Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-05
The Message.

once more President Mckinley has ad-
dressed to Congress message which, while
meeting all the logical requirements of the
nations case. yet will disappOint the SEN
sat.ou-seekers- There are again no sur
prisss, no revelations. In most respects ii
is d report Of events. coupled with recon-
mendations the obviousncss of which in nc
sense detracts from their significance or i'm
pcrtanCe or weight.
The dominant Tote of the message is
that of national optimism. The Presiden;
recognizes the grave responsibilities with
which the republic Is confronted, yet at
every turn he seems to see a way out He
relies upon the nations power to rise to its
chances and it's duties in the spirit which
led to its creation and its perpetuation.
The message falls into three leading lines
OF recommendation. that relating TO the
currency, that concerning the trusts, and
that bearing TpOn the island possessions.
All that part Of the document which bears
upon the foreign relations is little more
than n report of prevailing conditions and
past events. The most suggestive feature
Of his portion of the report Is that 1t
dizcJDses q much broader world interest
than ever before. due largely to the Won
derful growth of American commerce and
the widened horizon caused by the war
with Spain.
At 20 the currency the President sounds
only one nOte-that Of the gold standard.
That standard. he urges. must be main
tanned, and to this end the Secretary of
The Treasury must be given power to sell
bonds 10 preserve the parity of the metals,
while tn endless chain must be destroyed.
The President wisely urges that the pres
ent. with no drain upon the treasury, and
porous. is the time for remedial legislation
rather than when the treasury is under
stress and the markets are in panic. He
recognizes the need of an enlarged cur
reHcy. and 20 this end he recommends the
lowering Of the limit of national bank cap
italjzation. to permit additions to the cir
cUlarjon through that agency.
The President does not hesitate to de-
nouuce those trade combinations which are
harmful TO the prosperity of the country
and the rights of the people and he calls
for the remedy which, he says. must exist.
He appears TO have faith in the antitrust
law Of lSD. and his faith in this direction
has within a few hours been in some de
gree justified by the decision Of the Su-
prsme Court in the celebrated pipe trust
case He hopes for the adoption of uni
form state laws, supplemented by such ad-
diti'nGI federal legislation as may be neces-
sary TO bind these state statutes into COM
pact and efficient system to restrain the
trusts.
Hawaii Porto Rico and the Philippines
must he given stable government under
American rule The President states their
several cases clearly, and with appropriate
emphasis. That Of Hawaii is particularly
.ns-Stent with no local conditions to retard
-.r,g.-
liar. owing TO the recent emergence of the
people from a state of suppression under
Spanish tyranny. That Of the Philippines
is even more singular, in that the Islands
are still the scene of fading revolt against
American sovereignty The President looks
{" Congress To deal justly and speedily
with these affairs, which address them
selves 70 the constructive statesmanshjp of
The American people.
one OF the strongest chapters of the mes
sagv Is that relating to Cuba The Presi-
dent reaffTms the American purpose so
plainly that not even the most susui-
el'us Of the Cuban radicals can complain.
Inc pledge given by this country April
49, lN''S- must be sacredly kept. Yet the
United States must see TO it that free
cuba De- a reality not a name. perfect
entity. not a hasty experiment bearing
Within itself the elements Of failure" In
this spirit the work Of reconstruction is
proceeding. and the President looks forward
To- Il satisfactory solution of all the prob
lens To which the liberation of the Cubans
has given rise.
II Is long. comprehensive intercst:nt,
T.ts SSage It deals with a mass of vital
matters. the necessity for a trans-isthmia1
canal the evil Of lynchings, the rehabilita-
zion Of tho merchant marine the demand
for Pacific cable. the partition of Samoa.
ihr peace conference at The Hague, the
Alaskan boundary, the American attitude
toward the Boer war. the Paris exposition.
rho widening trade opportunities in China.
'.e annoyHnce~ with Turkey. the claims Of
LAZY for Iynchings in Louisiana, the ser
.r-~ Of the army in the Philippines. the
E1rH II the navy and the need Of naval in
.F'0-'s, the pension question. the necessity
fHr special legislation for Alaska and a
b. 80 1f minor items. all bearing directly
.''u The condition Of the country II oh
1,c'iau be- raised that il is too detailed in
Us rHrratinn Of such matters It must he
r.m-mb"red that never before was there
such % multitude of affairs closely affect
.HS -l- relations between the executive and
'ar congress. and upon which the Presi-
dent fn justice 10 mis- high responsibilities,
- expected annually u report