Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1889 — THE PRESIDENT'SMESSAGE. [ARTICLE]

THE PRESIDENT'SMESSAGE.

The fact that President Harrison’s first message to Congress was not given to ihe public until after its reading to Congress Tuesday afternoon - makes it impracticable for us to give it in full, this week. It is a comprehensive document and lengthy its a matter of course. It is able, statesmanlike and dignified but plain and direct and easily iu words not too pedantic to be understood by the common people. In this respect as well as many others it presents a very favorable contrast to the official utterance of the gentleman who is now happily retired into “Innocuous Desuetude.” The message makes proper mention of the foreign relations of the country, and of the two great international conferences now in session at Washington: The PanAmerican Congress and the Maritime Conference. Prompt but considerate legislation 4 to. reduce the surplus is urgently recommended. The policy, inaugurated by Cleveland, of depositing very large sums of Government money, in private banks, without interest, is strongly and logically condemned. The necessity for a prompt revision of the tariff is clearly set forthreoupled with the assurance that such revision should not impair the just and reasonable protection of our home industries. The inequalities of the tariff should be removed but flie protective principle should be maintained and fairly applied to ihe products of- our farms-as well as our workshops Articles that do not injuriously compete with home products are recommeuded for the free list. The repeal of the.tax on tobacco is urged and also on spiiits used iu the arts* if safe provision agaiust fraud can be devised. The circulation of silver is favored, but the danger of free or excessive coinage, at the present disproportionate values of gold and silver bullion, is pointed out. A supplementary message on the silver question at a later day, is intimated. The defenceless condition of our coasts is referred to, and liberal appropriations for forts and big guns arc recommended. The assault upon J udge Field and the killing of Terry is made the text for recommending more adequate protection for the judges and other federal officers. Trusts which are organized to kill competition and create monopolies should be checked by prohibitory and penal legislation. An iiiter-na-tional oopy-right law ife recommended; also a law which will keep ut foreign anarchists and others evilly disposed toward social order or our form of government. A national and peimanent bankrupt law is advised. The slow and unsatisfactory growth of the navy is properly noticed and the recommendation of the Secretary that 8 Tww nrmored vessels, 3 gun-boats find 5 torpedo boats be construct-

ed, was endorsed. The inequalities in the pension laws ought to be removed; and all faithful soldiers and sailors of the late war, now incapacitated for earning their ; own livings and dependent upon ' their own labor for support, should be. liberally pensioned. A law compelling the use of safety appliances on railroads, to protect the lives of employes, is urged. The proposition to hold a world s fair in “some one of our great cities” is endorsed, and congresk sional aid recommended. By the term “great cities” it is evident that Washington is thought no good. In regard to civil service reform the President plants himself squarely on the platformrs of ’B4 \ and ’BB, and recoin m ends - that the law be enlarged rather than repeal < d and that adequate appropriations be' made in its behalf. In a;>] t< >prialion to help the cause of common school education where needul is recommended; also laws to secure fair elections in the South. A liberally Avise policy of encouraging the establishment of American lines of steamships to foreign ports is strongly recommended.

The eastern man got there in the speakership contest but if the western city gets the world’s fair, things will be pretty well evened Up ' _______ Senator Farweil, of Illinois, announces his intention to introduce a bill repealing the civil-service Taw. —The senator has attained the distinction of being the most inveterate spoils-hunter in America, and is the man, of all others, who has been most ready to make war on the President because all of his demands for places for his henchmen were not fully and instantly complied with. The opposition of such men as Farweil to the civilservice law goes far to convince us that it ought not to be repealed. A widely ciculated call has been issued for a Temperance Conference which promises to be of unusual importance. It is to be held at the Y. M. C. A. Hall, at Indianaplois on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 18 and 19th. The object of the meetingis to consult as to the best metliod of hibition, stat 9 and national, and pending the success of this movement, how best to secure and enforce such laws as shall tend to the closing of the saloons; but in no case to form or aid or assail any political party as such. The call is signed by 16a pastors of churches ana secretaries of Y. M. C. A’s., in Indiana. Every congregation of Christians is requested to send at least one delegate to the meetmg. The report of Secretary of the Navy Tracy, published some days ago, shows that although this country has been makrng some progress during the last six years infbuilding up and arming a modern navy we are still so far behind a dozen other nations in that respect, as to be literally* out of sight. This country has the most extended sea and lake coast of any nation on the earth, and yet we have not half the naval power of Austria, nor one third that of Italy, while as compared with that of greatest rival, England, the naval force of the United States is too insignificant to mention. It is time an end was put to the wretchedly short-sight-ed and picayunish policy of dealing Avith the navy. Great Britian has a modern navy which has cost 200 millions of dollars, and the United States which is better able to spend that amount, has one that cost, perhaps, 20 millions. Let us by all means, have an effective navy and sea-coast defenses, be the cost what it may.

The Good land Herald thinks that Goodland is better situated for the “hub” of a new county than is Monon, but as neither place has the ghost of a chance of becoming a county "seat, the comparative claims of the two places in that respect are not worth wasting much wind on.— Rensselaer Republican. i • That is true, Mr. Republican, the prospects' are ngt flattering. •v ~ V - _

Yet you must admit, that.l Grant, Washington «ud Iroquois in Newton -bounty, Jordan and Carpenter in Jasper, and Union aud Gilboa in Benton counties, with Goodland asthe “hub” would make a banner county of the State. But we have no great expectations in that direction. —Goodland Hhr<dd. The Republican willingly admits that the. townships mentioned would make a very good county, although the townships of Richland and York, of Benton county, .should be added to make it at all symmetrical in proportions. We farther admit the wisdom of the Herald in perceiving the fact that the prospects for the "formation of such.a county are not flattering; and if it had perceived the full truth and suid there were absolutely no prospects at all for such a consummation, its-wisdom would have been still-more commendible.: The county lines of Indiana are now permanently established and there is not a single place in the -stateTvhefe to establish a new county would have the slight-. est prospects of success, nor where j men of intelligenceaud good judgement could be found to entertain such a proposition. The laws of the state, the chief of which is the constitutional inhibtiou against reducing any established county to less than 400 square miles of area; and the next in importance being the requirement that no conn tv j can be diminished Avithout the con- j sent of a majority of the yoters of j such-county, operate asTarr erable bar to tlie success of any new county project. We have 1 already pointed out how imposi-1 ble of realization, under the pres-! ent stale constitution and laws, is the project for a new county around Monon, and a moment’s considerations will show how equally impossible Avould be a county composed as suggested in the above item from the Herald; for not a single mile of territory could be taken from either Newton or Benton county without a direct violation of the dear and positive provisions of the constitution of the state. *> —