The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-12-08
President Talks Long
And Saws Little.

The president, in his first annual
message TO Congress, gives our federal
lawmakers a vast volume Of general
information on divers subjects and is
careful to express no very fOrcible
opinion on any subject He hopes"
many things, regrets" several things,
"depIores' two OF three things; but he
urges and advocates mighty little.
His language with regard to Zelaya,
we are glad TO notice, is temperate
and guarded, although our ordinarily
mild and pacific executive appears, on
the whole, to be sufficiently impressed
with the horrible crime committed by
the Nicaraguan president in the taking
on of two American citizens who, hold
ing commissions in the RevolutionisJ
army, were entitled 10 fair military
trial. He says:
4 need not rehearsC here the patient
efforts of this government TO promote
peace and welfare among these tCen-
trail Americana spublics-efOrts ap-
preciated by the majority OF them
who are loyal to their true interests
Il would be no less unnecessary to re
learse here the sad tale of unspeak-
Re barbaTities and oppression alleged
la .e been committed by the Zelaya
Fernment Recently two Americans
were put to death by order of p. 81
dent Zelaya himself. They were rC-
ported to have been regularly commits
stoned officers in the organized forces !
OF a revolution which mad continued
many weeks and was proceeding IN an
orderly fashion in OOntrOl Of about !
half of the republic, and as such, ac- |
cording to the modern enlightened
practice of civilized nations, they i
would be entitled to be dealt with as
prisoners of war. At the date when /
this message is printed, this govern !
ment is proceeding with deliberate I
circumspeCtiOn TO determine the exact /
truth in relation to these reports and !
upon the course in the promises most /
consistent with its dignity, its duty to I
American interests and its moral obi /
cations to Central America and to /
civilization"
The president believes" that curl
traditional relations with Japan con-
tinue cordial, as usual. This belief /
will be uncomfortable news to Con-
gresham, once Captain, Richmond /!
Pearson Hobson, whose Japanese war
cloud is still very much on the lecture
platform if it is not so greatly in evi-
dence on the high seas between San
Francisco and Yokohama.
The president announces that under
provision Of the tariff act of Aug. =,
1909, ne has appointed three officials
70 assist the officers of the govern
ment in collecting information neCes-
sary to a wise administration of the
tariff act. He hopes that their
labors may lead to such results that
no clause of the Payne-AIdrich bill
may work seeming oppression or hard
ship to any part of the American PEG
pie. Probably it is not the Iabors Of
the men that collect me information
but this iniquitCUs piece of legislation
itself that will work the hardship by
boosting the price of clothes and shoes T
and stockings. while ~UuinE the cost
of cologne and silk harOkarchjefs ana
Perhaps" ventures the president
and why, We wonder, did he stick in
that superttU1us perhaps the most
important question presented 20 this .
is that OF economy in
expenditures and sufIiciency of reyc-
nue. The deficit of the last fiscal
year. and the certain deficit of the cur
rent year, prompted Congress TO throw =
a greater responsibility on the eNecu- ,
tive and the secretary Of the treasury
than had heretofore been declared by
statute. . The report of the sect
Rotary shows that the ordinary eNpen- !
dituUeS for the current fiscal year en-
ing June 30. 1910. viii exceed The eS --
mated receipts by S34.0.-.G20. Il 10
this deficit is added The sum 10 be dis
bursCd for the Panama canal amount
lug to SIS, 600 000. and 81 oc1.o % be q
paid on the public debt. the deficit OF
receipts and expenditures VIII -
b. increased TO n total deficit OF SIS J
175620. This deficit the secretary q
proposes 10 meet by the proceeds OF (
bonds issued 10 pay - cost Of con
structius the Panama canal. / approve .
his proposal
In order to avoid a deficit fox the. 4