Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1890 — Page 2

Jtrpublkan. —————————— Gio. E. Mabshaix, Publisher. RENSSELAER. -- INDIAKI

The recent Wall street disturbances ~ were largely, almost exclusively, the panics of gamblers, who call betting ••business.”—The average stock exchange and Board of Trade, where ••stocks” and ••grain’* are sold on the margin plan, is a mere gambling es" tablishment, deserving of equal praise or Centura with the average racing or poker contest. Yet, under existing condition of things, these institutions are a reflex of the business of th' country and contribute more than . little to its condition. A bcmohocs feature of the election comes from Kansas City. The Far;;, ers’ Alliance elected as Judge of Barber and Comanche counties one. of their members who had never law or been employed about the courts in any official capacity. The Allianc will send him to the Ann law school for sixty days to prepare for the duties of his new position. This ought to furnish plenty of fun for the Kansas City bar, but it will, be a little rough on the litigants who must abide by bis decisions.—lndianapolis News. Accobdino to Rev. J. IV. Hill, pastor of the First Methodist Church, at Ogden, Utah the re-election of John T. Caine to Congress by 4,000 majority does not indicate the overthrow o Mormonism, as was said lately to ha\® about taken place. Rev. Mr. Hill says, of Caine: ’‘He is simply a conduit t bro ug h whi ch the. po w er. oL JYoodimff. is carried right into the House and Senate. I know that millions of dollars, now mark me, millions of dollars have been poured into Washington through Caine and other agents of the Mormon Church to assist in keeping that sink of iniquity in full blast.”

, Some of the same sort of predictions of future honors which were made regarding young George S. Boutwell on hie election to the Governorship of Massachusetts forty years ago are now heard copcerning young William E. Russell. The event, it must be said, justified the prognostications in Mr. Boutwell’s case, for he has filled almost as many offices, elective and appointive, as any other American of the” century. For Mr. Russell, too, fortune undoubtedly holds many favors. At all events, the career of the Governors elect of the old Bay State wifi be followed with a good deal of interest by all his fellow-countrymen, Republicans as well as Democrats. A correspondent of the Indian Daily News has furnished the details of an extraordinary case of polygamy. A Brahmin, of Bengal gave away his six aunts, eight sistersand four daughters in a batch in marriage to a boy less than ten years old. The ages of the brides of three generations varied from fifty years to three months, and the baby bride was brought to the marriage ceremony on a brass plate. Among the Kulin Brahmins, it is said, the man who receives in marriage the majority of the daughters of a family is also bound to have the rest, otherwise the minority must suffer a life--1 long celibacy, The correspondent concludes: "Hundreds of instances like the above might be given if needed.” The troubles that are raised and the murders that are perpetrated by Italian secret societies in New Orleans and by Chinese secret societies in San Francesco, give proof of the danger Of the introduction of these gory-hapded gangs into the United States. We can not tolerate the existence of the Mafia or of the Hop Sing Fong in this country; and we cannot tolerate the vendetta of the former or the business butcheries of the latter. It would be useless to try to reason with our small tody of Chinamen on this subject: but it is worth white to ask our Italian denizens,- who now form an important element of the community, to take prompt and peremptory measures for the extirpation of the underground gang which has been doing bad work in New Orleans and elsewhere, and which appears to have many branches in this country. The half million honest Italians who have taken up their abode in this land, and Whose strength is growing by the constan* influx of Italians this port, must see to it that the Italian name is not disgraced here by the operations of the Mafiaites. They can do the work that is needed for this purpose, and we are sure that they will do it.* For ages past, Italy henelf has suffered from vendettaism and brigandage, and Italians here must co-operate with Americans here in prerenting the introduction of either of them to thia country,—N. Y. Sun,

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Congress reconvened on the Ist and the President delivered his annual-message: To the Sena e and House of Representatives; The reports Of the several dxeeutive departments which will be laid before Congress in the usual course itlexhibil in detail the operations of the Government for the last fiscal year. Only the more important incidentsand results, and.chiefly such as may be the foundation of the recommendations 1 shall suomit, Will be referred toin this animal message The vast aud increased business of the , Government, has been transacted by the several departments during the year with faithfulness, energy and success. -Tberev 1 - enaes, amounting to above $450,1 00,t’O.i. have been collected and disbursed wit>;out revealing, so far as 1 can ascertain, a single case wf def alcatioia or embezzlement; An earnest cXorthas.been made to stimulate a sense of responsibility and public duty in all officers and employes of every grade, and the work done by them has almost wholly escajted unfavorable-criticism. 1speak of,these matters witn freedom, because the credit of this good work is not mine, but is stared by the heads of the several departments with the great body of faithful officers and employes who serve under tnem. The closest scrutiny of Congress is invited to all the"mc th.,ds of administration aud to every item of expenditure. . , _

The friendly relations of our country witn the nations of Europe and of the East have been undisturbed, while the tics’ oi good will and common interest that bind us to the States of the Western Hemisphere nave been notably strengthened by the con ference held in this Capitol to consider measures for the general welfare. Pursuant to the invitation authorized by Congress, the representatives of every independent. State of the American continent and of Hayti met in conference in this Capitol in October, 1889, and continued in session untilihe lUth,of last April. This important con vocation marks a most interesting and influential epoch in th<?history bt the Western Hemisphere. It is noteworthy that Brazil, invited while under an imperial form of government, shared as a republic in the deliberations ami results ol the conference. The recommendations of this conference were all transmitted to Congress the last session. The International Marine Conference, which sat at Washington last winter, reached a very gratifying result. The regulations suggested nave been brought to the attentionof all the governments, represented, and their general adoption is confidently expected,The legislation of Congress at the last session is in conformity with the propositions of the conference, and the proclamation therein provided for will be issued wlten the other powers have given.no ti ce of thei r ad bes to n. Toward the end of the past year the only independent monarchical government on the Western Continent, that of Brazil, erased to exist and was succeeded by a republic. Di plomatic relations were at once established with the new Government, but it was not completely recognized until an opportunity was afforded to ascertain that it had a popular approval and support. When the course cf events had. y ielded assurance of this fact, no time was lost in extending to the new Government a full and cordial welcome into the family of American commonwealths. Ills (Confidently believed that the good relations of the two countries will be preserved, and that the future will witness an increased intimacy Of intercourse and an expansion of tneir mutual commerce.

THE BARRVNHItINCIDENT. The killing of General Barrundia, on board of the Pacific mail steamer Acapulco, while anchored in transit in the port of Saxi Jose de Guatemala, demanded careful Inquiry. Having failed in a revolutionary attempt to invade Guatemala from Mexican territory, General Barrundia took passage at Acapulco for Panama. The consent of the representatives of the United States was sought to effect bls seizure, first at Chaperico, where the steamer touched, and afterward at San Jose. The Captain of the steamer refused to give up his passenger without a written orderfrom the United States Minister. The latter furnished the desired letter, stipulating. US the condition of his action, that Gen. Barrundia’s life should be spared, and that he should be tried only for offenses growing out of his "insurrectionary movements. This letter was produced to the Captain of the Acapulco by the military commander at San Jose as his warrant to take the passenger from the steamer. General Barrundia resisted capture, and was killed. It being evident that the Minister, Mr. Misener, had exceeded thei bounds of his authority in intervening, in compliance with the demands of the Guatemalan authorities, to authorize and effect, in vio lation of precedent, the seizure on a vessel of the United States of a passenger in transit charged with political offenses, in order that he might be tried for such offenses under what was described as martial law, I was constrained to disavow Mr. Misener's act and recall him from his post. The President then considers our relations to foreign nations in detail. The new treaty of extradition with Great Britain, after due ratification, was proclaimed on the 25th of last March. Its beneficial working is already apparent. The difference between the two governments touching the fur seal question in the Behring Sea is not yet aijusted, as will be seen by the correspondence which will soon be laid before Congress. The offer to submit the question to arbitration, as proposed by Her Majesty's government, has not been accepted, for the reason that the form of submission proposed is not thought to be calculated to assure a conclusion satisfactory to either party. It is sincerely hoped that before the opening of another sealing season some arrangement may be effected which will assure to • the United States a property right derived from Russia. which was net disregarded by any nation for more than eighty years preceding the outbreak of the existing trouble. In the tariff act a wrong was done to the Kingdom of Hatyaii which l am bound to presume was wholly unintentional. Duties were levied on certain cotrimodities which are included in the reciprocity treaty now existing between the United States and the Kingdom of Hawaii without indicating the necessary exception in favor of that kingdom. 1 hope Congress will repair what might otherwise seem to be a breach of faith on the part of this government. The friendship between our country aud Mexico, born of close neighborship and strengthened by many considerations of intimate intercourse and reciprocal interests. has never been more conspicuous than now,u or nt Oto hope ful of i ncregs ed ben efi t to both nations. The intercourse of the two countries by rail, already great, is making constant growth. The established lines, and those recently projected, add to the intimacy cf traffic and open new channels of access to fresh areas of demand and supply. The importance of the Mexican railway system will be furtjier -enhanced, to a degree almost impossible to forecast, if it should be.come a link in the projected inter-continental railway. I recommend that our mission in the (City of Mexico be raised to the first-class. The cordial character of our relations with Spain warrants the hope Jhat by the continuance of methods of friendly negotiation much may be accomplished in the direction of adjustment of pending questipps and of the increase.of cur trade. The extent and developmentof our t-ade with the island of Cuba invest the commercial relations of the United States and Spain with a peculiar importance. It is not doubted that a sneciul arrangement in regard to commerce, based on the reciprocity, provision of the recent tariff act, would operate most beneficially for both Governments. This subject is now reqeiving attention. . The revenues of the Government from

•*l sources for the fiscal year ending June 30,1590. were $468,963,080.5% and the total expenditures for the same period were s3.’>-,618,554.52. The postal receipts have not heretofore been included in the statement of these aggregates, and for the purpose of comparison tne sum of $60,882,097.22 should be deducted from both sides of the account. The surplus for the year, including the amount applied to the sinking fund, was $105,344,496.03. The receipts for 159) were sl6 030,923.79, and the expenditures $15,1*39,87 1 in excess of those of 1889. The customs receipts increased $5,835,842. 88, aud the receipts from internal revenue $11,725,191.89, while, on the side of expenditures, that for pensions was $19,312,0i5.96 in excess of the preceding year. Tne Treasury statement for the current fiscal year, partlj actual and partly estimated, is as follows: Receipts from all sources, $406,000,000; total expenditures, $ 2 4,000,000, leaving a surplus of $52,000,000, not taking the postal receipts into account on either side. The loss of revenue >from customs for the last quarter is estimated Jat $25,000,000, but from this is deducted a gain of about $16,000,000, realized "during tqe first four months of the year. For the year 1892 the total estimated receipts are $313,000,000, and the estimated expenditures, $357,852,20'9.42,. leaving an estimated surplus of $15,147,790.58 which, with a cash balanced $52,000,000 atthe beginning of the year, will give $67,147,790.58 as the sum available fbr the Redemption of outstanding bonds or other uses. The estimates of receipts and expenditures for the Postoftice Department, being equal, are not included in this statement on either side.- * The act “directing the purchase of silver bullion and the issue of treasury notes thereon/’ approved July 14, 1890, has been administered by the Secretary of the Treasury with an earnest purpose to get into circulation at the earliest possible date the full monthly amounts of Treasury notes contemplated by its provisions, and at the same time to give to the market for silver bullion such support as the law contemplates. The recent depreciation in the price of silver has been observed with regret. The rapid rise in price which anticipated and followed the passage of the act was influenced in some degree by speculation, and the recent reaction is in part theresult of the same cause, and in part of the recent monetary disturbances . Some months of further trial will be necessary to determine the permanent effect of the recent legislation upon silver Values, but it is gratifying to know that the increased circulation secured by the act has exerted, ami will continue to exert a most benefleial influence" upon business and upon general values. While it has not been thought best to renew formally the suggestion of an internationat cqnferenoe lopkingtcran agreementtouching the full use of silver for coinage at a uniform ratio, care has been taken to observe closely any change in the situation abroad, and no favorable opportunity will be lost to promote a result, which it is confidently believed would confer very large benefits upon the commerce of the world. —A ■ „

THE AND THE SURPLUS, The efforts of the Secretary to increase the volume of money in circulation bykeeping down the treasury surplus to the lowest practicable limit have been unremitting and in a very high degree suebbssful. The tables presented by him, show the increase of money in circulation during the last two decades, and especially the table showing the increase during the. nineteen months hehas administered the department, are interesting and instructive. The increased money in circulation during the nineteen months bps been in the aggregate $93,866,813, or about $1.50 per capita, and of this increase only $7,100,000 was due to the recent legislation. That this substantial and needed aid given to commerce resulted in an enormous reduction of the public debt and of the annual interest charge is a matter cf increased satisfaction. There have been purchased and redeemed since March 4,1889, 4 and 4% percent, bonds to the amount of $211,832,450, at a cost of $246,620,741, resulting in tbe reduction of the annual interestcharge of $8,967,609, and a total saving of interest of $51,576,706. I notice with great pleasure the statement of the Secretary that the receipts from internal revenue have increased during the last fiscal year nearly $12,000,000, aud that the cost of collecting this larger revenue was less by $90,617, than for the same purpose in the preceding year. The percentage of cost of collecting the customs revenue was less for the last year than ever before. • The President then calls attention to the Department reports. Of the new ships of war he says:

NEW SHIPS OF WAR. The construction and equipment of the .new ships for the navy have made very satisfactory progress. Since March 4,1889, nine new vessels have been putin commission, and during this winter four more, including one monitor, will be added. The construction of the other vessels authorized is being pushed both in the Government and private yards, with energy and watched with almost scrupulous care. The passage of the act to amend certain sections of the revised statutes relating to lotteries, approved September 19; 1890, has been received with great and/ deserved popular favor. The postoffice department and the department of justice at once entered upon tbe enforcement of the law with sympathetic vigor, and already the public mails have been largely freed from thej fraudulent aud demoralizing appeals ard literature emanating from the lottery companies.

THE MATTER OF PENSIONS. The disability pension act, which was approved on the 27th of June last, has been put into operation as rapidly as was practicable. The increased clerical force provided was selected and assigned to work and a considerably part of the force engaged in examination's in the field was recalled and ridded to the working force of the office. The examination and adjudication of claims have, by reason of improved methods, been more rapid than ever before. There is no economy to the Government in delay, while there is much hardship and injustice to the soldier. The anticipated expenditure, while very large, will not, it is believed, be in excess of the estimates made before the enactment of the law. This liberal enlargement of general law should suggest a more careful scrutiny of bills for special relief, both as to the cases where relief is granted and as to the amount allowed. i THB CENSUS. The enumeration of the people of the United States under the provisions of the act of March I, 1820, has been completed, and the result will be at once officially Communicated to Congress. The completion of this decennial enumeration devolves upon Congress the duty of making a new apportionment of representatives •‘among the several States, according to their respective numbers.” FARM PRODUCTS. Avery substantial improvement f in the market prices of the leading,farm products during thp year is noticed. The price of wheat advanced from 91 cents in October, 1889, to $l.O6 s i in October; 1890; corn from 31 cents to SOJj cents; oats from 19J£ cents to 43 cents, and barley from 63 cents to 78 cents. Meats showed a substantial but not so large an ineßOase. The export trade in live animals and fowls show a very Idrge increase: the total value of such exports for the year ending June 30,1890, was $33,000,000 and the increase over tbe preceding year was over $15,000,000. Nearly 200,000 more cattle and over 4ff,OCQ more hogs were exported than in the preceding year. The export traae in beef and> pork products and in dairy products was very largely increased, the increase in the article of butter alone being from 15,504.978 pounds to 29,758,042 pounds, ana the total increase in tbe

value of meat and dairy products exported being $34,000,000. This trade, so directly helpful to the farmer,it is thought, will yet be further and very largely increased when the system of inspection and sanitary supervision now provided by the law is brought fully into operation. The efforts of the Secretary to establish the healthfulness of our meats against tbe disparaging imputations that have been put upon theiff" abroad have resulted in substantial progress. Veterinary surgeons sent cut by the department are now allowed to participate in the inspection of the live cattle from this country, landed at the-English docks, and during tbe several months they have been on duty no case of contagious pleuro-pneumonia has been reported. This inspection abroad, and the domestic inspection of the live animal and pork products, provided for by the act of August 30,1890, will afford as perfect a guaranty for the our meats offered for foreign consumption as is anywhere given to any food product,and its non-acceptance will quite clearly reveal the real motive of any continued restriction of their use; and, that having been made clear, the duty of the -Executive will be very plain. The information given by the Secretary of the progress and prospects of the beet sugar industry is full of interest. It has already passed the experimental stage and is a commercial success. The area over which the sugar beet can be successfully cultivated is very large, and another field crop of great value is offered to the choice of the farmer. The law relating to the civil service lias, so far as I can learn, been executed by those having the power of appointment in the classified service, with fidelity and impartiality, and the service has been increasing satisfactorily. The report of the commission shows a large amount of good work done during the year with very limited,appropriations. THE LAST SESSION OF CONGRESS. I congratulate the Congress and the country upon the passage at the first session of the Fifty-first Congress of an unusual number of laws of very high importance. That the results of this legislation will be the quickening and enlargement of our manufacturing industries, larger and better markets for our breadstuffs and provisions both at home and abroad, more constant employment and better wages for our working people, and an increased supply of a safe currency for the transaction of business, Ido no£ doubt. Some of these measures were enacted at so late a period that the beneficial effects on commerce, which were in contemplation of Congress, have not yet but partially manifested themselves. The general trade and industrial conditions throughout the country during the yearhave shown a marked improvement. For many years prior to 1888 the merchandise balances of foreign trade has been largely in our favor, but duri n g that -year and the year following they turned against us. It is very gratifying to know that the last fiscal year again shows a balance in our favor of over $8,000,000. The bank clearings, which furnish a good test of the volume of business transacted, for the first ten months of the year 1890 show, as compared with the same months of 18890. an increase for the whole country of about 8.4 ppr cent., while the increase outside of the city of New York was over 13 per cent. During the- month of October the clearings of the whole country showed an increase of 3.1 per cent, over October 1889, while outside of Now York the increase was UX P er cent. These figures show that the increase in the volume of business done was very general throughout the country. That this larger business was being conducted upon a safe and profitable basis is shown by the fact that there were 300 less failures reported in October, 1890, than in the same month of the preceding year, with liabilities diminished by about $5,000,000. The value of our exports of domestic merchandise during the last year was over $115,000,000 greater, than the preceding year, and was only exceeded once in our history. About $100,000,000 of this excess was i n agricultural prod ucts. The production of pig iron—always a good gauge of general prosperity—is shown by a recent census bulletin to have been 153 per cent, greater in 1890 than in 1880, and the production of steel 290 per cent, greater. Mining in coal has had no limitations except that resulting from deficient transportation. The general testimony is that labor everywhere is fully employed, and the reports for the last year show a smaller number of employes affected by strikes and lockouts than in any year since 1884. The depression in the price of agricultural products had been greatly relieved and a buoyant and hopeful tone was beginning to be felt by all our people. t THE M’KINLEY BILL. The apprehension that our tariff may again and at once be subjected to important general changes would undouotedly add a depressing influence of the most Serious character. The general tariff act was only partially gone into operation, some of its important provisions being limited to take effect at dates yet in the future. The general provisions of the law have been in force less than sixty days. Its permanent effect upon trade and prices still largely stand in conjecture. It is curious to note that the advance iu the prices of articles wholly unaffected by the tariff act was by many hastily ascribed to that act. Notice wks trbt taken of the fact that the general tendency of the markets was upward from influences wholly apart from the recent tariff legislation. The enlargement of our currency by the silver bill undoubtedly gave an upward tendency to trade and had a marked effect on prices; but this natural and desired effect of the silver legislation was by many seriously attributed to the tariff act. There is no wisdom in the suggestion that the subject of tariff revision shall be opened before this law has had a fair trial. It is quite true that every tariff schedule is subject to objections. No bill was ever framed, I suppose, that in all of its rates and classifications had the full approval even of a party caucus. Such legislation is always and necessarily the product of compromise as to details, and the present law is to exception. But in its general scope and effect I think it will justify‘.the support of those who believe that American legislation should conserve and defend American trade and the waggs of American workmen. t The misinformation as to the terms of the act which has been widely disseminated at home and abroad, will be corrected by experience, and the evil augeries as to its results confounded byjthe market reports, the savings banks, international trade balances, and the general prosperity of our people. Already we begin to hear from abroad, and from our Customs Houses that the prohibitory effect upon importation imputed to the act is not justified. The imports at the port of New York for the first three weeks of November were nearly 8 per cent, greater than for the same period in 1889 and 29 per cent, greater than for the same period of 1888. And so far from being an act to limit exports, 1 confidently believe that under it we shall secure a larger and more profitable participation in foreign trade than we have ever enjoyed and that we shall recover a proportionate participation in the ocean-carrying trade of the world. fThe criticisms of the bill that have comb to us from foreign sources may well be rejected for repugnancy. If these ccritics really believe that the adoption by us of a free trado policy, or of tariff rates having reference solqly to revenue, would diminish the participation of their own countries in commerce of the world, their advocacy and promotion by speech and other forms of organized effort of this movement among our people is a rare exhibition of unselfishness in trade. And, *on tbe other hand, if they sincerely believe that the adoption of a protective tariff policy by this country inures to their profit and our hurt, it is noticeobly

strange that they should lead the outcry against the authors of a policy so helpful to their countrymen, and crown with their favor those who would snatch from them a substantial share of a trade with ether ands already iaadequate to their necessities. There is no disposition among any of our people to promote prohibitory or retaliatory legislation. Our policies are adopted not to the hurt of others, but to secure for ourselves those advantages that fairly grow out of our favored position as a nation. Our form of government, v itn its incident of universal -suffrage, makes it imperative that we shall save our working people from the agitations and’ distresses which scant work and wages that have no margin for comfort always beget But after all this is done it will be found that our markets are open to friendly comm’er*. cial exchanges of enormous value to the other great powers. ■ From the time of my induction into office the using of the power and influence given by law to the Executive Department for the development of larger markets so» our products, especially our farm products, has been kept constantly in mind, and no effort has been or will be spared to promote that end. We are under.no disadvantage in any foreign market except that we pay our workmen and workwomen better wages than are paid elsewhere—better abstractly,, better relatively to the cost of the necessaries of life. Ido not doubt that a very largely increased foreign trade Is accessible to us without bartering for such products of the farm and shop as our own people can supply, or the wages bf our workingpeople. RECIPROCAL TRADE CONCESSIONS. In many of the products of wood and iron, and in meats and breadstuffs, we have advantages that only need better facilities of intercourse and transportation to secure for them large foreign Markets. The reciprocity clause of the tariff act wisely and effectively opens the way to secure a large reciprocal trade in exchange for the free admission to our ports of certain products. The right of independent nations to make special recipro cal trade concessions is well established, and does not impair either the comity due to other powers of what is known as the “Favored Nation Clause,” so generally found in commercial treaties. What is given to one for an adequate agreed consideration can not be claimed by another freely. The State of the revenues was such that we could<dispense with any import duties upon coffee, tea, hides, and the lower grades of sugar and molasses. That the large advantage fesulting to the countries’ producing and exporting these articles by placing them on the tree list, entitled us to expect a fair return in the way of customs concessions upon articles exported by us to them so obvious that to have gratuitously abandoned this opportunity to enlarge our trade would have been an unpardonable error." There are but two methods of obtaining control of this question opdn. to Congress: To place all of these articles upon the dutiable list subject to such treaty agreements as could be secured, or to place them all presently upon the free list, but subject to the reimpdsitjbii of specified duties if the countries from which we receive them should refuse to give to us suitable benefits. This latter method, I think, possessed great advantages. It expresses in advance the consent of Congress to reciprocity arrangements affecting these products which must otherwise have been delayed and unascertained until each treaty was ratified by the Senate and the necessary legislation enacted by Gongress. Experience has shown that some treaties looking to reciprocal trade have failed to securea two-thirds vote in the Senate for ratification, and others having passed that stage have for years awaited the concurrence of the House and Senate in such modifications of our revenue laws as were necessary to give effect to their provisions. We now have the concurrences of both houses in advance in a distinct -and definite offer of free entry to our ports of specific articles. The Executive is not required to deal in conjectures as to what Congress will accept, Indeed, this reciprocity provision is more than an offer. Our part of the bargain is complete; delivery has been made; and when the countries from which we receive sugar, coffee, tea and hides have placed on their free lists such of our products as shall be agreed upon,as an equivalent,a proclamation of that fact completes the transaction-; and in the meantime our o >vn people have free sugar, tea, coffee and hides. • The indications this far given are very hopeful of early and favorable action by the countries from which we receive our large imports of coffee and sugar, and it is confidently believed that if steam communication with these countries can be promptly improved and enlarged, the next year will show a gratifying increase in our exports of breadstuffs and provisions, as well as of some important lines of manufactured goods. i The President makes various Recommendations as to Legislations. He urges the passage of the apportionment and appropriation bills and the development of Americau steamship lines. The use of the telegraph by the Postoffice Department as a means for the rapid transmissions of written communications is, I believe, upon proper terms, quite desirable. The Government does not own or operate the railroads, and it should not, I think, own or operate any telegraph lines. It does, however, seem to be quite practicable for the Government to contract with the telegraph companies, as it does with the railroad companies, to carry at specified rates such communications as the senders may designate for this method of transmission. I recommend that such legislation be enacted as will enable the Postoffice Department fairly to test and experiment the advantages of the telegraph.

FEDERAL ELECTION CONTROL. If any intelligent and loyal company of American citizens were required to catalogue the essential human conditions of National life, Ido not doubt that with absolute unanimity they would begin with “free and honest elections.” And it is gratifying to know generally there is a growing and non partisan demand for bets ter election laws. But against this sign of hope and progress must be set the depressing and undeniable fact that election laws are sometimes cunningly contrived to secure minority control, while violence completes the shortcomings of fraud. In my last annual message I suggested that the development of the existing law providing a Federal supervision of Congressional elections offered an effective method of reforming these abuses. The need of such a lawhas manifested itself in many parts of the country, and its wholesome restraints and penalties will be useful in all. The constitutionality of such legislation has been affirmed by the Supreme Court. Its probable effectiveness is evidenced by the character of the opposition that is made to it. It has been denounced as if it were a new exercise of federal power and an invasion of the rights of the States. Nothing could be further from the truth. Congress has already fixed the time for the election of members of Congress. It has declared that votes for members of Congress must be by written or printed ballot; it has provided for the appointment by the Circuit Courts in certain cases, and upon the petition of a certain number of citizens, of election supervisors, and made it their duty to supervise the registration of voters conducted by the State officers; to challenge persons offering to register; to personally inspect and scrutinizo the registry list and to affix their names to the lists for the purpose of identification and the prevention of fraud; to attend at elections and remain with the boxes till the votes are ail cast and counted, to attach to the registry lists and election'returns any statement touching tha accuracy and fairness of the registry and election, and to take and transmit to the clerk of the -epresentatives any evidence of fraud-1

ulent practices which may be presented to them. The same law provides for the appointment of deputy United States marshals to attend all the polls, support the supeßvisors iin the discharge of their duties, and to arrest persons violating the election laws. The provisions of this familiar title of the revised statutes have been put into exercise by both the great political parties, aud in the North as well as in the South, by the filing with the court of the petitions required by law. It is not, therefore, a question whether we shall havea Federal election law, for we now have one, and have had for nearly twenty years, but whether we shajl have an effective law; The present law-Stops just short of "effectiveness, for itj surrenders to the local authorities all control over the certification which establishes the prima facie right to a seat in the House of Representatives. This defect shoe d be cured. Equality of representation and the purity of the electors must be maintained or everything that is valuable in our system of government is lost. The qualifications of an elector must be sought in tbe law. notin the opinions, prejudices or fears of any class, however powerful. The path of the elector to the ballot box must be free from the ambush of fear and the enticements of fraud; the count SO' true and open that none shall gainsay it. Such a law should be absolutely non-partisan and impartial. It should give the advantage to honesty and the control to the majorities. Surely, there is nothing sectional about this creed, and if it shall happen that the penalties of law ß intended to enforce these rights fall here arid not there, it is not because the law is sectional, but because unhappily crime is local and universal. Nor stiouldit be forgdtten that every law whether relating to elections or to any other subject, whether enacted by the State or by the Nation, has force behind it. The courts, the marshall or constable, the posse comitus, the prison, are all and always behind the law. One can not be charged with unfriendliness to any section or class who seeks only to restrain violations of law and of personal right. No community will find lawlessness profitable. No’community can afford to have it known that the officers who are charged with the preservation of the pu ol ic peace and the restraint of the criminal classes are themselves the product of fraud or vioduct of fraud or violence. The magistrate is then without respect and the law without i auction. But it is said that this legislation will revive race animosities, ana some have even suggested that when the peaceful methods of fraud are made impossible, they may be supplanted by intimidation and violence. If the proposed law gives to any qualified elector, by a hair’s’weight, more than intiuence, or detract: by so much from any other qualified elector, it is fatally impeached. But if the law is equal, and the animosities it is to evoke grow o it of the fact that some electors have been accustomed to exercise the franchise so others as well as for themselves, then these animosities ought not to be confessed without shame, and can not be given any weight in. the discussion without dishonor. No choice is left to me but to enforce witT vigor all laws intended to secure to the citizens Ins constitutional rights,and to recommend that the inadequacies of such laws be promptly remedied, If to promote with zeal and ready interest every project for the development of its material interests, its rivers, harbors, mines and factories, and the intelligence, peace and security under the law of its communities and its homes is not accepted as sufficient evidence of friendliness to any State or section, I can not add connivance at election practices that not only disturb local results, but rob the electors of other States and sections of their most priceless political rights.

DIAMOND THIEVES.

New and Ingenious Scheme That is Now Extensively Used by Professionals. Chicago Post. The diamond theif is abroad in the land at the present time in considerable numbers. He perplexes the jeweler and makes him question the honesty of mankind. He also makes the diamond merchant redouble his vigilance, and spurs on his clerks to do likewise. This particular kind of thief is an intellectual criminal. He does not resort to audacious measures. If he does you may be sure that he is not an artist i'n his line, and his boldness generally interferes with his plans no matter how well laid they may be. Here is where cunning is profitable. The man who writes an urgent letter to g jeweler asking him to send a clerk to his room where he is confined by an accident, and then when the clerk comes with the jewels attempts to knock the clerk down and rob him—this thief is a bungler. It is the fellow of an ingenious turn of mind who runs the least chance of being detected and caught. ’the diamond thief sometimes comes alone. Sometimes there are two of them. They are close observers ot the human physiognomy, especially the eyes of the person waiting upon them. The plan of these gentlemen with the dextrous fingers is this: They come in and carefully inspect the tray of pins or rings that is set before them for examination. Some special design is mentally seized upon, and the men take their departure. The next step is to have a clever imitation made of this design. With this in their possession they call again and ask to look at the samp tray. The paste pin that is to be substituted for the genuine is held tightly in the hand that is engaged in handling the genuine diamonds. When a convenient opportunity is presented the attention of the clerk is called to another pin in the case that pleases the supposed prospective buyer’s fancy. While the clerk’s eyes and fingers are engaged in getting the new object, the change is made as quick as a flash; the thief fishes among the tray that he was first examining, with the remark that there is nothing in it that he wants, and by-and-by he takes his departure. In each tray there are a certain number of pins or rings, and the clerk usually , casts his eye over them to see that each place has an article in it. If these places are all full it is not likely that he will carefully examine each article to See that no substitution has been made. It is not an easy matter to catch a theif who has robbed a store in this way, as some time usually elapses between the theft and the discovery. There are a number of these light-fingered gentry in this city at present, and they are making the life of the jeweler very uncomfortable. The great water power at Niagara Falls has been at last turned to use, in the manufaoture ot fro if Philadelphia ReoanL