SUPPLEMENT
THE MESSAGE.
President Cleveland's Annual
Suggestions to Congress.
fnr on urn mir-n-r
THE SILVER OUEST ON.
vs yubdiiun,
Tho President Holds tho Same
Views as Heretofore,
Americans who DrcaU the Lain of For
eign Countries not to bu Protected
In Future Confidence In tlie "Turin
for lteveuae Only" Plan The I.aborluz
Classes Kecognlztid The Army, Ilia
Nary and the 1'ottnt Service The In
dians l'ubllo Lands Civil Service
Iteform.
To tho Congress of the United States:
In discharge of a constitutional duty, and
following o well established pieccdcnt in the
executive ofllce, I herewith transmit to the
congress at its reassembling certain informa
tion concerning the stato ot the Union, to-
E ether with such recommendations forlegis
divo consideration as appear necessary and
expodieut.
KOREION RELATIONS.
Our government has consistently main
tained its relations of friendship toward all
other pow crs, and of neighborly interest to
ward those whoso jmsscssions aro contiguous
to our own. l'ew questions liava arisen dur
ing tbe past year with other governments,
and nemo of those ale beyond tho reach of
settlement in lriendly counsel. Tho cruel
treatment of Inoffensive Chinese has, I regret
to say, been related In some of tho far west
ern states and territories, and acts of violcnco
against those ieoplc", beyond tho power of the
local constituted authorities to prevent and
difficult to punish, are lei orlod oven in dis
tant Alaska. Much of this violence can bo
traced to race prejudice and competition of
labor, which cannot, however, justify the op
pression of strangers whoso sulety is" guaran
teed by our tioaty with China equully with
tho most favored nations.
In opening our vast domain to alien ele
ments, the purpose of our law givers was to
invite assimilation and not to pi ovide an arena
for endless antagonisms. The paramount
duty of maintaining public order and defend
ing the interests of our own people, may re
quire the adoption of measures ot restriction,
but they should not tolerate the oppression of
individuals of a sjwcial race. I am not with
out assurance that the government of China,
whose friendly disposition toward us I ain
most happy to recognize, will meet us half
way In devising a comprehensive reniody by
which nn effective limitation of Chineso emi
gration, joined to protection of those Chinese
subjects who remain in this country, may bo
secured. Legislation is needed to execute the
S revisions of our Chinese convention of lbSO
niching the opium trnlllc.
Cases nave continued to occur in Germany,
giving rise to much correspondence in rela
tion to tho privilege of sojourn of ournatural
izod citizens of Herman origin revisiting tho
land of their birth, yet I am happy to state
that our n latlons with that country have lost
none of their accustomed cordiality.
The claims for Interest upon the amount of
tonnage duos illegally exacted from certain
German steamship lines were favorably re
ported in Loth houses of congress at ;he
lost session, and I trust will receive final and
favorable action at nn early day.
The recommendations contained in my last
annual message in relation to a mode, of set
tlement of the fishery rights in the waters of
British North America so long a subject of
anxious difference between the United States
and Great llritnln was met by an adverse
vote of the senate on April 13 last; and
thereupon negotiations were instituted to ob
tain an agreement witli her iiritannic
majesty's government for the promulgation
of such joint interpretation and definition of
tho article of the convention of 1818, relating
to the territorial waters and inshore fisheries
of the British provinces, as should secure the
Canadian rights from encroachment by
United Status fishermen nnd, at tho same
time, Insure the enjoyment by the latter of
the privileges gum auteed to them by such
convention, r mporary arrangements by
treaties have served to allay friction which,
however, has revived as each treaty was
terminated. The lost arrangement, under
the treaty of 1871, w as abrogated after due
notice by the United States on .Tune 30, 18S5,
but I was enabled to obtain for our fLher
men for the remainder of that season enjoy
ment of tho full privileges accorded by the
terminated treaty. Tho progress of civiliza
tion and growth of population in the British
provinces to which the Hellenes in question ai e
contiguous, and the expansion of commercial
intercourse- between them and tho United
Statos. pro-ont to-day a condition of nffuirs
scarcely realizable at tho dale of the negotia
tions of 1818. New and vast interests have
been brought into existence; modes of inter
course between the respective countries have
len invented and multiplied; the methods ot
conducting the fisheries hnvo been wholly
changed; nnd all this is necessarily entitled
to candid mul caieful consideration in tho
adjustment of tho terms nnd conditions of
intercourse and comuiei ce be tw ecu the United
states nnd their neighbors along a frontier
of over 3,600 miles. This pi op nquity, com
munity of language and occupation, and sim
ilarity of political and social institutions, in
dicate the practicability and obvious wisdom
of maintaining mutually beueflci.il anil
friendly relations. Although disappointed in
my efforts to secure a satislactory settlement
of the fishery question, negotiations aro still
pending, with reasonable hope that before
tho close of the present session of congress
announcement may be mude that an accepta
ble conclusion has been reached. As at an
early day there may be laid before congress
the correspondence of the department of
tab) In relation to this, important subject, so
TO THE COLUMBIAN, DECEMBER 10, 1886.
(I,nt 41,. t, !,... .. s-.-i
" ii'n'ij wk 1.110 jHuib usning season
may bo fully disclosed and the action and the
altliiido of tlio administration clearly com
prehended, n mora extended reference is not
deemed necessary in this communication.
'I he qui stlon of a general revision of tbe
treaties of Japan is again under discussion at
lokio. As the first to open relations with
that empire, and as the nation in most direct
emtitnftwiinl i nlntlnn ,-OI. T.n... -1 n..t
btntes have lost no opportunity to testify
tuejr consistent friendship by supporting the
Just ,clainl3 of JaIa,, 10 autonomy and Side-
pendenco among nations. A treaty of extra-
the first concluded by that empire, has been
lately proclaim!. The weakness of Liberia
u., vuv itimiiwij ui iimmuumiig euccuvo
sovereignty over its outlying districts, have
exposod that republic to encroachment It
cannot be forgotten that this distant commu
nity is nn olTshoot of our system, owing Its
origin to the associated lienevolence of Amer
ican cltlz-ns, whoso praiseworthy efforts to
crcato a nucleus of civilization In the dark
continent liae commanded respect and sym
pathy ovci yw hero, especially in this countrv.
Although n formal protectorate) over Liberia
Is contrary to our traditional iwlicy, tho
moinl right and duty of tho United States to
assist In all proper ways In tho maintenance
of its intcgilty is obvious, and has been con
sistently announced during ncmly half a cen
tury. I recommend that, in .the reorganiza
tion of our navy, a small vessel, no
longer found ndequato to our needs, be
presented to Liberia, to be employed
by it in tho protection of its const
wise revenues. Tho encouraging devel
opment of tienoficinl and Intimate relations
between the United States and Mexico, which
has been so maikol within tho past few
' years, Is nt onco the occasl n of cougro illa
tion and of friendly ollcitude. I urgently
I enow my former rei rcseulatlou of tho reed
of speedy legislation by congress to carry Into
ctfect the rccl loclty commercial convention
1 of Jan. SO, Its!. Our commercial treaty of
ttsJl with Mexico was terminated, ncconllng
to lis provislcns in 1681, upon notification
given by Mexico in pursuance ot her an
nounced policy of rccjstinnll her commer
cial trmtta. Mexico has since exmemded
with several foreign governments now Irr.'itfcs
of commerce and navigation, dr llnin ; alien
rights of trade, pioperry Mid msidiiisj, treat
ment of shipping, consular prlviierts and
tho like. Our jet uncxecuto.1 rafprocity
convention of 1S&1 covers none of thoe poinl.i,
the settlement of which is bo nccesmry to
food relationship. I propose to initiate with
lexico negotiations for a new ami enlarged
treaty of commerce and navigation. In i o.n.
pliance with a resolution of the loii.ite I com
municated to that body nn Ail". ! last, and
also to the house of repr.-se:unties, tho cor
rosjiondenco in tho case of A. K. Cutting, an
Amciicnu citizen then imprisoned in Mexico,
chnrged with tho commission of a pjnal
offense in Texas, of w hich a Mexican citizen
was tl.o object After de nnnd had been
made for his ri lease the clmrgo ngainst him
w as amended so its to include a violation of
Mexican law within- Mexican tcrriloiy.
Tills joinder of alleged offenses, one wllhui
and the other exterior to Mexico, induced mo
to order n special invo tigatiou of thoc.vo,
pending which Mr. Cutting was relcasod.
i'ho incident has, however, disclosed a claim
of jurisdiction by Mexico novel in our
history, wlioieby any olfeiise committed
anywhere by a foreigner, jienal in
the place of its commission, and of
w hich a Mexican is- tho object, may, if the
offender bo found In Mexico, be there tried
and punished in coufoimity with Mexican
laws. This jurisdiction wnssjstnincd by the
courts of Mexico in tho Cutting case, and uih
proved by tho executive brunch of that gov
ernment, uion the authority of a Mexican
statute. The apellate court. In releasing
Mr. Cutting, dtciied that the abandonment
of tlm compiuhit by the Mexican citizen ag
grieved by the alleged crime (a libelous pub
lication) removed the basis of further prose
cution, and also declared justice to have beeu
satislled by the enforcement of a small part
of tho original sentence. The admission of
such a pi etensiou would be attended with se
rious results, invasive of the Jurisdiction of
this government, and highly dangerous to our
citizens in foieign lands; therefore I have de
nied it and protested nguinst its attempted
exerciso as uuw arrantcd by the principles of
law and international usages. W hen citizens
of the United States voluntarily go Into a
foreign country they must abide by the laws
there in force, und will not be protected by
their own government from theconsequences
of an offense against those laws committed in
such foreigncountry; but watchful care and
Interest of this government over its citiiens
are not relinquished because they have gone
abroad; and if charged with crime commuted
in the foreign land a fair and 0ien trial, con
ducted with decent regard for justice and
humanity, will bo demanded for them. With
less than that this government will not be
content when the life or liberty of its
citizens is at stake. Whatever the degree
to which extraterritorial criminal Juris
diction may have been formerly al
lowed by consont and reciprocal agreement
among cortaln of the European statos, no
such doctrine or practice was ever known to
the laws of this country or of that from
which our Institutions have mainly been
derived.
In the case of Mexico there are reasons
esjveclally strong for perfect harmony in the
mutual exerciso of jurisdiction. Nature has
made us Irrevocably neighbors, and wisdom
and kind feeling should make us friends.
The overllow of capital and enterprise from
the United States is a potent factor in assist
ing the development of the resources of Mex
ico, and in building up tlm prosperity of both
countries.
To assist this good work ail grounds of ap
prehension for the security of tierson and
ropcrty should be removed; and 1 trut that
In tbe interests of good neighborhood tin
statute referred to will lie so modified as to
eliminate, the present possibilities of danger
to the peace of the two countries.
AUTJIOltS AND ARTISTS,
The drift of sentiment in civilized com
munities toward full recognition of the
lights of property in the croatjons of the
human intellect has brought about the adop
tion by lnanylmportunt nations of nn inter
national copyright convention, which was
slgnc-d at lierne on SeDt 18, 1884. Inasmuch
as" tlie constitution gives' td congress the
power "to promote the progress of scleuco
and useful arts by securing for limited times
to authors and Inventors tho exclusiro right
to their rcsiectivo writings and discoveries,"
this government did hot feel warranted ill
becoming a signatory (lending the action of
congress upon measures of international
copyright now licfore It, but the right of ad
hesion to the llernn convention hereafter,
has been rosencd. I trust the subject will
receive at your haiuU tho attention it de
serves, and that the just claims of authors,
so urgontly pressed, will bo duly heeded.
Representations continue to be made to me
of tho Injurious effect upon American artists
studying abroad and having f reo access to
the art collections of foreign countries; of
maintaining n discriminating duty against
the Introduction of the works of their brother
artists of other countries; nnd I am induced
to repeat my recommendation aboil-
TIIE UNITED STATES TIICASUB.
Tlie report of the secretary of the treasury
exhibits in detail tho condition of tho public,
finances and ot the several branches of tlie
government rolated to his department. I
especially direct the attention ot the congress
to the recommendations contained In this and
tho last preceding repott of tlie secretary,
touching the simplification and amendment
of tlm laws relating to the collection of our
revenues; nnd in the Interest of economy and
justice to the government, I hove they may
le adopted by appropriate legislation. The
ordinary receipts of the government for tho
fiscal year in led June Eel, lsStf, nero $330,
43,J,727.MI. Of this amsunt $l!l2.tffi,(K3.41
was recehed from customs and JllG.SW.fCO
from Intel lul revenue. The total receipts, as
herertauii, were $1U,74!',0'.,0.C8 greater than
tor tho pie ions year, but the increase fiom
customs was $ll,4S4.0s4 10, and from internal
revenue f 4,407,'210.4. The total oi diiiary ex
penses of government for the fiscal year ended
June'iU. lfcl. were $i4'J,4b3,i;W..Vi, being less
by $17,7SX,!)7 than such exjiendlturcs for the
year l r evsllng, and leaving a surplus in the
treasury at tho close of the last fiscal year of
f !a,(iM.iV.5) rs ngainst $ti3,4iM,T71,,.'7 at the
cose n; tin previous venr, being an increase,
in such surplus of fSOOa.SK.Sii. The Bxi?n
diturcs aio compared with those of the pro
ceding fiscal year and classified as follows:
Year end Year end
ing June intz June
SO, lh8'l. 30, 18S5.
For civil expenses $3I,!IV,G0I $il,sk'tJ,l2
For foreign Intercourse.. l,:iM,s.l) 6,439,009
For Indians o,ora,i.'8 e.wa.iiM
For pensions 63,404,801 68,102,207
For the military, includ
ing river and harbor
Improvements and arse
nals 34,304,162 42,670,678
For the navy. Including
vesseLs, machinery, and
Improvement of navy
yards. 11,t07,6S7 16 021,079
For Interest on public debt 50,580,145 6i;380,256
For the District of Colum
bia 2,t02,32l 3,4M,650
Miscellaneous expendl
tuivs. Including publto
butldlnics, lighthouses,
and collecting the reve
nue 47,936,083 64,72V-.6
For the current year to end June SO, 1887,
the ascertained receipts up to Oct. 1, 1881),
with such receipts estimated for the re
mainder of the year, amount to t350,OU),000.
The exiieiiditures ascertained nnd estiina'ed
for the same iieriod nro SaW.OUO.OOO, indicat
ing an anticipated surplus at the close of the
year of $!,000,10J. The total value of tho
exports from the United Statos to foreign
countries during the fiscal year Is stated nnd
compared with the preceding year as fol
lows: For year For year
ending June ending Jnno
SO, 1M8. SO. 18S5.
Domestic merchandise. .C05, 081, S'.n S7i'0,(,w,0l0
Foreign merchandise 13,510,301 15,5),t09
Gold 4.,032,19l 8,477,802
SUrer 20,511,219 M,r51,6,'U
The value of some of our lending exports
during the last fiscal year, as compared with
the value of the same for the year immedi
ately prccoding is here given, and furnishes
information both interesting and suggestive.
For year For year
ending June ending June
SO, 18S0. 80, lth5.
Cotton and cotton manu
factures. (219,045,576 JJ13,79,04I
Tobacco and iti manufac-
lectures 0,424.908 14,767,806
Ilreadstllffs 121,816,658 100,870,8J1
1'rOTlsIons 90,825,216 107,83-4.H
Our imports during the last fiscal year, as
compared with the previous year, were ai
follows:
1886. Ifc85.
Merchandise $035,4 i j,136 j579.5S0.Oy
"old 20,711,319 2G,ti'Jl,li96
Bllrer 17,f50,8O7 16,550,02?
In my last annual mossage to the congress
attention was directed to the fuet that the
revenues of tho government exceeded its
actual needs; and it was suggested that legis
lative action should be taken to reliuve the
jieople from the unnecessary but den of taxa
tion thus made apparent In view of the
pressing Importance) of the subject I deem it
my duty to again urge its cousidu at ion.
"A TARIFF- JXIU REVENUE ONLV.''
Tlie income of the government by its in
creased volume and through economies in its
collection Is now mora than ever in excess of
public necessities. The npplirat.on of the
surplus to the payment of such iDrtion of the
public debt as is now at our option subject to
extinguishment, if continued ut the rato
which has lately prevailed, would retire that
class of indebtedness within less than one
year from this date. Thus a continuation of
our liresont revenue system would soon result
in the receipt of an annual income much
greater than necessary to meet government
expenses, with no indebtedness uiKin which It
could be applied. Wo should then lw con
fronted with a vast quantity of moiwy tho
circulating medium of the people hoarded
In the tre-tiiury when it should bo III their
hands, or we should bo drawn into wasteful
public extravagance with all the corrupting
national demoralization which follows In it
truhi. Hut it is not the simple existence of
this surplus and its threatened attendant evils
which furnish the strongest argument ngainst
our prese it scale of federal taxation. Its
worst phuso is the exaction of such a surplus
through u perversion of tho relations be
tween the people and their government, and a
dangerous dojmrture from tlie rules which
limit the right of fedeial taxation. Good
If 9 Yjrp!jient, and especially Ijis government
01 wliieh every American citizen-boasts, has
for Its objects, the protection of every person
within its care in the greatest liberty con
sistent with tho good ordor of society, nnd
his perfect security In the enjoyment of his
earnings, with the least possible diminution
for public needs. When more of tho people's
substance Is exacted through the form of
taxntion than Is necessary to meet tho just
obligations of the government and tlio ex
pense of its economical administration, such
exaction becomes ruthless extortion and a
violation of tho fundamental principles of a
freo government Tho indirect manner in
which theso exactions nre mado has n ten
dency to conceal their truo character nnd
their extent. Hut wo have arrived nt a stage
of sunerlluous revenue which has aroused the
people to n realization of tlie fact that the
amount raised professedly for the supiwrt of
the government Ls paid by them ns absolutely,
If added to the priceof the tilings wldchsupply
their daily wants, as If it was iaid nt llxod
periods Into tho hand of tho taxgatherer.
Those who toil for daily wages are beginning
to understand that capital, though sometimes
vnuntlng its importance and clamoring for
the protection and favor of the government,
is dull nnd sluggish, till, touched by the
magical hand ot labor, it springs into nc
tiviiy, furnishing nn occasion for federal
taxation ond gaining the value which enables
it to bear its burden. And the hborlng man
is thoughtfully inquiring whether, in theso
circumstances nnd considering the tribute
he constantly paj-s into the public treasury
as he supplies Ids daily wants, ho receives his
fair share of advantages. There ls also n
suspicion abroad, that the surplus of our
revenues indicates abnormal and exceptional
business profits, which, under the system
which produces sucbj.urplus, increase, with
out corresponding benefit to tlie iieoplo at
large, the vast accumulations of a few
among our citizens whose fortunes, rivaling
the wealth of tlio most favored In anti-elemo-cratic
nations, are not tho natural growth of
n steady, plain nnd industrious republic.
Our farmci s, loo, and those engaged directly
nnd Indirectly in nuppljing tho products
of agriculture, seo that day by day,
and as often as the daily wants of
their households recur, thoy are forced to
pay excessive and Heedless taxation, while,
their products struggle in fore.gn markets
with tho competition of nations, which, by
allowing a freer exchange of productions than
wo permit, onablo their people to sell for prices
w hich distress the American fanner. As every
patriotic citizen rejoices in the constantly In
creasing pride of our people In American
citizenship nnd in tho glery of our national
achievements and progress, a seuUmont pre
vails that tho leading strings useful to a na
tion In Its infancy may well be to a great ex
tent discarded in tho present stage of Ameri
can ingenuity, courage and fearless self-reliance.
And for the privilege of indulging
this sentiment with true American enthusiasm
our citizens are quh willing to forego an Idle
surplus in the public treasury. And all the
people know that the average rate of federal
taxation ujioii imports ls to-day, in time of
peace, but little less, while upon somo articles
of necessary consumption it is actually more
than wns imjiosed by the grievous burden
willingly borne at a tuns when the govern
ment needed millions to maintain by war thu
safety and intognty of the Union. It has
been the policy of the government to
collect tho principal part of its reven
ues by a tax ujon Imports, nnd no
change In this policy is desirable. Hut tho
present condition of nlfairs constrains
our pooplo to demand that by a revision ot
our revenuo laws the receipts of the govern
ment shall be reduced to the necessary ex
pense of its economical administration ; and
this demand should bo recognized and obeyed
by tho iieople's representatives in tho legisla
tive branch of the government. In readjust
i ig the burdens of federal taxation a sound
public twllcy requires that such of our citi
zens as have built up largo nnd important in
dustries under present conditions should not
l; suddenly, and to their injury, deprived of
advantages to which they have adapted their
business; but it the public good requires it
If.ey should lie content with such consldern
tion ns shall deal fairly and cautiously w 1th
liieir Interests, whllo tho just demand of th
peoplo for re.lof from luedless taxation Is
honestly answered. A rens mable and timely
Mitm.ssion to such a demand should certainly
be iMjssiblo without disastrous shock to any
interest; and a cheerful concession sometimes
averts abrupt and heedless action, often the
oatgrow th of Impatience and dclaynd justice.
Duo regard should be also accorded in
any proposed readjustment to tho intersts
i Ana r, cull labor so far as they aro involved.
W congratulate ourselves that there is
Munng us no laboring class flKed within un
yielding liounds and doomed under all con
ditions to the inexorable fata ot daily toll.
Wo recognize in labor a chief factor in the
weiillh of the republic, and we treat those
Wuo l ave it in their keeping ns citizens en
til :ed lo the most careful regard and thought
ful ntltntion. This regard and attention
should be awarded them, not only because
lalmr is tlio capital of our workingmen, justly
entitled to Its share of government favor, but
for the further and not less important rea
son that the laboring man surrounded by his
family in his humble home, as a consumer,
Is vitally Interested in all that cheaons the
cost ot living and enables him to bring
within his domestic circle additional com
for s and advantages. Tills relation of tho
w. rkiugiiian to tho revenue laws of the
country, and the manner in w hich it palpably
iullueucestheijuestton of wages, should not bo
forgotten in tlio justifiable prominence given
to the proper maintenance of the supply and
protection of well paid labor. And theso
considerations suggest such an arrangement
of government revenues ns shall reduce the
exjinme of living, whllo it doits not curtail
Iho opjortunIty for work nor reduce the
compensation of American labor, and injuri
ously affect its condition and the dlguilled
plaeo It holds In the estimation of our ple.
llut our farmers nnd agriculturists thoso
who fiom tho soil produce the things con
sumes by all are perhaps more directly and
plainly concerned than any other of our citi
zens, in a just and careful sjstctiim federal
taxation, Thoso actually engnge 1 in and
moreremotoly connected with tins kind of
work number nearly one-half of our (spolia
tion. None labor harder or more continu
ously than they. No enactments limit their
hours of toil Jand no interjx-on of tlio gov
rument enhances to any areut extent tha