Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Review of the Acts Of the Admin
istration.
NEED OF LEGISLATION.
Law and Order Must be Restored in
the PhiIippines-OUr For
eign Relations.

lIVered to bOth houses at noon To-Day. IL
is a yoluminous state document, making
over $4,000 words, and was received
with more than the usual attention On
the part Of the members.
The President complimented Congress
on the continued prosperity of the coun-
try and our peaceful relations with other
governments. He pointed to the strong
condition Of the national treasury and
the large available cash balance of $21S,
O04, S3112. He said the conditions of
confidence which prevail throughout the
country have brought gold into more gen
eral use and customs receipts are now
almost entirely paid in that coin.
He urgently recommends that to sup
port the existing gold standard, and to
maintain the parity in value of the
coins of the two metals (gold and silver
and the equal power of every dollar at
all times in the market and in the pay
ment of debts" the secretary Of the
treasury be given additional power and
charged with the duty to sell United
states bonds and to employ such other
effective means as may be necessary to
these ends. The authority should include
The power to sell bonds on long and
short time, as conditions may require,
and should provide for a rate of interest
lower than that fixed by the act of Jan
uary IA, 1875.
He invites the immediate attention of
Congress to the value of an American
merchant marine to the extension of our
commercial trade and the strengthening
of our power upon the seas.
The Trust Problem.
Combinations of capital organized into
trusts to control the conditions of trade
among our citizens, to stife competition,
limit production and determine the prices
of products used and consumed by the
people, are justly provoking public dis
cussion, and should early claim the atten
ton OF the Congress. The whole ques-
ton is SO important and far-re aching
that the President hopes no part Of it
will be lightly considered, but every
GRAFTON of the Congress, resulting in wise
and judicious action.
4 review of our relations with foreign
states is presented with such recon-
mendations as are deemed appropriate.
The great Importance of the Nicaragu-
an canal, the President says. cannot be
too often or too strongly pressed upon the
attention of the Congress. In his mes
sage of a year ago he expressed his views
of the necessity Of a canal which would
link the two great oceans, to which he
again invites the consideration Of Con
greSS. The reasons then presented for
early action are even stronger now.
The President invites the attention of
the American people to the coming expo
sition at Paris and asks their co-opera-
ton to make our exhibit a success.
AlluSion is made to our cordial rela-
tons with Germany and the hope is ex-
pressed that in time the two governments
will act in common accord toward the
realization of their common purpose to
safeguard the public health and to the
insuring of the purity and wholesomeness
of all food products imported by either
country from the other.
The unsettled Alaskan boundary suit is
referred to and the President expresses
the hope that negotiations now in prog
ress between the two governments will
end in an agreement for the establish
ment and delimitation Of a permanent
boundary.
Our Foreign Relations.
This government has maintained an at
titude of neutrality in the unfortunate
contest between Great Britain and the
Boer states of Africa. We have re-
manned faithful to the precept of avoid
ing entangling alliances as to affairs not
of our direct concern.
The President earnestly recommends
that the subject Of violation CT treaty
rights of aliens be taken up anew and
acted upon during the present session.
The necessity for some snch provision
abundantly appears.
The year has been marked by constant
increase IN the intimacy of our relations
with Mexico and in the magnitude of
mutually advantageous interchanges.
This government has omitted no oppor-
tunity to show its strong desire to de-
velop and perpetuate the ties of cordial
lty now so long happily unbroken. Fol
lowing the termination on January 20,
1899, by Mexico of the convention Of ex-
tradition Of December II, 1861, a new
fro Nv AZ
certained needs of both countries was
signed February D. 1895, and exchanged
IN the City Of Mexico on the 22d Of April
last.
Claims growing out Of the seizure of
American sealing vessels in Behring sea
have been under discussion with the gov
crnment Of Russia for several years
with the happy result of ar agreement
to submit them to the decision of a sin
gle arbitrator.
A satisfactory arrangement was con-
Guided between the governments Of Ger
many and of England, by virtue of which
England retired from Samoa in view of
compensations in other directions, and
both powers renowned in favor of the
United States all their rights and claims
oyer and in respect to that portion of
the group lying to the east of the Hist
degree Of west longitude, embracing the
islands of Tutuila, Ofoo, Olesenga and
Mauna.
Our Duty 20 Cuba.
This nation has assumed before the
world grave responsibility for the flu
ture good government of Cuba. We
have accepted trust the fulfiilment of
which calls for the sternest integrity of
purpose and the exercise of the highest
wisdom The new Cuba yet to arise
from the ashes of the past must needs
be bound to us by ties of singular init
macy and strength if its enduring well
fare is to be assured.
The President alludcs to our renewed
relations with Spain and recommends APP
propriate legislation in order to carry into
execution article VII. Of the treaty Of
peace with Spain. by which the United
States assumed the payment of certain
claims for indemnity Of its citizens
against Spain.
Our relations with Turkey are in an I'M
satisfactory condition, the President
says. The United States minister to Tur-
key continues, under instructions, to press
for a money payment in satisfaction OF
the just claims for injuries suffered by
American citizens in the disorders of sew
eral years past and for wrongs done to
them by the Ottoman authorities. Some
Of these claims are Of many years stand
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