Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-07
Presented to Both Houses OF
Congress by President
Mckinley Tuesday.
TAKES A FIRM POSITION
In Favor Of tho Gold Standard, Control of
Trusts by National Power, Retention
OF tho Philippines, Stable Govern
ment For Cuba and Free Trade
with Porto Rico.

with Porto Rico.
Washington. Dec. 5.-Senators Platt o
Connecticut and Jones of Arkansas aur
Representatives Payne Cannon and Rich
ardson, members of the committee of tn,
TWO Houses appointed yesterday to motif,
the President that Congress would bc II
session at noon. and ready to receive any
communication he might wish to make
arrived at the White House tins morne
shortly before II O'Clock. They were a.
once shown into the cabinet room, whei,
they were joined ly the President.
The committee stated its mission an.
was informed by the President that ht
would communicate with Congress f.
writing Immediately upon the assembling
of the two Houses. The committee .e
manned with the President only ten min
utos as the members of the cabinet bcgar
to assemble for the regular Tuesday meet
ing.
In the Senate Mr.. Plat of Connecticut
and Mr.. Jones of Arkansas. the committoc
appointed on the part of the S,uatc to
wait upon tho President reported that
their duty had been performed "rhe
President" said Mr. Plat" EXPIRE ssod his
satisfaction at the assembling Of CON
gress and hoped that the rood of the
country might Cesult from it's dclibcra-
tions. Mr., Plat then announced that the
President would communicate with tive
Senate.
Major O. l.. Pruden. assistant secretary
to the President. was recognized by The
chair and presented to the Senate the
message by the President At l2:06 the
reading was begun by the clerk.
In the House after the Ceadng Of the
Journal had been concluded Me-. Cannon
from the committee appointed yesterday 10
wait on the President. reported that the
President would communicate to the
House in writing. Ir mediatcly thereafter
Mayor Pruden, the Presidents executive
clerk, announced The message and it was
al once laid before tho House. The nom
hers listened attcntiN ely Ia the reading
The message reads in part
To :he Senate and House of Representa-
tves:
At the threshold OF your deliberations
You are called to mourn with your coVn-
trymen the death of Vice President Ho-
bart, who passed from this lie on the
morning OF Nov. p last His great
soul now rests in eternal peace. His
private life was pure and elevated. while
his public career was ever distinguished
by large capacity, stainless integrity
and exalted motives. He has been re-
moved from the high Office which he
honored and dignficd. but his lofty
character his devotion to duty. his
honesty of purpose, and noble virtues
remain with us a priceless legacy ana
example.
The Fifty-siXth congress convenes in
its first regular session with the coun-
try in Il condition Of unusual prosperity,
of universal good will among the people
at home and in relations If peace and
friendship with every government of the
world Cur foreign commerce has
shown great increase in volume and
value. The combined imports and ex-
ports for the year are the largest ever
shown by single year in all our his
tory our exports for 1899 alone ex-
ceaded by more than $1,000 900, 600 our
imports and exports combined in 1870.
The imports per capita are 90 percent
less than in 1870. while the exports per
capita are So percent more than in 1870.
showing thu enlarged capacity of the
United States to satisfy the wants Of its
own increasing population, as well as to
contribute to those OF the peoples Of
other nations
Exports of agricultural products were
S7S4H6,l42. OF manufactured products
we exported in value s339 592 JAG, being
larger than any previous year. 1t is a
noteworthy fact that the only years in
all our history when the products Of our
manufactures sold abroad exceeded
those bought abroad were 1898 and 1899.
Government receipts from all sources
for the fiscal year. ending June 30, 1899,
including s11,79S,314.l4, part payment
of the Central Pacific railroad indebted
ness, aggregated 500. 9S2. OO435. Gus
toms receipts were $206 ,4S1.75, and
those from internal revenue S273.437.-
1851
For the fiscal year the expenditures
were 500, 093, 564o2, leaving a deficit of
$50, III ,55a.67.
The secretary of the treasury esti-
mates that the receipts for the current
fiscal year will aggregate s640, 95S,ll2
and upon the basis of present appro-
priations the expenditures will aggre-
gate $500, 95S,l12 leaving a surplus of
$40 900, 00S.
For the fiscal year ended June 20, 1899,
the internal revenue receipts were in
creased about 800. 900 900.
The present gratifying strength of
the treasury is shown by the fact that
on Dec. l. 1899, the available cash bal
ance was s27S, 1904. S37.72. of which $685.
I44 .9O5.36 was in gold coin and bullion.
The conditions Of confidence which pre-
vail throughout the country have
brought gold into more general use. and
customs receipts are now almost entirely
paid in that coin.
AS TO FINANCE
The strong position of the treasury
with respect to cash on hand and the
favorable showing made by the reve-
nues have made 1t possible for the sec
rotary OF the treasury to take action un-
der the provisions of section 1884. re-
vised statutes. relating to the sinking
fund. Receipts exceeded expenditures
for the first fve months of the current
fiscal year by $l3 413, 3S99l. and as men
toned above. the secretary of the
treasury estimates that there will be
surplus OF approximately $40 900 900 at
the end of the year Under such condi-
lions, 1t was deemed advisable and prop
err TO resume compliance with the pro-
visions of the sinking fund law, which
for eight years has not been done. be-
cause of deficiencies in the revenues.