The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-06
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

them is given, and a number of recon-
mendations are made There is not much
in the Information that is new, thoug
1t is presented in a new form, and is au-
thoritative. The recommendation doubt
less have the approval Of the leaders OF
the Republican party. It is bus fair 10
say thar the message is an interesting an
valuable state paper. Ii is written with
care, and II is probable that it ST ties tie
position the Republican party will oc eupy,
on the political questions before the coun-
try, in the approaching presidt fial cam
paign.
The President approves the currency
bill which the committee appointed by the
Republicans of the last House has pre-
pared. He does not mention 1t, but he
calls attention to its most important pro-
visions, and comments on them favorably.
There is no longer any doubt that ne and
the majority of the leaders of his party
have decided to come out squarely in ia
vor of the gold standard. Unless some
thing occurs to change the present finan-
cial situation the next Republican Nation
al Platform win contain clean-cut de-
claration for that standard.
The President and his advisers regard
existing financial conditions as exception
ally favorable for gold standard legisla-
ton. The country is prosperous, and the
treasury not only has an abun1auce o.
money, but the revenues are in excess of
the expenditures. The proposed financial
legislation may be defeated, but it is GER
tain that it has the support of the Presi-
dent.
Trusts are condemned, but not so en-
phatically as is desired by the suffer
from them There has never been a doubt
that the Republican party would take
position against trusts, but there has. been
a suspicion that trusts have nothing to
fear from It, The President has no rosi-
tive recommendation to make in respect
to them. He says that Congress should
find out what authority it has TO deal
with them, and, having found it, shou
assert it promptly. The whole subject is
left in the same indefinite shape in which
it is at present. 1t is not probable that
what the President says in regard to 1t
viii be deemed sufficient by Congress 10
justify earnest steps in the direction Of
antitrust legislation. The Presidents
idea seems to be that the states should en-
deavor to reach uniform beg station for
the regulation of trusts supressing those
which are harmful and sustaining those
which are beneficial, if any such there are.
and that Congress should supplement the
efforts of the states. What the President
says will not cause trusts any uneasin7ss.
The real interest of the message CEN
ters in what the President says in con-
nection with Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Philippines. He leaves the malcontents
of Cuba no room to doubt that as far as
he is concerned the country's pledge that
the Cubans shall have their independence
will be kept. Indeed, there is no ind.ca-
ton anywhere of a desire to violate that
pledge. Doubtless the politicians and adj
venturers who are anxious to get con rol
of Cuba and load her down with debt for
their own benefit. will grumble at the p3-
sition taken that Cuba should rot be
turned over to her people until there are
assurances that they are prepared 10 main
tain an intelligent and stable government.
The President is right in saying that
there should be no haste in placing the
destinies of The island in Cuban hands
The great majority of the Cubans are not
yet qualified 10 select those best fitted to
make and administer the laws for them.
The President points out that the Span
iards of the island have until April II next
TO say whether they will become citizens of
Cuba or remain subjects of Spain and that
by that time the census of the island
which has been recently taken will be
tabulated, so that there will be a basis
for finding out the wishes of the people.
1t is probable that some time next spring
or summer the first steps will be taken
towards giving Cuba government of her
own. but it would not be surprising If it
should be several years before the Cubans
will be given entire control of their po-
llical affairs.
No doubt the great majority of Cubans
that have property interests will be en-
tirely satisfied with the position taken by
the President. They would not object to
annexation, because they understand that
Cuba would gain more by it than this
country, and would be assured of lib
eral and stable government. Annexation
will hardly come, however, until after
there has been trial of self-government
The President is not so positive in his
recommendations for Porto Rico as the
Secretary of War, in his annual report
is. MIR. Root favors a territorial govern
ment at once, and the putting of Porto
Ricans into most of the offices of such a
government. If what MIR. Root recon-
mends should be adopted Porto Rican
products would come into our markets
free of duty. 1t seems that the high pro-
tective tariff advocates object to this.
They seem to think it would be blow to
the protective system. The President rec
ommends temporary government, though
il is not clear in what respect that such a
government would differ from The terri
torial government recommended by Mr..
Root. The Presidents policy probably is
to avoid the tariff question at this time
1t is difficult to see, however, how the
products of Porto Rico, even under the