The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-06
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ALABAMA
President McKinIeY's Message.

The opening columns of President NC
K.nley's third annual message prove MIN
a good republican at least. He asks tur-
tber privileges for the national banks, and
he pleads for single gold standard ana
for the right in the government to issue
bonds ad libitum; and he puts in good
word for the Payne-Hanna subsidy bill
As an antidote to all this he discusses
the trusts in an aimless manner, throwing
the responsibility in part at least on the
states.
After this display of characteristic re-
pu5icanism, the message lapses INTO
summary OF our foreign relations, in uhe
course of which nothing new or paruco-
larly interesting is presented, until the
questions growing out of the war with
Spain are reached Cuba is tenderly dis
oussed Imperialism is cautiously ap-
preached. He asks for delay until GEN.
sus can be taken, when he proposes to
proceed to provide for elections which Will
give the Cubans a voice in their local at
fairs. He does estimate that in the course
OF time an independent government should
be permitted in the island, but the in
definiteness of the proposition will not rem
der it very comforting to aspiring Cuoans
The summaries of the department reports
that follow the discussion of foreign papers
are even less interesting to the general
reader The army, the postal service, the
f.t,1-
tural matters are in turn presented; and
then the president takes up the new pos
sessions, and many columns are given to
a discussion of their affairs.
As to the Philippines. history of its
affairs is given in considerable fullness,
and a full confession is made of the nego-
tlation of a treaty with the Sultan of
suu, involving an acknowledgement in
the teeth of the constitution of the insti-
tuition of slavery. No mention is made in
the message of the numerous Roberts
cases in Sulu, and the hope is left to us
that Sie administration did not in express
terms shoulder that relic of barbarism.'
AT the end of the discussion the president
throws upon congress all responsibility
connected with the government of the Phil
ippines, but he is inclined to think we
should hold the islands that "are ours by
every title of law and equity" If they are
ours by every title of law and equity, what
right had the president to recognize in
them the institution of slavery?
After the affairs of Hawaii and Alaska
nave been presented, Porto Rico is taken
up, and congress is asked to set up some
kind of government in that island. For
once the president advocates an extension
of free trade. He asks congress to abol-
ish the tariff as against Porto Rico, thus
giving her products free access to our
but because no market is open to the I'M
fortunate island. He further asks for the
Porto Ricans colonial form of govern
ment. He thinks congress should send
there colonial governor. He thinks a
colonial legislature should be set up, every
member of which is to be appointed by
himself. If this would not be a colonial
system of the most absolute sort, then it
is difficult to classify it. England would
not even consider such system of gov
eminent, at least not outside of India
The president very truthfully says in his
closing paragraph THAT new and grave
problems confront congress and himself.
The Sultan of Sulu and the proposed Porto
h4can government do indeed present prob
lens that are not only new in this country,
but they are also very grave, if they are
to become precedents for future guidance
and action. Congress still possesses the
right to call a halt in these matters, and
to place the republic back on The old lines,
but the chances are that the present con-
gress is as deep in the mud, as the presi-
dent is in the mire, of Imperialism, mllitar-
ISM and colonialsm.