Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-12-08
The Message.
The Presidents ADuQ| Mes.
SQge 10 Congress.

ing message " INC fH'y E
rress:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:
nj the threshold Of your deliberations you are
called to mourn with your countrymeh the ueath
Of Vice President Hobart who passed from life
cn the morning of November 81 last. His good
.cul now rests in eternal peace. HIS private
life WIS pure and elevated, while his puDllc
career was ever dist nguished by large capacity
stances integrity. and exalted motives nc
It's teen remove ed from the high ONCE wnich ne
i.oBured and dignified. but his lofty character
his devotion to duty. his honesty OF purpose
IND noble virtues remain with us, as priceless
legacy and example.
As to the Country's Condition.
TIC Fifty sixth congress conyenes in its first
REGULAR session with the country in condition
az unusual prosperity, OF universal roou VIII
among the people at home. and in relations OF
peace aud friendship with every government OF
The world. Our foreign commerce has shown
treat increase in volume and value. The COM
b!ucd imports and exports for the year are the
laircs, ever shown in a sinslc year In all our
history. Our exports for 1879 alone exceeded py
more than s, o. 0,000,N0 our imports and exports
combined in 1870 The imports per capita are
70 per cent. less than in 1870, while the exports
per capita are SO per cent. more than In 1871
showing the enlarged capacity OF the United
States TO satisfy the wants Of its own increas-
ing popula ton as well as to contribute to those
@. the people OF other nations
Exports of agricultural products were 1884,
nc a. OF manufactured products we exported
IN value 1899 59!, i46, being larger than any pre-
yious yeur 1t Is a noteworthy fact that the
only years In all our history when the products
If our manufactures sold abroad were 1898 and
1922 Government receipts from all sources for
the fiscal year ended June 81, 1899, including
I'll, 79s 3I4 "A, part payment Of the Central Pa
cifc railroad indebtedness, aggregated s5lO9S2,
O04.95. Customs receipts were 5000, l2s, 4sl75
md those from internal revenue, S213, Az, l6lol
For the fiscal year the expenditures were s7o,-
tgJ 564 o. leaving deficit OF $50, ll.559o1 Inc
secretary of the treasury estimates that the re-
ccipts for the current fiscal year Will aggregate
Sclu95s,llo and upon the basis OF present APP
propriations the expenditures will aggregate
500 a5e, he leaving a surplus of 81 '9OJ.OOo.
For the fiscal year ended June 81 1892, the
internal revenue receipts were increased about
sl00 900, 900 The present gratifying strength OF
the treasury is shown by the fact that on De-
cember |, 1899, the available cash balance was
S97s, O34s3f72 OF which $3.50 7i4,9 5.36 was in
gold coin and bullion. The conditions of conf
dence (which prevail throughout the country
hayc brought gold into more general use aud
ems toms receipts are now almost entirely paid
ir ;hG, coin.
Increased activity in industry. With its vel
C. me attendant-a larger employment for labor
at higher .Yages-Gives to the body of the people
alargur Cover to absorb the circulating me-
dun. it is further true that year by year with
larger areas of land under cultivation, the in
creasing volume of agricultural products, cot
ton. corn and wheat calls for larger volume
OF money supply.
The National Banking Act.
In its earlier history the national banking act
seemed to prove a reasonable avenue through
which needful additions to the circulation could
from time to time be made. Changing condi-
tions have apparently rendered it now inopera-
tive to that end. Tie high margin in bond Sc
curitios required, resulting from large rreni-
ums which government bonds command In the
market or the tax on note issues, or both oper-
atlng together, appear to be the influences
which impair its public utility.
The attention of congress Is respectfully in
y.tCd 10 this important matter with the view OF
ascc-.8.aing whether or not such reasonable
notifications can be nladn IN the national
hanH.us .ct u.s. VIII uler it, service III the pnr-
ticular, here re erred to more responsive to the
totplc's needs. again urge that national hunks
leUUtICrized to organize with q capital o. 3D.
Qo.
. For the Gold Standard.
] IwaduLy rec mmcnd that to support the OK
t,i!u. gold standard and to maintain 1.-THE par
ity En- value of the coins OF the two metals tgoiu
and Silyer) and the equal power Of every dollar
tgll times in the market and in the payment
Of debts" the secretary of the treasury be
rive. additional power and charged with the
.du,y 10 sell United States bonds and to employ
huch other effective means us may be necessary
10 these ends. TIE authority should include
tn lower to sell bonds On long and short time,
o. conditions may require, and should provide
for & rate of interest lower than th.t liked by
I'LL. Nl...,.a, fgs TvNfN
commercial fright which wtldraws gold from
The government but, on the contrary, such
widespread confidence that gold seeks the
lrfasiiry demanding paper money in exchange,
yo; the very situation points to the present as
The most fitting time to make adequate provl-
sion 70 insure the continuance of the gold stand
ard ind OF public confidence In the ability ana
rrrrose Of the government to meet all It's oon-
Tatione in the money which the civilized world
recognizes as the best The financial transact
t,ous Of the government are conducted upon
,,ol,j rnsis. We receipt gold when we sell United
States boEds and use gold for their payment
We are maintaining the parity OF all the money
issued or coined by authority OF the govern
mont We are doing these things with the
means AT hand. Happily at the present time we
arc no, compelled to resort to loans to supply
gold 1t has been done in the past, however
and NAV have to be done in the future IL be-
=
means 10 meet the emergency when 1t arises
and Tho hest means are those which are the
mo, certain and economical. Those now au-
,to,,ycd have the virtue neither OF directncss or
economy We have already eliminated one Oh
INC causes of our financial plight and emoar-
easement during the years 1893, 1871, is9' ana
lsl6 our receipts now equalo our expenditures;
dcfcicnt revenues no longer create alarm Let
u. remove the only remaining cause By confer
ring ue full ard necessary power on tue secre-
tarv Of the treasury and impose upon aim the
dutyto uphold the present gold standard anu
urcscrvc the coins of the Two metals on parity
WIN each other. which is the repeatedly ue-
cn.rcd rolicy of the United States.
IN this connection 1 repeat my former recon-
rcudations that u portion CT TIC gold hoi'iins'
shHl, he placed in trust fund from Whica
rrecubaeis shall be redeemed upon prosenta'
lion. but when once redeemed snail not there'
nt,,r Ice paid out except for gold
For IL Merchant Marine
the value OF an American merchant marine
,oabc extension of our commercial trade an'
tho strengthening OF our power upon the sea IN
,itcs me immediate action OF congress. Ou
nu;icual DEVELOPMENT will be orc-"ided ana un
satisfactory $ long as the remarkable growth
nj OR inland industries remains unacconpl
MED bv progress on the seas. There Is no luci
-, corstituti nal authority for Legislation Whicl
shnu live to the country maritime strengt
Commensurate with its industrial achievement
and with its rank among the nations oil IN
earth.