WJgrwfTFlSSSSSSSSSSiiiSSBSSEmSESSmSSi iBMmatnSHH'MBTMMMBiMBBMMfcnrm ttWP3 'imBaaMBmSnMKBImtm BBBBBBIBBBiBfffBWBBK'W THE PrETSBURG DISPATCH, THUESDAT, DECEMBER .10. 1891. 9 A II ESS AG i Of Nearly iS.ooo Words Sent "by tlia President to Congress. MU6HJ0 TALK ABOUT Has Occurred Since the Last Ses- i sion of the Lawmakers BENEFITS OF THE NEW TARIFF Dwelt Upon at Length, With Figures to Back Them Up. Foreign Markets Opened to American Producers and Manufacturers Im portant Legislation Recommended for the Future The Valparaiso Affair and Other Foreign Complica tions Heavy Work in Mr. Blaine's Department The Michigan Gerry mander Denounced in Strong Terms A Strange Indorsement of the Nicaragua Canal Steal The New Navy and Its Building Up Other Important Topics Dwelt Upon Every Word of the Document. Washington, Dec, 9. The following is President Harrison's message in full, as transmitted to Congress to-day: To the Senate and House of Representatives: The reports of the heads of the several executive departments required by law to be submitted to me, which are herewith transmitted, and the reports of the Secre tary of the Treasury and the Attorney Gen eral made directly to Congress, furnish a compreheashe view of the administrative work or the last fiscal year relating to in ternal affairs. It would be of great advan tage if these reports could have an atten tive perusal by cv ery member of Congress and by all who take an interest in public affairs. Such a perusal could not fail to excite a higher appreciation of the vast labor and conscientious effort which are given to the conduct of our civil adminis tration. The reports will, I believe, show that every que" tion ha been approached, con sidered and decided from the standpoint of public duty, and upon consideration affect ing the public interests alone. Again, I invite to every branch of the service the at tention and scrutiny of Congress. Imjiortant At ork I'nder Mr. Blaine. The work of the State Department during the last year has been characterized bv- an unusual number of important negotiations and by diplomatic results of a notable and highly btneficial character. Among these arc the reciprocal trade arrangements which have been concluded in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the tariff Jaw with the Republic of Brazil, w ith Spain ibr its West India possessions, and with San Domingo. Like negotiations with other countries have been much advanced, and it is hoped that h-fore the olose of the year furfh-T definitive trade arrangements of great value will be concluded. In view of the reports which had been re ceived as to thediminuliou of the seal herds in the Bering Sea, I deemed it wise to pro pose to Her Majesty's Government in Fcl ruary last that an agreement for a closed season should be made, pending the negotia tions for arbitration which then seemed to be approaching a favorable conclusion. A Late AETeclilrnt as to al Fishing. After much correspondence, and delajs for which this Government was not respon sible, an agreement was reached and signed on the 15th of June bv which Great Britain Tindertook from that diteand until May 1, 1K92, to prohibit the killing by her subjects ol eals in the Bering Sea, and the Govcrn aneiit ot the United States during the rnrae 'period to enforce its existing prohibition against pelagic scaling, and to limit tne catch by the furs-eal company upon the inlands to 7,.ri00 ekins. If this agreement could have been reached tarlier, in response to the strenu ous endeav or of this Government, it would have been more elective: but, coining even as lateas it did. it unquestionably resulted in prcatiy diminishing the destruction of the seals bv the Canadian scalers. In mv last annual message I stated that Ibc basis of arbitration proposed by Htr Maj'-st j 's Govcr-imen' foi the adjudication f the long-pending controversy as to the teal fisheries was not acceptable. I am glad now to be able to announce that terms satis factory to this Government have been agreed upon aud that an agreement as to the arbitrators is ail that is necessary to the completion o! the coi.vcntion. In view of the ad v.iuced position which this Govern ment has taken upon the subject of interna tional arbitration, this renewed expression of our adherence to this method for the set tlement of disputes tiic'i as have arisen in the Bering Sea will, I doubt not, meet with the concurrence of Congress. Need ofa Distinct Frontier Line. Provision should be made for a joint de marcation of the frontier line between Can ada and the United States, wherever re quired by the increasing border settlements, and especially for the exact location of the water boundary in the straits and rivers. I feliould have been glad to announce some favorable disposition of the boundary dispute between Great Britain and Vene zuela, touching the western frontier of British Guraia, but the triendly efforts of the United States in that direction have thus far been unavailing. This Govern ment will continue to exnrcss its concern at any appearance of foreign cncro.ichmcnt on territories long under the administrative control of American States. The determina tion ofa disputed boundary is e.isily attain able by amicable arbitration, where the rights'of the respective parties rest, as here, on historic facts readily ascertain able. The lair of the last Congress providing a system of inspection for our meats intended for export, and clothing the President with power to exclude lorcign products irom our market in case the country tending them should jerpetuate unji.st discriminations against aiiv product of the United States, j.Iaeeu this Government in a position to ffectively urge the icmoval of such dis criminations against our meats. IWrigurr in Lnv "With Our Pork. It is gratifying to be able to state that Scrrnany, Denmark, Italv, Austria tad I i'mnce, in the order named, mve opened their ports to inspect d i American pork products, rhe removal of these restrictions in every nstiice was asked tor and given solely ipot? thetgiound that we had now provided i meat inspection that should be accepted isndeqtiaje to the complete removal of the longer, real or fancied, which had been ireviiul urgd. The State Department, mr Ministers abroad and the Secretary of V-rribhlturc have co-operated with unflag inifjni.d' inteihgent ze.'l for the neenm lishme'it of tin grcM result. The outlines au agreement have been reached with Germany, looking to equitable trade con cessions in consideration of the continued free importation of her sugars, but the time has not yet arrived when this correspond ence can be submitted to Congress. Brazil's Many Political .Eruptions. The recent political disturbances in the Republic of Brazil have excited regret and solicitude. The information we possessed was too meager to enable us to form a satis factory judgment of the causes leading to the temporary assumption of supreme power by President Fouseca; but this Gov ernment" did not fail to express to him its anxious solicitude for the peace of Brazil and for the maintenance of the free political institutions which had recently been es tablished there, not to offer our advice that great moderation should be observed in the clash of parties and the contest for leader ship. These counsels were received in the most friendly spirit, and the latest infor mation is that constitutional government has been re-established without bloodshed. The lynching at New Orleans, in March last, of 11 men of Italian nativitv bv a mob of citizens was a most deplorable and dis creditable incident. It did not, however, have its origin in any general animosity to the Italian people, nor in any disrespect to the Government of Italy, with which our relations were of the most friendlv char acter. The fury of the mob was directed against these men as the supposed partici pants or accessories in the murder of a city officer. I do not allude to this as mitigat ing in any degree this offense against law and humanity, but only as affecting the in ternational questions which grew out of it. Friendly Conclusion of the Matter. It was once represented by the Italian Minister that several of those whose lives had been taken bv the mob were Italian subjects, and a demand was made for the punishment of the participants and for an indemnity to the families of those who were killed. It is to be regretted that the manner in which these claims were presented was not such as to promote a calm discussion of the questions involved; but this may well be attributed to the ex citement and indignation which the crime naturally evoked. The views of this Gov ernment as to its obligations to foreigners domiciled here were fully stated in the correspondence, as well as its purpose to make an investigation of the affair with a view to determine whether there were present any circumstances that could, under such rules of duty as we had indicated, create an obligation upon the United States. The temporary absence of a Min ister Plenipotentiary of Italy at this cap ital has retarded the further correspondence, but it is not doubted that a friendly con clusion is attainable. Moral ot the New Orleans Affair. Some suggestions growing out of this un happy incident are worthy the attention of Congress. It would, L believe, be entirely competent for Congress to make offenses against the treatv rights of foreigners dom iciled in the United States cognizable in the Federal courts. This has not, however, been done, and the Federal officers and courts have no power in such cases to inter vene, cither for the protection of a foreign citizen or for the punishment of his slayers. It seems to me, in this state of the law, that the officers of the State charged with police and judicial powers in such cases must in the consideration of international questions, growing out of such incidents, be regarded in such sense as Federal agents as to make this Government answerable for their acts in cases where it would be answerable if the United States had used its constitution al power to define and punish crimesagainst treaty rights. The civil war, in Chile, which began in January last, was continued, but fortunately with infrequent and not important armed collisions, until August 2S, when the Con gressional forces landed near Valparaiso and, after a blood v engagement, captured that city. President Balniaceda, at once recognized that his cause was lost, and a provisional Government was speedily es tablished by the victorious party. Our Minister was promptly directed to recog nize and put himself in communication with this Government as soon as it should have established its de facto character, vi Inch was done. Ono Policy Adopted and Stuck To. During the pendency of this civil con test frequent indirect appeals were made to this Government to extend belligerent rights to the Insurgents and to give audience to their representatives. Tiiis was declined, and that policy was pur sued throughout, which this Government, when wrenched by civil war, so sirenuously insisted upon en the part of European nations The Itata, an armed vessel com manded by a naval officer of the insurgent fleet, manned by its sailors and with soldiers on board, was seized under process of the United States Court at San Diego, Cal., for a violation of our neutrality laws. While in the custody of an officer of the court the vessel was forcibly wrested from his control and put to sea. It would have been incon sistent with the dignity and self-respect of this Government not to have insisted that the Itata should be leturned to Sau Diego to abide the judgment of the court. This was so clear to the Junta of the Congres sional party, established at Iquique, that, before the arrival of the Itata at that port, the Secretary of Foreign Relations of the Provisional Government addressed to Rear Admiral Brown, commanding the United States naval forces, a communication, from which the following is an extract: The Itata Cnsc In a Nutshell. The Provisional Government has learned by the cablegrams of tho Associated Press that the transport, Itata, detained by order ot" the United States for taking on board mu nitions of war and in possession of tho Alar-hal, left tho port, carrying onboard this official, who was landed at a point near the coast ana then continued her voyage. If this news be correct, this Government w ould dcploic the conduct of the Itata, and, as an evidence that it is not disposed to sup poit orajaee to tho infraction of the laws of the United States, the undersigned takes ad vantage of ttie personal relations you have been good enough to maintain with him since your arrival in this port to declare to you that as soon as slio is within reach of bur orders his Government will put the Itata, with tho arin and munitions she took on board in San Diego, at the disposition of the United States. A trial in the District Court of the United States for the Southern district of Cali fornia, has recently resulted in a decision holdiiig. among other things, that, inas much as the Congressional party had not been recognized as a bclligerant, the acts done in its interest could not be a viola tion of our neutrality laws. From this judgment the United States has appealed, not that the condemnation ol the vessel is a matter of importance, but that w e may know that the present state of our law is; for, if this construction of the statute is cor rect, there is obvious necessity for revision and amendment. Chile and Its Internal Disrnption. During the progress of the war in Chile, this Government tendered its good offices to bring about a peaceful solution, and it was at one time hoped that a good result might be readied, but in this we were disap pointed. The instructions to our naval officers and to our Minister at Santiago from the first to the last of this struggle, enjoined upon them the most impartial treatment and absolute non-inteiference. I am satisfied that these instructions were observed and that our representatives were always watchful to use their influence impartially in the interest of humanity, and, on more than one occa sion, did so effectively. We could not for get, however, that this Government was in diplomatic relations with then established Government of Chile, as it is now in such relations with the successor of that Govern ment. I am quite sure that President Montt, who has, under circumstance of promise for the peace of Chile, been installed as President of that Repub lic, will not desire that, in the unfortunate event of any revolt against his authority, the policy of this Government should be other than that which we have recently observed. No official complaint of the con duct of our Minister or of our naval officers during the struggle has been presented to this Government; and it is a matter of regret that so many of our own people should have given car to unofficial charges and complaints that manifestly had their origin in rival interests, aud in a wish to pervert the relations of the United States with Chile. Balmaceda and His Collspse. The collapse of the Government of Balma ceda brought about a condition which is un fortunotely too familiar with the history of the Central and South American States. With the overthrow of the Balmaceda Gov ernment he and many of his councilors and officers became at once fugitives for their lives and appealed to the command tng officers of the foreign naval vessels in fhe harbor of Valparaiso and to the resident iorcign Ministers at Santiago for asylum. This asylum was freely given, according to my information, by the naval vessels of sev eral foreign powers, and by several of the Legations at Santiago. The American Minister, as well as his colleagues, acting upon the impulses of humanity, extended asylum to political refugees whose lives were in peril. I have not been willing to direct the surrender of such of these per sons as are still in the American Legation without suitable conditions. It is believed that the Government of Chile is not in a position, in view of the precedents with which it has been con nected, to broadly deny the right of asylum, and the correspondence has not thus far presented any such denial. The treatment of our Minister for a time was such as to call for a decided protest, and it was very gratifying to observe that unfriendly meas ures, which were undoubtedly the result of the prevailing excitement, were at once re scinded or suitably relaxed. AN OUTRAGE. The President's Opinion or the Attack at Valp traiso on American Sailors Unclo Sam Xow Awaiting the Result of an In vestigation. On the ICth of October an event occurred in Valparaiso so serious and tragic in its circumstances and results as to very justly excite the indignation of our people and to call for prompt and decided action on the part of this Government A considerable number of the sailors of the United States steamship Baltimore, then in the harbor of Valparaiso, being upon shore leave and un armed, were assaulted by armed men nearly simultaneously in different localities in the city. One petty officer was killed outright, and seven or eight seamen were seriously wounded, one of whom has since died. So savage and brutal was the assault that several of our sailors received more than two, and one as many as 18 stab wounds. An investigation of the affair was promptly made by a board of officers of the Baltimore, and their report shows that these assaults were unprovoked, that our men were con ducting themselves in a peaceable and orderly manner, and that some of the police of the city took part in the assault and used their weapons with fatal effect, while a few others with some well disposed citizens en deavored to protect our men. Evidences of Premeditated Assantt. Twenty-six of our sailors were arrested, and some of them while being taken to prison were cruelly beaten and maltreated. The fact that they were all discharged, no criminal charge being lodged against any one of them, shows very clearly that they were innocent of any breach of the peace. So lar as I have yet been able to learn, no other explanation of this bloody work has been suggested than that it had its origin in hostility to these men as sailors of the United States, wearing the uniform of their Government, and not in any individual act or personal animosity. The attention of the Chilean Government was at once called to this affair, and a statement of the facts obtained by the investigation we had conducted was sub mitted, accompanied by a request to be ad vised of any other or qualifying facts in the possession of the Chilean Government that might tend to relieve this affair of the ap pearance of an insult to this Government. The Chilean Government was also advised that if such qualifying facts did not exist this Government would confidently expect full and prompt reparation. Waiting Upon an Investigation. It is to be regretted that the reply of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Pro visional" Government was couched in an offensive tone. To this no response has been made. This Government is now awaiting the result of an investigation which has been conducted by the criminal court at Valparaiso. It is reported unofficially that the investigation is about completed, and it is expected that the result will soon be commuuicatcd to this Government, together with some adequate and satisfactory re sponse to tho note by which the attention of Chile was called to this incident. If these just expectations should be disap pointcd.or further needless delay intervene, I will, by a special message, bring this mat ter again to the attention of Congress for such action as may be necessary. The en tire correspondence with the Government of Chile will at an early day be submitted to Congress. I renew the recommendation of my spe cial message, dated January 10, 1S00, "for the adoption of the necessary legislation to en able this Government to apply in the case of Sweden and Norway the same rule in re spect to the levying of tonnage duties as was claimed and secured to the shipping of the United States in 1S2S, under article 8, of the treaty of 1827. Suppression of the Slave Traffic. The adjournment of the Senate without action on the pending acts for the suppres sion of the slave traffic in Africa, and for the reform of the revenue tariff of the inde pendent State of the Kongo, left this Gov ernment unable to exchange those acts on the date fixed, July 2, 1891. A modus vivendi has been concluded by which the power of the Kongo State to levy duties on imports is left unimpaired, and, by agree ment of all the signatories to the general slave trade act, the time for the exchange of ratifications on the part of the United States has been extended to February 2, 1892. The late outbreak against foreigners in various parts ot the Chinese Empire has been the cause of deep concern, in view of the numerous establishments of our citi zens in the interior of that country. This Government can do no less than to insist upon a continuance of the protective and punitory measures which the Chinese Gov ernment has heretofore applied. No eflort will be omitted to protect our citizens peaceably sojourning in China, but recent unofficial information indicates that what was at first regarded as an outbreak of mob violence agavosl foreigners has assumed the larger form of an insurrection against pub lic order. Fx-Senaior Blair's Rejection by China. The Chinese Government has declined to receive Mr. Blair as the United States Min ister on the ground that, as a participant while a Seuator in the enactment of the ex isting legislation against the introduction of Chinese laborers, he lias become un friendly and objectionable to China. I have felt constrained to point out to the Chinese Government the untenableness of this posi tion, which seems to rest as much on the unacceptability of our legislation as on that of the person chosen, and which, if ad mitted, wonld practically debar the selec tion of any representative so long as the existing laws remain in force. You will be called upon(to consider the expediency of making "special provision by law for the temporary admission of some Chinese artisans and laborers iu connection with the exhibit of Chinese industries at the approaching Columbian Exposition. I re gard it as desirable that the Chinese ex hibit be facilitated in every proper way. Our Rights on the Caroline Islands. A question has arisen with the Govern ment of Spain touching the rights of Amer ican citizens in the Caroline Islands. Our citizens there, long prior to the confirma tion of Spain's claim to the islands, had se cured by settlement and purchase certain rights, to the recognition aud maintenance of which the faith of Spain was pledged. I have had reason within tho past year very strongly to protest against the failuie to carry out this pledge" on the part of His Majesty's Ministers, which has resulted in great injustice and injury to the American residents. The Government and people of Spain pro pose to celebrate the four hundredth anni versary of the discovery of America by Holding an exposition at Madrid, which will open on the' 12th of September, and con tinue until the 31st of December, 1892. A cordial invitation has been extended to the United States to take part in this commemo ration, and as Spain was one of the first nations to express the intention to partici pate in the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, it would be verv appropriate for this Government to give this invitation its friendly promotion. An Inter-Continental Railway. Surveys for the connecting links of the projected inter-continental railway are in progress, not only in Mexico but at various points along the course mapped out. Three surveying parties are now in the field under the direction of the commission. Nearly 1,000 miles of the proposed road have been surveyed, including the most difficult part, that through Ecuador and the southern part of Colombia. The reports of the engineers are very satisfactory and show that no in surmountable obstacles have been met with. On November 12, 1S84, a treaty was con cluded with Mexico reaffirming the bound ary between the tvvo countries as described in the treaties of February 2, 1848, and De cember 30, 1853. March 1, 1889, a further treaty was negotiated to facilitate the car rying out of the principles of the treaty o'f 1884 and to avoid the difficulties occasioned by reason of the changes and alterations that take place from natural causes in the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers, in the portions thereof constituting the boundary line between the two Re publics. The International Boundary Com mission provided for by the treaty of 1S89 to have exclusive jurisdiction of any ques tion that may arise, has been named by the Mexican Government. An appropriation is necessary to enable the United States to luinn its treaty obligation in tnis respect. Close Relations 1 ith Hawaii. The death of King Kalakaua in the United States, afforded occasion to testify our friendship for Hawaii by conveying the King's body to his own land in a naval ves sel with all due honors. The Government of his successor, Queen Liliuokalani, is seeking to promote closer commercial rela tions with jhe United States. Surveys for the much-needed commercial cable from our Pacific Coast to Honolulu are in progress, and this enterprise should have the suitable promotion of the two Govern ments. I strongly recommend that pro vision be made for improving the harbor of Pearl river and equipping it as a naval sta tion. The arbitration treaty formulated by the International American Conference lapsed by reason of the failure to exchange ratifi cations fully within the limit of time pro vided; but several of the Governments con cerned have expressed a desire to save this important result of the conference by an extension of the period.. It is, in my judg ment, incumbent upon the United States to conceive the influential initiative it has taken in this measure by ratifying the in strument and by advocating the proposed extension of the time for exchange. These views have been made known to the other signatories. Tho Russian Treatment of Hebrews. This Government has found occasion to express, in a friendly spirit, but with much earnestness, to the Government of the Czar, its serious concern because of the harsh measures now being enforced against the Hebrews in Russia. By the revival of the anti-Semitic laws, long in abeyance, great numbers of those unfortunate people have been constrained to abandon their homes and leave the Empire by reason of the im possibility of finding subsistence within the pale to which it is sought to con fine them. The immigration of these people to the United States many other countries being closed to them is largely increasing, and is likely to assume proportions which may make it difficult to find homes and employ ment for them here, and to seriously affect the labor market. It is estimated that over 1,000,000 will be forced from Russia within a few years. The Hebrew is never a beggar: he has always kept the law life by toil often under severe and oppressive civil restrictions. Not Good for tho Race Nor for Us. It is also true that no race, sect or class has more fully cared for its own than the Hebrew race. But the sudden transfer of such a mnltituue, under conditions that tend to strip them of their small accumula tions and to depress their energies and cour age, is neither good for them nor for us. The banishment, whether bv direct de cree or by not less certain indirect meth ods, of so large a number of men and women, is not a local question. .A decree to leave one country is, in the nature of things, an order to enter another some other. This consideration, as well as the suggestions of humanity, furnishes ample ground for the remonstrance which we have presented to Russia, while our historic friendship for that Government cannot fail to give the assurance that our representa tions are those ofa sincere well wisher. CANAL WORK. A Strong Indorsement of tho Nicaragua Project Mr. Harrison Wants It Com pleted as Soon nnd as Cheaply as Possi ble Revolt of Navassa Laborers. The annual report of the Maritime Canal Company, of Nicaragua, shows that much costly and necessary preparatory work has been done during the year in the construc tion of shops, railroad tracks and harbor piers and breakwaters, and that the work of canal construction has made some progress. I deem it to be a matter of the highest concern to the United States that this canal, connecting the waters of the At lantic and Pacific Oceans, and giving to us a short water communication betvrcen our ports on those two great sea, should be speedily constructed, and at the smallest practicable limit of cost. The gain in freights to the people and the direct saving to the Government of the United States in the use of its naval vessels would pay the entire cost of this work within a "short series of years. The report of the Secretary of the Navy shows the saving in our naval expenditures which would result. The Senator from Alabama(Mr. Morgan), in his argument upon this subject before the Senate at the last session, did not over estimate the importance of this work when he said that "the canal is the most impor tant subject now connected with the com mercial growth and progress of the United States."' Government Aid Recommended. If this work is to be promoted by the usual financial methods, and without the aid of this Government, the expenditures in its interest-bearing securities and stocks will probably be twice the actual cost This will necessitate higher tolls and con stitute a heavy and altogether needless burden upon our commerce and that of the world. Every dollar of the bonds and stock of the company should represent a dollar expended in the legitimate aud economical prosecution of the work. This is only pos sible by giving to the bonds the guaranty of the United States Government Such a guaranty would secure the ready sale at par of 3 per cent bond, from time to time, as the money was needed. I do not doubt that, built upon these business methods, the canal would, when fully inaugurated, earn its fixed charges and operating ex penses. But if its bonds are to be marketed at heavy discounts and every bond sold is to be accompanied by a gilt of stock, as has come to be expected by investors in such enterprises, the traffic will be seriously burdened to pay interest aud dividends. I am quite willing to recommend Govern ment promotion in the prosecution ofa work which, if no other means oliered for securing its completion, is of such trans cendent interest that the Government should, in my opinion, secure it by direct appropriations from its Treasury. A guar anty of the bonds ot the Canal Company to an amount necessary to the completion of the canal could, I think, be so given as not to involve any serious risk of ultimate loss. A rhico to Drop Party Lines. The things to be carefully guarded are the cqmpletion of the work within the limits of the guaranty, the subrogation of the United States to the rights of the first mortgage bondholders for any amount it may have to pay, aud in the meantime a control of the stock of the company as a security against mismanagement and loss. I most sincerely hope that neither party nor sectional lines will be drawn upon this great American project, so full of interest to the p'eople of all our States, and so influential in its effects upon the prestige and prosperity of our common country. The island of Navassa, in the West Indian group, has, under the provisions of Title 72, of the revised statutes, been recognized by the President as appertaining to the United States. It contains guano deposits, is owned by the Navassa Phos phate Company and occupied solely by its employe". In September. 1889, 'a revolt took place among the laborers, resulting in the killing of some of 'the agents of the company, caused as the laborers claimed, by cruel treatment. These men were arrested aud tried in the United States Court at Baltimore, under Section 5570 of the statute referred to, as if the offenses had been com mitted on board a merchant vessel of the United States on the high seas. Death Sentences Dealt Out to Offenders. There appeared on the trial, and otherwise came to me, such evidences of bad treatment of tho men that, in consideration of thisand of the fact that the men had no access to any public officer or tribunal for protection or redress of their wrongs, I commuted the death sentences that had been passed by the court upon three of them. In April last my attention was again called to this island and to the unregulated condition of things there bv a letter from a colored laborer, who com plained that he was wrongfully detained upon the island by the phosphate company after the expiration of his contract of serv ice. A naval vessel was sent to examine into the case of this man and generally into tne condition ot things on the island. It was found that the laborer referred to had been detained beyond the contract limit and that a condition of Tevolt again existed among the laborers. A board of naval offi cers reported, among other things, as fol lows: Wo would desire to state further that tho discipline maintained on the island seems to bo that of a convict establishment, without its comforts and cleanliness, nnd that, until more attention is paid to the shipping of laborers, by placing It under Government supervision to prevent misunderstanding and misiepresentatlon and until some amel ioration is shown In the treatment of the laborers, these disorders will be of constant occurrence. Legislation on Labor Contracts. I recommend legislation that shall place labor contracts upon this and other islands having the relation that Navassa has to the United States under the supervision of a court commissioner, and that shall provide, at the expense of the owners, an officer to reside upon the islands with power to judge and adjust disputes and to enforce a just and humane treatment of the employes. It is inexcusable that American laborers should be left within our own jurisdiction without access to any Government officer or tribu nal for their protection and the redress of their wrongs. International copyright has been secured in accordance with the condition of the act of March 3,1891, with Belgium, France, Great Britain and the British possessions and Switzerland, the laws of these countries permitting to our citizens the benefit of copyright on substantially the same basis as to their own citizens or subiects. With Germany a special convention has been ne gotiated upon this subject, which will bring that country within the reciprocal benefits of our legislation. OUR FINANCES. Benefits of th.3 McKiiiley BUI Already Felt Figures That Prove the Success of tho American Policy Many Interesting Sub- Jects for Thought. The general interest in the operation, of the Treasury Department has been much augmented during the past year by reason of the conflicting predictions which ac companied and followed the tariff and other legislation of the last Congress affecting the revenues, as to the results of this legislation upon the Treasury and upou the country. On the one hand, it was contended that im ports would so fall off as to leave the Treas ury bankrupt,and that the prices of articles entering into the living of the people would be so enhanced as to disastrouslyaffect their comfort and happiness, while on the other it was argued that the loss to the revenue, largely the result of placing sugar ou the free list, would be a direct gain to the people; that the prices of the necessaries of life, including those most highly protected, would not be enhanced; that labor would have a larger market and the products of the farm advanced prices; while the Treasury surplus and receipts would be adequate to meet the appropria tions, including the large exceptional expenditures lor tne refunding to the states of the direct tax and the redemption of the i per cent bonds. Calamity Croakers Knocked Out. It is n ot my purpose to enter at any length into a discussion of the effects of the legis lation to which I have referred; but a brief examination of the statistics of the Treas ury, and a general glance at the state of business throughout the country will, I think, satisfy any impartial inquirer that its results have disappointed the evil prophecies of its opponents, and in a large measure realized the hopeful predictions of its friends. Rarely, if ever before in the history of the country, has there been a time when the proceeds of one day's labor or the product of one farmed acre would purchase so large an amount of things that enter into the living of the masses of the people. I believe that a full test will de velop the fact that the tariff act of the Fifty first Congress is very favorable in its average effect upon the prices of articles entering into common use. During the 12 months from October 1, 1890,.to September 30, 1891, the total value of our foreign commerce (imports and ex ports combined) was 51,747,806,400, which was the largest of any year in the history of the United States. The largest in any previous year was in 1890, when our com merce amounted to 51,047,139,093, and the last year exceeds this enormous aggregate by over one hundred millions. Comparative A'aines ot Import. It is interesting, and to some will be sur prising, to know that during the year end ing oepieuiuer ou, loyi, our iiuputis ui mei chandise amounted to 5824,713,270, which was an increase of more than 811,000,000 over the value of the imports of the cor responding months of the preceding year, when the imports of meichandise were unusually large in anticipation of the tariff legislation then pending. The average annual value of the imports of merchandise for the ten years from 1881 to 1890 was 5092,180,522, and during the year ending September 30, 1891, this annual average was exceeded by 5132,528,409. Tho value of free imports during the 12 months ending September 30, 1891, was 5118,092,387 more than the value of free imports during the corresponding 12 months of the preceding year, ami there was during the same period a decrease of 100,846,308 in the value of imports of dutiable mer chandise. The percentage of merchandise admitted free of duty during the year to which I have referred, the first under the new tariff, was 48.18, while during the pre ceding 12 months, under the old tariff, the percentage was 31.27, an increase of 13.91 per cent Exports Aided In Great Shape. If we take the six months ending Sep tember, last, which covers the time dur ing which'sugurs have been admitted fiee of duty, the per cent of value of merchandise imported free of duty is found to be 55.37, which is a larger percentage of free imports than during any prior fiscal year in the his tory of the Government. If wo turn to ex ports of merchandise the statistics are full of gratification. The value of such exports of merchandise for the 12" months ending September 30, 1891, was 5923,091,136, while for the corresponding previous 12 months it was $800,177,115, an increase of 62,914,021, which is nearly three times the average annual increase of exports of merchandise during any year in the history of the Government. The in crease in the value of exports of agricultural products during the year referred to over the corresponding yj. monius ui me prior year was 543,810,197, while the in crease in the value of exports' of manufact ured products was 510,838,240. There is certainly nothing in the condi tion of trade, foreign or domestic, there is certainly nothing in the condition of our people of any class, to suggest that the ex isting tariff "and revenue legislation bears oppressively upon the people or retards the commercial development of the nation. Agitation at Present an Injury. It may be argued that our condition would be better if our tariff legislation were upon a free trade basis, but it cannot be denied that all the conditions of prosperity and of general contentment are present in a larger degree than ever before in our history, nnd that, too, jnst when it was prophesied they would be in the w orst state. Agitation for radical changes in tariff and financial legis lation cannot help,' but may seriously im pede, business, to the prosperity of which some degree of stability in legislation is essential. I think there are conclusive evidences that the new tariff has created several great industries which will, within a few years, give employment to several hundred thous and American working men and women. In view of the somewhat overcrowded condi tion of the labor market of the United States every patriotit citizen should rejoice at such a result Tho Receipts of the Government. The report of the Secretary of the Treas ury shows that the total receipts of the Government, from all sources, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, were 5458,541, 233 03, while the expenditures for the same period were 5421,304,470 46, leaving a sur plus of 537,239,702 57. The receipts of the fiscal year ending June :m, 189U, actual and estimated, are 5433,000,000, and the expenditures 5409,000, 000. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. the estimated receipts are 5455,330,350, and the expenditures 5441,300,09a Under the law of July 14, 1890, the Sec retary of the Treasury has purchased since August 15, during the fiscal year, 48,393,113 ounces of silver bullion at an average cost of 1.045 per ounce. The highest price paid during the year was 51.2025, and the lowest 50.9636. In exchange for this silver bullion have been issued 550,377,49S of the treasury notes authorized by the act. The lowest price of silver reached during the fiscal year was 50.9636 on April 22, 1891; but on November 1 the market price was only 50.96, which would give to the silver dollar a bullion value of 74J cents. Friends of Free Silver at Fault. Before the influence of the prospective silver legislation was felt in the market, silver was worth in New York about 50.955 per ounce. The silver advocates of frej coinage in the last Congress were most con fident in their prediction that the purrfn.es by the Government required by the law would at once bring the price of silver to 51.2929 per ounce, which would make tho bullion value of a dollar 100 cents and hold it there. The prophecies of the anti-silver men of disasters to result from the coinage of 52.000,000 per month were not wider of the mark The friends of free silver are not agreed, I think, as to the causes that brought their hopeful predictions to naught. Some facts are known. The exports of silver irom jjondon to India during the lirst nine months of this calendar year fell off over 50 percent, or 517,202,730, compared with the same months of the preceding years. The exports of domestic silver bullion from this country, which had averaged for the last ten years over 517,000,000, fell in the last fiscal year to 513,797,391; while, for the first time in recent years, the imports of silver into this country exceeded the exports by the sum of 52,743,305. In the previous year tho net exports of silver from the United States amounted to 58,545,435. The produc tion of the United States increased from 50,000,000 ounces in 18S9 to 54,500,000m 1890. A Depression Not to Last Long. The Government is now buying and put ing aside annually 54,000,000 ounces, which, allowing for 7,140,000 ounces of new million used in the arts, is ff.OO.OOO more than our domestic product available for coinage. I hope the depression in the price of silver is temporary, and that a further trial of this legislation will more favorably effect It Thai the increased volume of currency thus supplied for the use of the people was needed, and that bencfici.il results upon trade and prices have followed this legisla tion, I think, must be,very clear to every one; no r should it be forgotten that for every dollar of these notes issued a full dollar's worth of silver bullion is at the time deposited in the Treasury as a security for its redemption. Upon this subject, as upon the tariff, my recommendation is that the existing laws be given a full trial, and that our business in terests be spared the distressing influence which threats of radical change always im part. Under existing legislation it is in the power of the Treasury Department to maintain that essential condition of national finance as w ell as commercial prosperity the parity in use of the coin dollars and their paper representatives. The assurance that these powers would be freely and un hesitatingly used has done much to produce and sustain the present favorable business conditions. FREE COINAGE. President narrison Still Thinks Under Ex isting Conditions It Would Be a Great Disaster His Line of Reasoning Pro ducers Entitled to Consideration, How ever. I am still of the opinion that the free coinage of silver under existing conditions would disastrously affect our business inter ests at home and abroad. We could not hope to maintain an equality in the purchas ing power of the gold and silver dollar on our own markets, and in foreign trade the stamp gives no added value to the bullion contained in coins. The producers of the country, its farmers and laborers, have the highest interest that every dollar, paper or coin, issued by the Government shall be as good as any other. If there is "bnc less valuable than another its sure and constant errand will be to pay them for their toil and for their crops. The money lender will pro tect himself by stipulating for payment in gold, but the laborer has never been able to do that. To place business upon a silver basis would mean a sudden and severe con traction of the currency, by the withdrawal of gold and gold notes, and such an un settling of all values a3 would produce a commercial panic I cannot believe that a people so strong and prosperous as ours will promote such a policy. Producers Entitled to Consideration. The producers of silver are entitled to just consideration, but they should not for get that the Government is now buying and putting out of the market what is the equivaient of the entire product of our silver mines. This is more than they them seves thought of asking two years ago. I believe it is the earnest desire ofa great majority of the people, as it is mine, that a full coin use shall be made of silver just as soon as the co-operation of other nations can os secured and a ratio nxed that will give circulation equally to gold and silver. . The business of the world requires the use of both metals, but I do not see auy prospect of gain but much of loss by giving up the present system, in which a full use is made of gold and a large use of silver, for one in whieh silver alone will circulate. Such an event would be at once fatal to the further progress of the silver movement. Bimet allism i the desired crid, and the true friends of silver will be careful not to over run the goal and bring in silver mono metallism, with its necessary attendants, the loss of our gold to Europe "and the relief of the pressure there ior a larger currency. A-Growing Sentiment lor silver. I have endeavored, by the use of official and unofficial agencies, fo Keep r, close ob servation of the state of public sentiment in Europe upon this question, and have not found it to be such as to jnstify me in pro posing an international conference. There is, however, I am sure, a growing sentiment in Europe in favor of a larger use of silver, and I know of no more effectual way of pro moting this sentiment than by accumulat ing gold here. A scarcity of gold in the European reserves will 'be the most per suasive argument for the use of silver. The exports of gold to Europe, which be gan in February last and continued until the close of July, aggregated over 570, 000,000. The net loss of gold during the fiscal year was nearly 508,000,000. That no serious monetary disturbance resulted was most gratifying'and gave to Europe fresh evidence of the strength and stability of our financial institutions. With the move ment of crops the outflow of gold was speedily stopped and a return set in. Up to December 1 we had recovered of onr gold loss at the port of New York 527,854,000, and it is confidently believed that during the winter and spring this aggregate will be steadily and largely increased. The Surplus and Its Drawbacks. The presence of a large cash surplus in the Treasury has for many years been the subject of much unfavorable criticism, and has furnished an argument to those who have desired to place the tariff upou a purely revenue basis. It was agreed by all that the withdrawal from circulation of so large an amount of money was au embar rassment to the business of the country and made necessary the intervention of the de partment at frequent intervals to relieve threatened monetary panics. The surplus on March 1, 18S9, was 183,827,190 29. The policy of applying this surplus to the re demption of the interest bearing se curities of the United States wa3 thought to be preferable to that of deposit ing it without interest in selected national banks. There have been redeemed since the date last mentioned of interest bearing securities 5259,079,350, resulting in a re duction of the annual interest charge of 511,684,073. The money which had "been deposited in banks without interest has been gradually withdrawn and used in the redemption ofbonds. Increase of Money in Circulation. The result of this policy, of the silver legislation and of the refunding of the 44 per cent bonds, has been a large increase of the money in circulation. At the date last named the circulation was 51,404,205,890, or 523 03 per capita; while on the first day of December, 1891, it had increased to 51,577, 202,070, or 524 38 per capita. The offer of the Secretary of the Treas ury to the holders of the 4 per cent bonds to extend the time of redemption, at the option of thi.Govemraent, at an interest of 2 per cent, was accepted by the holders of about one-half the amount, aud the unex tended bonds are being redeemed on pre sentation. THE ARMY. A nigh Compliment to Ex-Secretary Proc tor Tho Work on Coast Defences Indians Make Good Soldiers Hard to Cnrb tho Immigration of Chinese. The report of tho Secretary of War ex hibits the results of an intelligent, progres sive and business-like administration of a department which has been too much re garded as one of mere routine. The separa tion of the Secretary from the department by reason of his appointment as a Senator from the State of Vermont, is a -source of great regret to me and to his colleagues in. the Cabinet, as I am sure it will be to all those who have had business with the de partment while under his charge. In the administration of army affairs some especially good work has been accomplished. The efforts of the Secretary to reduce the percentage of desertions by removing the causes that promoted it have been so suc cessful as to enable him to report for the last year a lower percentage of desertion than has been before reached in the history of the army. The resultingmoney-saving is considerable, but the improvement in the morals of the enlisted men is the most valuable-incident of the reforms which have" brought about this result Shore Batteries and Their Armaments. The work of securing sites for shore bat teries for harbor defense and the manu facture of mortars and guns of high power to equip them have made good progress during tho year. Tlu preliminary work of tests and plans, which was so long delayed in the start, is now out of the way. Some guns have been completed, and with an en larged shop and a more complete equip ment at AVatcrvleit, the army will soon be abreast of the navy in gun construction. Whatever unavoidable cases of delay may arise, there should be none from delayed or insufficient appropriations. We shall be greatly embarrassed in the proper distribu tion ami use of naval vessels until adequate shore defenses aro provided for orir harbors. I concur in the recommendation of the Secretary that the three battalion organiza tion be adopted for the infantry. The adoption of a smokeless powder and of a modern rifle, equal in range, precision and I rapidity of fire to the best now iu nsc, will, l nope, not be longer delayed. Indians MaKo Good Soldiers. The project of enlisting Indians and organizing them into separate companies upon the same basis as other soldiery, was made the subject of very careful study by the Secretary, and received my approval. Seven companies have been completely organized and seven more are in process of organization. The results of six months' training have more than realized the high est anticipations. The men are readily brought under discipline, acquire the drill with facility and show great pride in the right discharge of their duties and perfect loyalty to their officers, who declare that they ould take them in to action with confidence. The discipline, order and cleanliness of the mil itary posts will have a wholesome and ele vating influence upon the men enlisted, and through them upon their tribes, while a more iriendly feciing for the whites and a greater respect for the Government will cer tainly be promottd. The great work done in the Record and Pension Division of the War Department by Major Ainsworth, of the Medical Corps, and the clerks under him, is entitled to honorable mention. Taking un the work with nearly 41,000 cases behind, he closed he last fiscal year without a single case left over, though the new cases had increased 32 ner cent in number over the nrevious venr by reason of the pension legislation ot the ! last Congress. Limiting the Right or Appeal. I concur in the recommendation of the Attorney General that the right in felony cases to a review by the Supreme Court be limited. It would seem that personal lib erty would have a sate guaranty it the right of review-in cases involving only fine and j imprisonment were limited to the Circuit Court of Appeals, unless a constitutional question should in some way be involved. The Judges of the Court of Private Land Claims, provided for the act of March 3, 1891, have been appointed and the court or ganized. It is now possible to give early relief to communities long repressed in their development by unsettled land titles, and to establish the possession and right of settlers wnose lands have been rendered valueless br adverse and unfounded claims. The act of July 9, 1888, provided for the incorporation and management of a reform school ibr girls in the District of Columbia, but it has remained inoperative for the reason that no appropriation has been made for construction and maintenance. The need of such an institution is very urgent. Many girls could be saved from depraved lives by the wholesome influences and le straints of such a school. I recommend that the necessary appropriation be made for a site and ior construction. Tin Influx fif the Mongolians. The enforcement by the Treasury Depart ment ot the law prohibiting the coming of Chinese to tho United States has been ef fective astosuchas seek to land from ves sels entering our ports. The result has been to divert the travpl to vessels entering the ports of British Columbia, whence passage into the United States at obscure points along the Dominion boundary is easy. A very considerable number of Chinese laborers have, during the past year, entered the United States from Canada and Mexico. The officers of the Treasury Department and of the Department of "Justice have used every means at their command to in tercept this immigration; but the possibility of perfectly guarding our extended frontier is apparent The Dominion Government collect a head tax of 530 from every China man entering Canada, and thti3 derives a considerable revenue from those who only use its ports to reach a portion of advant age to evade our exclusion laws. There seems to be satisfactory evidence that the business of passing Chinamen through Canada to -the United States is organized and quite active. A Difflcnlty In Sending Thera Back. The Department of Justice has construed the laws to require the return of any China man found to be unlawfully in this countrr to China as'tlie 'country from whish they came, notwithstanding the fact that he came by way of Canada; but several of the district courts have, in cases brought be fore them, overruled this view of the law that such persons must be returned to Canada. This construction robs the law of all effectiveness, even if the decrees could be execnted, for the men returned can the next day recross our border. But the only appropriation made is for sending them back to China, and the Canadian officials re fuse to allow them to re-enter Canada with out the payment of the 550 head tax. I recommend such legislation as will remedy these defects in the law. Tn previous messages, I have called the attention of Congress to the necessity of so extending the jurisdiction of the United States courts as to make triable therein any felony committed while in the act of violat ing a law of the United States. Killing Officers in' the Discharge of Duty These courts cannot have that independ ence and effectiveness which the Constitu tion contemplates so long as the felonious killing of high court officers, jurors and witnesses in the discharge of their duties, or by reason of their acts as such, is only cognizable in the State courts. The work done by the Attorney General and the officers of his department, even nnder the present inadeouate legislation, has pro duced some notable results in the interest of law and order. The Attorney General and also the Com missioners of the District of Columbia call attention to the defectiveness and inade quacy of the laws relating to crimes against chastity in the District of Columbia. A stringent code upon this subject ha3 been provided by Congress for Utan, and it is a matter of surprise that the needs of this district should have been so long over looked. POSTAL POINTS- The New Improvements In the Ocean Serv ice Extending Free Delivery and tho Money Order Service to Small Towns The Prospects for American Shipping. In the report of the Postmaster General, some very gratifying results are exhibited, and many betterments of the service sug gested. A perusal of the report gives abundant evidence that the supervision and direction of the postal system have been characterized by an intelligent and con scientious desire to improve the service. The revenues of the department show an increase of over 55,000,000, while the esti mate for the year 1893 shows a surplus of receipts over expenditures. Ocean mail postoffices have been estab lished upon the steamers of the North Ger man Lloyd and Hamburg lines, saving by the distribution on shipboard from 2 to 14 hoars' time in the delivery of mail at the port of entry, and often much more than this in the delivery at interior places. So thoroughly has this system, initiated by Germany and the United States, evidenced its usefulness, that it cannot be Ioot before it is installed upon all the great ocean mail carrying steamships. Mnils En Ronto and In Small Towns. Eight thousagd miles of new postal serv ice has been established upon railroads. The car distribution to sub-stations in the great cities has been increased abont 12 per cent, while the percentage of errors in dis tribution haj, during the past year, been re duced over one-half. An appropriation was given by the last Congress for the purpose ol making some experiments in free delivery in the smaller cities and towns. The results of these experiments have been so satisfactory that the Postmaster General recommends, and I concur in the recommendation, that the free delivery system beat once extended to towns ot 5,000 population. His discus sion of the inadequate facilities extended under the present system to rural communi ties, and his suggestions, with a view to give these communities a fuller participa tion in the benefits of the postal service.are worthy of yonr careful consideration. It is not just that the farmer, who receives his mail at a neighboring town, should not only be compelled to semi to the postofficefor it.but to pay a considerable rent for a box in which to place it or to wait bis turn at a general delivery window, while the city resident has h's mail brought to his door. Ihs Rights of Small Communities. It is stated that over 54,000 neighbor hoods are, under the present system, receiv ing mail at postoffices where money orders and postal notes are not issued. The ex tension of this system to these communities is especially desirable, as the patrons of such offices are not possessed of the other facilities offered in more populous commu nities for the transmission of small sums of money. I have, in a mesage to the preceding Congress, expressed my views as to a modified use of the telegraph in connection with the postal service. In pursuance of the ocean mail law of March 2. 1891, and after a most careful study of the whole subject and frequent conferences with shipowners, boards of trade and others.advertisements were issued by the Postmaster General for 53 lines of ocean mail service; to Great Britain and the Continent, 27; to South America, 3; to China and Japan, 4; to Australia and the Pacific islands, 7, to the West Indies and Mexico, 2. It was not, of course, expected that bids for all these lines would be received, or that service upon them all would be con tracted for. It was intended, in further ance of the act, to secure as many new lines as possible, while including in the list most or all of" the foreign lines now occupied by American ships. Difflcnlty In Establishing New Lines. It was honed that a line to England, and perhaps one to the continent, would be secured, but the outlay required to equip sch lines wholly with new ships of the first class, and the difficulty of establishing new lines in competition with those already established, deterred bidders whose interest had been enlisted. It is hoped that a way may yet be found of overcoming these diffi culties. The Brazil Steamship Company, by reason ofa miscalculation as to the speed of its vessels, was not able to bid under the terms of the advertisement The policy of the department was to secure from the established lines an im proved service a3 a condition of giving to them the benefits of the law. This, in all instances, has been attained. The Post master General estimates that an expendi ture in American shipyards of about 510, 000,000 will be necessary to enable the bid ders to construct the ships called for by the service which they have accepted. Iht Fntnrc ol AmerlcJii Shipping- I do not think there is any reason for dis couragement or for any turning back from the policy of this legislation. Indeed, a good beginning has been made, and as the subject is further considered aud understood by capitalists and shipping people new lines will be ready to meet future proposals, aud we may date from the passage of this new law th'e revival of American shipping interests and the recovery of a fair share of the carry vig trade of the world. We were recsiving for foreign postage nearly 52,000,000 under the old system, and I i i 4 s i 3 1 .; .-... .;;..., ,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers