
make to Congress, no policy to outline
with regard to anything.
In other words, after a careful read
ing of uhe Presidents message we
know just as much of his views on
the solution of the mighty problems
growing out of the war as we did be-
fore-not one whit more, unless we ex-
cept the plain, tacit disclosure that
the President HAS NO POLICY, or
none that he dare stand by.
The message, lengthy and long
winded as it is, nevertheless impresses
very extensively cut down by the
President or his advisors after the
first writing and all recommendations
carefully cut out with regard to the
disposition of our foreign possessions
with reference especially to the Phil
ippines. This subject the President
gives very wide berth, although it
is the one of paramount interest at
this juncture to the American people,
who had awaited his recommendation
regarding it with the utmost interest.
In nothing has the President dis
played his well known weakness of
fcharacter more prominently than in
4 this Sinking of grave responsible
ity Evidently the President stands
too appalled, at the immensely OF the
problem confronting us TO even discuss
it with Congress.
After all, however, it is probably as
we'll that he should leave the whole
matter to Congress without argument,
thus leaving the Senate unhampered
in its action on the treaty to be sub
mitted later.
For the most part, Mr., Mckinley
message is an uninteresting and dull
the military and naval manoeuvres, all
Of which is fresh in the minds of the
people.
The President wisely spares Congress
and the country rehash of depart
mental reports, merely. as a rule, re-
ferring Congress to them for details
and endorsing their recommendations.
He endorses the recommendations o.
the Secretary of War for the increase
of the regular army to 100,0 900 men,
accompanying the endorsement with
the apologize plea that maybe so vast
an army may not be needed long, al
though, as usual. failing to give a
basis for his words.
To sum it all up, the message of the
President to the final session of the
Lvth Congress might as well have been
left unwritten.