The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-04
MANY MATTERS TREATED
While Chary of Giving Needless Advice Nations
Executive Shows Necessity of Legisa-
ton Along Certain Lines

definitely marking the Alaskan bound
ary where it follows the one hundredth
and forty-frst meridian The claims
OF Italy for indemnity for the lynch
ing of some of it's citizens is referred
to and the president urges that the
justice to which she is entitled should
be meted in regard to her unfortunate
countrymen with the same full meas
ure she herself would give to any
American were his reciprocal treaty
rights contemned. Renewal is made
of the recommendation that congress
confer upon the federal courts juris-
diction in this class of international
cases where the ultimate responsibility
Of the federal government may be in
volyed.
The success of the convention for
the pacific settlement of international
disputes by arbitration is made sub
ject in the message. The Nicaaauguan
canal is also touched upon and to the
senate is commended the convention
with Great Britain to facilitate the con-
struction OF such canal and to re-
move any objection which might arise
out of the convention called the Clay
ton-Bulwcr treaty.
Attention is called to the surplus
revenues for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1900 and the deficits that
formerly existed. The expenses of
the government were materially re-
duced during the past fiscal year. 1T
will be the duty, as am sure it will
be the disposition of the congress to
provide whatever further legislation is
needed to insure the continued parity
under all conditions between our two
forms of metallic money, silver and
gold, - is the recommendation to inan-
cial legislation. Attention is called to
the beneficial results of the financial
act Of 1900 SO far as it relates to the
modification of the national banking
account A large increase in national
bank circulation has resulted from the
provisions of the act which permits
national banks to issue circulating
notes to the par value Of United States
bonds deposited as security instead of
only 80 per cent thereof as heretofore.
In dismissing the subject the presi-
dent says: 'The party in power is
committed to such legislation as will
better make the currency responsive
to the varing needs of business at all
seasons and in all sctions'
Of the condition of American ship
ping the president says:
American vessels during the past
three years have carried about per
cent of our exporrs and imports. For
eign ships should carry the least not
the greatest part of American trade.
The remarkable growth of our steel
industries, the progress of ship build
ing for the domestic trade and our
steadily maintained expenditures for
the navy have created an opportunity
to place the United States in the first
rank of commercial maritime powers.
Besides realizing a proper national
aspiration, this will mean the estab-
lishment and healthy growth along all
our coasts of distinctive national in
dustry expanding the field for profita-
BILE employment of labor and capital.
1t will increase the transportation IA
cillties and reduce freight charges
on the vast volume of products
brought from the interior to the sea-
board for export and will strengthen
an arm OF the national defense upon
which the founders of the government
and their successors have relied. In
again urging the action by the con-
gress Oh measures to promote Ameri-
can shipping and foreign trade direct
attention to the recommendations on
the subject in previous messages and
particularly to the opinion expressed
in the message of 1899.
II am satisfied the Judgment of the
country favors the rolicy of aid to
our merchant marine which will
broaden our commerce and markets
and upbuild our seagoing capacity for
the products of agriculture and manu-
facture, which with the increase of
our navy mean more work and wages
of our countrymen as we'll as safe
guard to American interests in every
part of the world.''
Reiteration is made of the recon-
mendation in the previous message