The Elk Mountain pilot., 1899-12-19
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The last congress of the nineteenth
century, and the first of the twentieth
century, whose sessions began last
week at Washington, has before it
some of the most important problems
ever presented to national legisla-
ture. These problems are pointed out
in detail in the Presidents message,
which is II document worthy of the oc-
casion that called it forth.
The message is long, comprising
about three pages of an ordinary
newspaper, but it is no longer than
such messages usually are, and the i'm
portance of the topics considered made
it impossible to condense it in
any greater degree. Indeed, the
stronger impression derived from
a perusal of the message in full
is the large number of subjects of
great Importance which the President
is called upon to deal with. A mere
summary of these is enough to give
to the average man new and en-
larged idea of the amount of work
the President has to perform, and of
the vast responsibilities of his posi-
ton.
1t is worthy of note that MIR. Nc
Kinley carefully refrains from en-
croaching in the slightest degree upon
the prerogatives of Congress. He calls
their attentionto the problems sug-
gested and in some cases he urgent
ly recommends the consideration of
some particular measure, or points out
some topic which invites their imme-
diate action; but he has been for so
many years member of Congress
himself that he knows exactly how far
the President ought to go in recon-
mendatons, and is careful never to
overstep the bounds which properly
separate the executive from the legis
lative departments of the government.
At the same time, the President shows
no lack of firmness in asserting his
own rights as the chief executive. In
the passage relating to the Philippines
hee says:
Until Congress shall have made
known the formal expression of its
will, shall use the authority vested
in me by the constitution and the
statutes to uphold the sovereignty Of
the United States in those distant is
lands, and in all other places where our
flag rightfully floats. / shall put at
the disposal of the army and navy all
the means which the liberality of Con
gress and the people have provided to
cause this unprovoked and wasteful in
surrection to cease"
This passage illustrates both the
Presidents recognition of the para
mount authority of the Congress in its
sphere of action, and his resolute de-
termination to carry out the policy he
has adopted until the Congress shall
have made known its will.
IN resa.u -s~s-.-srs.-s.- i,os-cn>foiIs,
the Presidents recommendations We're
foreshadowed in these columns las,
week. He urges the necessity for leg
islation extending the authority of the
United States constitution more per-
fectly to Hawaii, and granting to Por
to Rico better terms commercially,
of government; and he indicates that
in Cuba, the time has not yet fully ar
rived for establishing the final form of
self government lie also urges the
necessity of a better provision for
Alaska, and especially for the creation
of a new judicial district in that ter
ritory, with the proper officers.
Our foreign relations necessarily oc-
cupy large space. In brief, it may be
said that these Were never more sat
isfactory; and there are many special
instances which are cause for congrat-
ulation that our affairs with other ma
tons have been so wisely managed
Such, for instance, are the end of the
Venezuelan controversy, brought about
by the good offices of our government;
the conclusion of the International
Peace Conference, with its adoption
of the American plan of arbitration;
the more cordial relations with Ger
many; the settlement of the Samoan
question by the withdrawal of Great
Britain and the partition of the is
lands between Germany and the Unit
ed States; and the preservation of our
treaty rights in China. unimpaired by
any partition of spheres of influence
in that country among the European
nations.
OF the home topics, the most impor-
tant are trusts and finance. The pro-
visions of the proposed financial bill
have already been outlined in these
columns, and they are in line with the
Presidents recommendations. Con
corning trusts the InnsSa np is hnth OK