The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-12-06
The residents Budget.

By far the larger part OF the Pres1-
dents message to Congress is devoted
to the two questions now uppermost in
the public mind, the government IN
the Philippine Islands and the nations
policy in China. He covers the
ground of the ensuing Congress thor
ough1y and treats all questions with
satisfactory c1earness.
He recites the leading events of the
Chinese affair up to the present mo-
ment and declares that this nation
has followed an answering policy
looking to redress and reform, the
preservation of the Chinese empire and
the maintenance of the open door. He
suggests an increased guarantee of
security for foreigners and their prop
erty and increased assurances of pro-
lection for missionaries and their con
-verts as an appropriate substitute for
excessive indemnities which China
might be unable to pay. In case of
difference among the powers as to the
question of indemnities, the President
approves the proposal of Russia that
the matter be submitted to the court of
arbitration at the Hague.
He makes brief review of the pro-
gress toward establishing stable gov
ernmert in the Philippines. On this
question the message embodies the
Presidents instructions to the Taft
Commission. He reafirms his opinion
that the islands should remain under
the sovereignty of the United States
and declares that effective opposition
to the authority of the United States
was virtually ended last spring. He
recommends that in giving the Philip
pines a stable government, the first
steps should be directed to establish
ing local municipal government, ma
tive Fi1ipinos being encouraged to par
ticipate wherever eligible, and this
step to be followed by the larger ad-
divisions. He declares
that the social and political rights of
the Fi1ipinos are to be regarded as sa-
cred and urges the civilized military
to keep ia mind that
their administration should be gener-
GUS and with view to the best inter
ests of the natives.
He reports the progress made toward
governments in Porto
Rico and Cuba, and leaves the ultimate
determination with Congress. In the
matter of the increase of the army he
endorses the plan of Secretary Root,
and approves the proposal of the Sec
rotary of the Navy for an increase in
the ships, officers and men. He recon-
n1ends the adoption of ship subsidies
to facilitate the growth of the Ameri-
can merchant marine, the reapportion
ment of representation among the
several states, and the reduction of
$50, zoo, 900 in the war internal revenue
tax, urging that the reduction be made
first on taxes on 1egacies and public
O6QueSCS. nc dllGul1Ou O1 INC OSudlS
is called to the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
as means of facilitating work upon
the Nicaragua canal under the aus
picies of the United States.
He urges Congress to apply some
restraints to injurious combinations,
warns itagainst temptation to extrava-
giant expenditures, declares that the
financial condition of the treasury is
one of undoubted strength and re-
affirms the gold standard.
AS was expected, there was nothing
new in the Presidents message, but it
is an exhaustive and lucid statement
of the program before the present
Congress.