The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-04
The President. Message.

Like Mr. Mckinley's previous contribu-
lions to the literature of his country. his
Annual Message to Congress. read in the
Senate and House yesterday. is very nice
and very long. 1t begins:
a; the outgoing of the old and the incoming
OF the century you begin the last session
of the Fifty-siNth Congress with evidences on
every hand OF individual and national pros
psrity and with proof of the growing strength
and increasing power for good OF Republican ifisti-
tutions- Your countrymcn viii join with you in
solicitation that American liberty is more firmly
established than ever before. and that lore for
il and the determination to preserve it are more
universal than at any former period OF our his
tory.
.-Tile Republic was never so strong. because
neyer 50 strongly in;rencled in the hearts Of
the people The Constitution with few
amendments. exists rs it lett the hands OF its
authors. The additions which have been made TO
it proclaim larger freedom and more extended
citizenship.
One might wish that the President had
been little more explicit on the subject
of the Constitution. He is well able to
shed light on subject connected with IT,
concerning which he is significantly silent
We refer 10 his Message of year ago, iii
which be recognized that provision OF the
Constitution which declares that all
duties imports. and excuses shall be uni
form throughout the United States and
warned Congress that Our plain duty 10
Porto Rico was to abolish all customs
taxes. and admit the products of the
American island to other parts Of the coun-
try free Of duty. 1t is perhaps true. as
M. Mckinley says, that "the Constitution
with few amendments, exists as it left the
hands of its authors This might also be
said O. the frigate of the same name
which, however, of late has been regarded
only as an ancifnt curiosity. The old docu-
ment is still matter OF interest 20 the
historian, but of much less importance TO
the practical politicians of the HannaMc-
kinley era. Who while respecting 1t as a
means of promoting campaign objects, or
for rhetorical purposes, do not allow it to
stard in the way of their national or inter-
national designs. 1t has few amendments
OF record, amendments being quite super
fuous when the basic corpus juris can be
ignored at the benest of the trusts, de-
fed in excluding 1t from integral portions
OF the United States, or violated by the
waging of unauthorized executive foreign
wars of invasion. The American people,
perhaps, are as yet unable to realize how
institutional changes and revolutions in
the character OF their government may be
effected without alteration of outward
forms.
As VIC reviewed the Message in detail
yesterday, We shall, on this occasion, only
attempt to discuss its more important
and Interesting features. Mr.. Mckinley
follows his introductory remarks with
historical and critical essay on the Boxer
movement in China. and Of the disturb
arces and war which resulted He goes
at length into the causes which, in his
opinion, led to the outbreak, and tells
Congress how he sought to avert the in
eyitabIe BY securing from the Powers a
definition of their intentions, which he
felt sure would satisfy the Chinese that
We were their friends and so placate
them. In furtherance of this emollient
policy our legation guard, which had
was withdrawn. and all differences left TO
Z be settled by the ordinary methods OF
diplomacy. The intention, no doubt, was
excellent, but the action only infamed
the vanity OF the Chinese and made them
believe that we were afraid Of them. The
blnndcr of January, 1900, Was bitterly
paid Tor in the attack upon the legations,
and ne sickening horrors of the torture
and massacre OF American women and
children a few months later. Mr. AcKip-
ley YiYes = stirring and lair account OF