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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
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