Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-12-05
THE MESSAGE
Of President Mckinley Heard
with Interest in Congress
THIS AFTERNOON.
Pledge to Cuba Must be Kept.
The Philippine and
Other Questions.

Washington, Dec. 5.-The Presi-
dent IS message was read this afternoon
in Congress- The following is brief
outline:
The President pays touching trib-
ute to the late president Hobart. He
says:
The fifty-sixth Congress- convenes
with the country in condition of un-
usual prosperity, of universal good
will among the people At home and in
relations of peace and friendship with
every government of the world. Our
commerce has shown great increase in
volume and value. The combined
imports and exports for the year are
the largest ever showl by a single
year in all our history. Our exports
for 1899 alone exceeded more than a
billion dollars our impoi is and exports
combined in 1870.
The present gratifying strength of
the treasury is shown by the fact that
on Dec |, 1899, the available cash
balance was $27S, ,004, S37.72, of which
S239, 744, 905. 36 was in gold coin and
bullion. The conditions of confidence
which prevail through,ssa tthe country
have brought gold into more general
use and customs receipts are now al
most entirely paid IN that coin.
He asks that the gold standard be
strengthened and the secretary of the
treasury given power to do this by
selling bonds, etc.
He advises the encOurag cement of
the merchant marine of this country,
by legislation.
He calls attention to the trusts and
combinations of capital and asks that
they be carefully looked to by con-
gress, and checked. Several pages of
the message are devoted to this SUBJ
ject and he quotes from President
Harrison's S and Cleveland's messages.
lie reviews our relations with for
eign nations in detail.
lie commcndS the Nicaragua canal
the Paris exposition and our cordial
relations with Germany.
He alludes briefly to the italian
lynching in Louisiana, our relations
with Canada, the Boer war, the treaty
with Japan, the Manila cable which
should be built at once, our relations
with Mexico.
He congratulates the country on
the permanent settlement of the Sa-
moan question.
Much space is given to Cuba. What
has been done and what we should do
in the premises. He holds that our
pledge to Cuba was the assurance of a
good self government at the earliest
possible moment. This must be
sacredly kept.
He commends the Postmasters Cen
erald's report regarding the correction
of the abuse of the second class rates:
the valor and efficiency of the navy:
and the volunteer army.
He asks congress to carry into ef-
feet the recommendation of the G. A.
R. relative to widows pensions that
they be in no case less than $3.50 pei
year.
The Indian question, the census,
forestry, etc. all receive brief notice
Nearly one quarter of the message
is devoted to the Philippines, detail
ing what has been done.
He calls special attention to the re-
port of the commission and urges con.
gress to carry out the suggestions
therein made.
"The future government of the
Philippines rests with the congress o
the United States. Few graver re
sponsibilities have ever been contidet
to us. If we accept them in spirit
worthy of our race and our traditions
a great opportunity comes with them
The islands lie under the shelter of ou
flag. They are ours by every title o
law and equity. They cannot b.
abandoned.
If we desert them we leave them a
once to anarchy and finally to barbar
ism. We fling them, golden appl'