: r.
THE MESSAGE.
President Harrison's Annual Review
and Recommendations.
AT PEACE WITH THE WOULD
The dear's Work Done by the Yarious
' r Executive Departments. ,
THE NATIONAL BANK QUESTION.
The Tariff Should Be Revised, but the Pro
tective Principle Should Be Maintained
The Surplus Should Be Reduced by Re
tirement of Government Bonds Pension
Should Be Awarded Where the Nation's
Defenders Escaped Disease in War but
Contracted Ills in the Battle of Life
Better Coast Defenses and an Improved
Xavy Among the Recommendations.
"Washington, D. G, Dec. 8.
To the Senate and House of Representatives.
There are few transactions in the ad
ministration of the government that are
even temporarily held in the confidence
of those charged with the conduct of
the public business. Every step taken
is under tbe observation of an intelli
gent and watchful people. The state of
the union is known from day to day and
suggestions as to needed legislation find
an earlier voice than that which
speaks in these annual communications
of the president to congress.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Good will and cordiality have charac
terized our relations and correspondence
with other governments, and the year
just closed leaves few international ques
tions of importance remaining unad
justed. No obstacle is believed to exist
that can long postpone the consideration
and adjustment of the still pending ques
tions upon satisfactory and honorable
terms. The dealings of this government
with other states have been, and should
always be, marked by frankness and sin
cerity, our purposes avowed and our
methods free from intrigue. This course
has borne rich fruit in the past and it is
our duty as a nation to preserve the herit
age of good repute which a century of
right domg with foreign governments
has secured to us.
THE TREASURY.
The report of the secretary of the treas
ury for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1889, has been prepared and will be pre
sented to congress. It presents with
clearness the fiscal operations of the gov
ernment and I avail myself of it to ob
tain some facts for use here. The ag
gregate receipts from all sources for the
year were 387,050,058. 84, derived as
follows. ,
From customs. . .. .$223,832,741 68
From internal revenue, 130,881,513 92
From miscellaneous sources. ..... 32,335,803 23
The ordinary expenditures for the
same period were 1281,996,615.60, and
total expenditures, including the smking
fund, were 329,579,959. 25. The excess
of receipts over expenditures was, after
providing for the sinking fund, $57,470,
129.59. For the current fiscal year the
the total revenues, actual and estimated,
are $385,000,000, and the ordinary ex
penditures, actual and e timated, are
$293,000,000, making, with the sinking
fund, a total expenditure of 341,321,
116.99, leaving an estimated surplus of
$43,678,883.01.
' During the fiscal year there was ap
plied to the purchase of bonds in addition
to those for the sinking fund 90,456,
172.35. and during the first quarter of the
current year the sum of $37,838,937.77; all
of which were credited to the sinking
fund. The revenues for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1891, are estimated by
the treasury department at 385,700,000
and the expenditures for the same period
including the sinking fund, at 341,
.430,477.70. This shows an estimated
surplus for that year of 43,569,
622.30, which is more likely to be in
creased than reduced when the actual
transactions are written up.
The Surplus.'
The existence of so large an actual
and anticipated surplus should have the
immediate attention of congress, with a
view to reducing the receipts of the
treasury to the needs of the government
as closely as may be. The collection of
moneys not needed for public uses im
poses an unnecessary burden upon our
people, and the presence of so large a
surplus in the public vaults is a disturb
ing element in the conduct . of private
business. It has called into use expedi
ents for putting it into circulation of
very questionable propriety; we should
not collect revenue for the purpose of
anticipating our bonds beyond the re
quirements of the sinking fund. But
any unappropriated surplus in the treas
ury should be so used, as there is no
other lawful way of returning the money
to circulation, and the profit realized by
the government offers substantial ad
vantage. The loaning of public funds
to the banks without interest
upon the security of government
bonds I regard as an unauthorized
and dangerous expedient, it results in a
, temporary and unnatural increase of the
banking capital of favored localities,and
compels a cautious and gradual recall of
the deposits to avoid injury to the com
mercial interests. It is not to be expect
ed that the banks having these deposits
will sell their bonds to the treasury so
long as the present highly beneficial ar-
rTrt "ir -tiiiaeu. They now
E radically get interest both upon the
ondsand their proceeds. No further
use should be made of this method of
Retting the surplus into circulation, and
the deposits now outstanding should be
gradually withdrawn and applied to the
purchase of bonds. It is fortunate that
such a use can be made of ; the existing
surplus, and for some time to come of
any casual surplus that may exist after
congress has taken tbe necessary steps
for a reduction of the revenue. Such
legislation should be promptly but very
considerately enacted.
The Tariff.
I recommend revision of our tariff
, corn m it aaxnimstmuve .riures.
and in the schedules. The need of the
former is generally conceded and an
agreement upon the evils and inconve
niences to be remedied and the best
methods for their correction will proba
bly not be difficult. Uniformity of val
uation at all our ports is essential, and
effective measures should be taken to
secure it. It is equally desirable that
questions affecting rates and classifica
tions should be promptly decided. The
preparation of a new schedule of cus
toms duties is a matter of great delicacy,
because of its effect upon the business of
the country, of great difficulty by reason
of the wide divergence of opinion as to
the objects that may be promoted
by such legislation. Some disturbance
of business may perhaps result from
consideration of this subject by congress,
but this temporary ill effect , will be re
duced to the minimum by prompt action
and assurance which the country enjoys
that any necessary changes will be so
made as not to impair the just and rea
sonable protection of our home
industries. The inequalities of the law
should be adjusted, but.
The Protecive Principle Should be Main
tained and fairly applied td the products of our
farms as well as our shops. These duties
necessarily have relation to other thing9
besides the public revenue. We cannot
limit their effects by fixing our eyes on
the public treasury alone. They have a
direct relation to home production, to
work, to wages and to the commercial
independence of our country, and the
wise and patriotic legislator should en
large the field of his vision to include all
of these.
The necessary reduction in our public
revenues can be made without mak
ing the smaller burden more onerous
than the larger by reason of ; the disabil
ities and limitations which the process
of reduction puts upon both capital and
labor. The free list can very safely be
extended by placing thereon articles that
do not offer injurious competition to
such domestic products as our home la
bor can supply. The removal of the in
ternal tax upon tobacco would relieve an
important agricultural product from " a
burden which was imposed only because
our revenue from customs duties was
insufficient for the public needs. If safe
provision against fraud can be devised
the removal of the tax upon spirits' used
in the arts and in manufactures would
also offer an unobjectionable method of
reducing the surplus. A table presented
by the secretary of the .treasury, showing
the amount of money of all kinds in cir
culation each year from 1878 to the pres
ent time, is of interest. It appears that
the amount of national bank notes in
circulation has decreased during that
period 114,109,729, of which 37,799,229
is chargeable to the last y ar.
The Withdrawal of Bank Circulation
will necessarily continue under existing
conditions. It is probable the adoption
of the suggestions made by the comp
troller of the currency, viz., that t e
minimum deposit of bonds i or the estab
lishment of banks be reduced, and that
an issue of notes to the par value of the
bond be allowed, would help to main
tain the bank circulation, but while this
withdrawal of bank notes has been
going oi there has been a large
increase in the amount of gold and
silver coin in circulation, and in the 'is
sues of gold and silver certificates. The
total amount of money of all kinds in
circulation on March 1,1878, was 805,
793,807, while on Oct. 1. 1889, the total
amount was 1 ,405,018,000. There was
an increase of 293,417,552 in gold and
of 57,554,100 in standard silver dollars,
of $72,311 ,149 in gold certificates, of
$276,619,715 in silver certificates, and of
14,073,787 in United States notes, mak
ing a total of, 71 3,976,403. There was
during the same period a decrease of
114,109,729 in bank circulation and of
$642,481 in subsidiary silver.
The net increase was 599,224,
193. The circulation per capita has
increased about 5 during the time cov
ered by the table referred to.
Silver." '
The total coinage of silver dollars was,
on Nov. 1, 1889, 343,638,001. of which
283,539,521 were in the treasury vaults
and 60,098.480 were in circulation. Of
the amount in the vaults 277,319,944
were represented by outstanding silver
certificates, leaving 6,219,577 not in cir
culation and not represented by certifi
cates. The law requiring th purchase by
the treasury of y,000,000 worth of silver
bullion each month, to be coined into
silver dollars of 41 2 grains, has been
observed by the department, but neither
the pre ent secretary nor any of his
predecessors has deemed it safe to exer
cise the discretion given by law to in
crease the monthly purchases to
4,000,000. When the law was en
acted (Feb. 23. 1878) the price
of silver in the market was 1.20 4-10 per
ounce, making the bullion value of the
dollar 93 cents. Since that time the
price has fallen as low as 91.2 cents per
ounce, reuueing the bullion value of the
dollar to 70.6 cents. Within the last
few months the market price has some
what advanced, and cfn the 1st day of
November last the bullion value of . the
silver dollar was 72 cents. ; The evil an
ticipations which have accompanied the
coinage and : use of the silver
dollar have not been , realized
As a coin it ha3 not
had general use. and the public treasury
has been compelled to store it. : But this
is manifestly owing to the fact that its
paper representative i3 more convenient.
The general acceptance and use of the
silver certificate show that silver has not
been otherwise discredited. Some fa-
.... . nave contributed to
maintain this practical equality iu their
commercial use, between the gold and
silver dollars. But some of these are
trade conditions that statutory enaf t
ments do not control, and of the contin
uance of which . we cannot be certain,
I think it is clear that if we should
make the coinage of silver at present ratio
free, we must expect the difference in
bullion values of gold and silver dollars
will be taken account of in commercial
transactions, and I fear the same result
would follow any considerable increase of
present rate of coinage; such a result
would be discreditable to our financial
management and disastrous to all bad
ness interests. ."We should not tread
- The Dangerous Edge of Such a Peril,
and indeed nothing more harmful could
happen to the silv r interests. Any safe
legislation upon this subject must secure
the equality of the two coins in the com
mercial uses. I have always been an ad
vocate of the use of silver in our cur
rency. We are large producers of that
ttietal and should not discredit it. To the
plan which will be presenter by tho
secretary of the treasury for the issuance
of notes of certificates upon the deposit
of silver bullion at its market value, I
have been able to give only a hast 7 ex
Mftiaatiou, owing to tfee press of other
matters and to the fact that it has; been
so recently formulated. The details of
such a law require careful consideration,
but the general plan suggested : by him
seems to satisfy the purpose to continue
the use of silver in connection with our
currency, and at the same time to ob
viate the danger of which I have spoken.
At a later day I may communicate fur
ther with congress upon this subject.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS.'
The enforcement of the ' Chinese
exclusion act has been found to be
very difficult on the northwestern fron
tier. Chinamen landing at Victoria find
it easy to pass our border, owing to the
impossibility with the force at command
of the customs officere of guarding so long
an inland line. .The secretary of the
treasury has authorized the employment
of additional officers, who will be as
signed to this duty and every effort will
be made to enforce the law. TheDomin
ion exacts a head tax of $50 for each
Chinaman landed : and when these
persons, in fraud of our law
cross into bur territory and are ap
prehended our . officers do not
know what to do with them as the Do
minion authorities will not suffer them
to be sent back without a second pay
ment of the tax. An effort will be made
to reach an - understanding that will re
move this difficulty.
The proclamation required by section
3. of the act of March 2, 1889, relating to
the ki ling of seals and other fur-bearing
animals, was issued by me on the
21st day of March, and a revenue vessel
was dispatched to enforce the laws and
protect; the interests of the United States.
The establisnment of a refuge station at
Point Barrow as directed by congress,
was unsuccessfully accomplished. Judged
by modern standards we are
Practically "Without Coast Defences.
Many of the structures we have would
enhance rather than diminish the perils
of their garrisons if subjected to fire of
improved, guns, and very few are so lo
cated as to give full effect to the greater
range of such guns as we are now mak
ing for coast-defence use. Thi3 general
subject has had consideration m con
gress for some years, and the appropria
tion for the construction, of large rifled
guns, ma ie one year ago, was, I am
sure, the expression of a purpose to pro
vide suitable works in which , these guns
might be mounted. An appropriation
now made for that purpose would not
advance the completion of the
works beyond one ability to supply
them with effective guns. The security
of our coast cities against foreign at
tacks should not rest altogether in the
friendly disposition of other Dation3.
There should be a second line wholly in
our own keeping. I urgently recom
mend an appropriation at this session
for the construction of such works in our
much exposed harbors. I approve the
suggestion of the secretary of war that
provisions be made for encamping com
panies of the National Guards in our
coast works for a specified time each
year for their training in the use , of
heavy guns. His suggestion that an in
ciease of the artillery force of the army
is desirable is also in connection com
mended to the consideration of con
gress. . .. .
River and Harbor Improvement.
The improvement of our important
rivers and harbors should be promoted
by the necessary appropriations. Care
should be taken that the government is
not committed - to the prosecution of
works not of public and general advant
age, and that the relative usefulness of
works of that class is not overlooked.
So far as this work can ever be said to
be completed, I do not doubt that the
end would be sooner and more econom
ically reached if fewer separate works
were undertaken at the same time and
those selected for their greater general
interest were more rapidbj pushed to
completion. work once considerably
begun should not be subjected to the
risk and deterioration which interrupted
or insufficient appropriations necessarily
occasion.
Supreme Court Relief.
The necessity of providing some more
speedy methods for disposing of the
cases which now come for final adjudi
cation to the supreme courtr becomes
every year more apparent and urgent.
The plan of providing some intermediate
courts having final appellate jurisdiction
of certain cla sea of questions and cases
has, I think, received a more general ap
pro ral from the bench and bar of the
country than any other. Without at
tempting to discuss details, I recommend
that provision should be made for the es
tablishment of such courts.
The salaries of the judges of the dis
trict courts in many of the districts are in
my judgment inadequate. I recommend
that afi such salaries now below $5,000
per annum be increased to that amouni
It is quite true that the labor performec
by these judges is very unequal, but as
th y cannot proper y engage in other
pursuits to supplement their incomes,the
salary should be such in all case3 as to
provide an independent and comfortable
trT.wt . . ''.:.
Earnest attention should be given by
congress to a considr ration of the ques
tion how far the rest.-aint of ihoso com
binations of capital . commonly called
'trusts"isa matter of federal jurisdiction.
When organized as they often are to
crush out all healthy competition, to
monopolize the production or sale of an
article of commerce and general neces
sity, they are dancerous conspiracies
against the public good and should be
made the subject of prohibitory and
even penal legislation. The subject of an
International Couyrifcht.
has been frequently commended to tho
attention of congress by my predeces
sors. .The enactment "of such a law
would be eminently wise and just.
Oar Naturalization Laws .
should be revised as to make the inquiry
into the character and good disposition
towards our government of the persons
applying for citizenship more thorough.
This can only bo done by taking fuller
control of the examinations, by fixing the
time for hearing each application and
by requiring the presence of some one
who shall represent the government in
the inquiry. Those who are the ene
mies of social order or who come to our
shores to swell the injurious , influence
and to extend the evil practices of any
association that defies our laws, should
not only be denied citizenship, but a
domicile. The enactment of
A National Bankrupt Law
of a character to be a permenant part of
our general legislation is desirable. It
should be simple in its methods and in
expensive in its administration.
THE DEPARTMENTS.
The Report of the Postmaster General
not only exhibits the operations of the
department for the fiscal year, but con
tains inany valuable suggestions for the
improvement and. extension of the grr
Ice, which are commended to your at
tention. No other branch of the govern
ment has so close a contact with the
daily life of the people. Almost every
one uses the service it offers, and eJeJ
hour gained in the transmission of the
great commercial mails are a actual
and possible value that only ihose en
gaged in the trade can understand. The
saving of one day in the transmission of
the mails between New York and San
Francisco, which has recently been ac
complished, is an incident worthy of
mention. The plan suggested of a su
pervision of the postoffices in separate
districts that shall involve instruction
and suggestion and a rating of the effi
ciency Of the TORtrrojo pould. . I Jxn.va
no doubt, greatly improve the service.
The unsatisfactory condition of the law
relating to the transmission through the
mail of lottery advertisements and re
mittances is clearly stated by the .post
master general, and his suggestion as to
amendment should have your favorable
consideration.
THE NAVY. . -
The report of the secretary of the navy
shows a reorganization of the' bureaus
of the department that will, I do not
doubt, promote the efficiency of each.
In general satisfactory progress has been
made in the construction of the new
ships of our war authorized by congress.
Tho first vessel of the new navy, the
Dolphin, was subjected to very severe
trial tests and to very much criticism,
but it is gratifying to be able to state
that a cruise around the world, from
which she has recently returned, has
demonstrated that she is a first-class
vessel of her rate. The reports of the
secretary shows that while the effective
force of the navy is rapidly increasing by
reas n of the improved build and arma
ment of the new ships, the number of
our ships fit for sea duty "grows very
slowly. We had on tbe 4th of March
last thirty -seven serviceable ships, and
though four have since been added to
the list the total has not been increased,
because in the meantime four
have been lost or condemned.
Twenty-six . additional vessels
have been authorized and appropriated
for, but it is probable that ( when they
are completed our list will only Le in
creased to forty-two, a gain of five. The
old wooden ships are disappearing as
fast as the new vessels are added. These
facts carry their own argument. One of
the new ships may, in fighting strength,
be equal to two of the old, but it cannot
do the cruising duties of two. It is im
portant, therefore, that we should have
a more rapid increase in number of
serviceable ships. I concur in the rec
ommendation of the secretary that tho
construction of eight Jarmored ships
three gunbaats and five torpedo boats
be authorized.
An Appalling Calamity
befell three of our naval vessels on duty
at the Samoan islands, in the harbor of
Apia, in March last, involving the loss of
four officers and forty-seven seamen of
two vessels, the Trenton and Vandalia,
and the disabling of the third, the Nip
sic. Three vessels of the German navy
also in the harbor, shared with our ship
the force of tiie hurricane and suffered
even more heavily. While mourning
the brave officers and men who died fac
ing with high resolve perils greater than
those of cattle, it is most gratifying to
state the credit of the American navy
for scamenship, courage and generosity
was magnificently sustained in the
storm-beaten harbor of Apia.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the secretary of the in
terior exhibits the transactiens of the
government with the Indian tribe3. Sub
stantial progress has been made in . the
education of the children of a school agj
and in the allotment of lands to adult
Indians. It is to be regret ed that the
policy of breaking up tue tribal relation
and of dealing with the Indian as an in
dividual did not appear earlier in our
legislation. Largo reservations held in
common and the maintenance of the
authority of the chiefs and
headmen, have deprived the in
dividual of every incentive to the exer
cise of thrift, and the annuity has con
tributed an affirmative impulse toward a
state of confirmed pauperism. Our
treaty stipulations should be observed
with fidelity, and our legislation should
be highly considerate of the best interests
of an ignorant and helpless people. The
T""ions 3X6 now generally Surround
ed by white settlements. We can no
longer push the Indian back ?nto tho
wilderness, and it remains only by every
suitable agency to push him upward into
the estate of a self-supporting and re
sponsible citizen. For the adult the first
step is to locate him on a farm and for
the child to place him in a school.
The national schools for Indians have
been very successful and should be mul
tiplied, and as far as possible should be
so organized and conducted as to' facili
tate tho transfer of tbe schools to the
states or territories in which they are
located when the Iudians in a neighbor
hood have accepted citizenship and have
become fitted for such a transfer. The
last congress enacted two distinct laws
relating to negotiations with the Sioux
Indians of Dakota for a relinquishment
of a portion of their lands to the United
States, and for dividing the remainder
into separate reservations. Both were ap
proved on the same day, March 2. The
one submitted to the Indians a specific
proposition, the other (section 3 of tho
Indian appropriation act) authorized by
the president to appoint three commis
sioners to negotiate with the38 Indian
for the accomplishment of the general
purpose and required that any
agreement made should bo sub
mitted to congress for ratification.
On tho sixteenth day of April last 1
appointed Hon. Chas. Foster, of Ohio,
Hon. Wm . Warner, of Missouri , and
May Gen. George Crooks, of the United
States army, commissioners under the
last named. They were however, auth
orized and directed first to submit to the
Indians the definite proposition made to
them by the act first mentioned, and
only in the event of a failure to secure
the assent of the requisite number to
the proposition, to open negotiations for
modified terms under the other acts. The
work of the commission was prolonged
and arduous, but the assent of the requis
ite number was, it is said,
finally obtained to the proposition. This
argument releases to the United States
about nine million acres of land.
Tho commission provides for by sec.
14, of the Indian appropriation bill to
negotiate with the Cherokee Indians and
all other Indians owning or claiming
lands lying west of the ninety" sixth
degree of longitude for ' the session
to the United States, of all such
lands was constituted by the appoint
ment of Hon. Lucius Fatrchild of Wis
consin. Hon. John F. Hartranftof Penn
sylvania and Hon. Alfred M. Wilson of
Arkansas, and organized on June 29 last.
Their first conference with the represen
tatives of the Cherokees was held at
Tahleqvah July 29, with no definite're
sults. Gen. John F. Hartranft of Penn
sylvania was prevented by ill-health
from taking part in the conference. His
death, which occurred recently, is justly
and generally lamented by a people he
had served with conspicuous gallantry
in war and with great fidelity in peace.
The vacancy thus created was filled by
the appointment of Hon. Warren G.
Sayre of Indiana. A second conference
between the commission and the Chero
kees was begun Nov. 6, but no results
have yet been obtained, nor is it be
lieved that a conclusion can be immedi
ately expected. The cattle syndicate
now occupying the lands for grazing
purposes is clearly one of the agencies
responsible for the obstruction of our ne
gotiations with the Cherokees. The
large body of agricultural lands consti
tuting what is known as ,
The "Cherokee Outlet"
ought not to be and cannot long be held
for grazing and for the advantage of a
few against the public interests and the
best advantage of the Indians them
selves. The United States has now un
der the treaties certain rights in these
lands. These will not be used oppress
ively, but it cannot be allowed that those
who by sufferance occupy these lands
shall interpose to defeat the wise and
beneficent purposes of the government.
T cannot but neliw h?.t t- pvon
tageous offer made by the United States
to the Cherokee Nation for a full release
of the-e lands, as compared with other
suggestions now made to them, will yet
obtain for it a favorable consideration.
Under the agreement made between
the United States and the Muskogee (or
Creek) nation of nations on tlie 19th day
January, 1688, an absolute title was se
cured by tho United States to about
three and a half millions of acres of
land.
Section 12 of the general Indian ap
propriation act, approved March 2, 1889,
made provision for the purchase by the
United States from the Seminoles of a
certain portion of their land. The dele
gates of the Seminole nation, having
first duly evidenced to me their power
to act in that behalf, delivered a proper
release and conveyance to the use of all
the lands mentioned in the act, which
was accepted by me and certified .to be
in compliance with the statute. By the
term of l oth the acts referred to all the
lands so purchased were declared to be
a part of the public domain and open to
settlement
Under the Homestead Law,
but a portion of the land embraced in
these purchases being in the aggregate
about five and a half million acres, had
already under the terms of the treaty of
1856 been acquired by the United States
for the purpose of selling other Indian
tribes thereon and had been appropri
ated to that purpose. The land remain-
. . . . ....
ing anu uoa,ouaui iui uv.u.c.uv ixtu-
sisted of 1,887,796 acres surrounded on
all sides by lands in the occupancy of
Indian tribes. Congress had provided
no civil government for the people who
were to be united by my proclama
tion, except as the new court,
which had been established
at Muscogee, or the United States
court in some of the adjoining states, had
power to enforce the general laws of the
United States. In this condition of
things, I was quite reluctant to open
the lands to settlement, but in view of
the fact that the several thousand per
sons, many of them with their families,
had gathered upon the borders of the
Indian territory with a view of
securing homesteads on the ceded
lands. ' All that delay in
volved them in much loss
and suffering. I did on the 93d day of
March last, issue a proclamation declar
ing that the lands therein described
wmill be open to se til '
provisions of the law, on the 2fcd day of
April following, at 13 o'clock noon. Two
land districts had been established and
the offices were open for the transaction
of business when the appointed time ar
rived. It is much to the credit of the
settlers that they observed the limitation
as to the time when they might enter the
territory. Care will be taken that
those who entered in violation
of the law do not secure the advantage
they unfairly sought. It is estimated
that there now in the territory about 60,
)00 peoplo, and several con iderable
towns have sprung up, for which tem
porary municipal governments have been
organized. I very urgently recommend
that congress at once provide n terri
torial go eminent for these people. Seri
ous questions, which may at any time
lead to violent outbreaks, are awaiting
the institution of courts for their peace
ful adjustment. The American genius
for self government has been well illus
trated in Oklahoma, but it i3 neither
safe nor wise to leave these people longer
to the expedients which have temporari
ly served them.
In the administration of the land laws
the policy of facilitating in every proper
way the adjustment of the
Honest Claims of Individual Settler
on the public lands has been pursued.
The number of pending cases had, dar
ing the preceding administration, been
greatly increased under the operation of
orders for a time suspending final actio.x
in a large part of the cases originating in
the west and northwest, and by the sub
sequent use of unusual methods of ex
amination. Only those who are familiar
with the conditions under which our ag
ricultural lands have been settled can
appreciate the serious . and often fatal
consequences to the settler of a policy
that puts his title under suspicion or de
tail the issuance of his patent. While
ca.re is taken to prevent and
to expose fraud, it should
not be imputed without reason.
The mauifest purpose of the homestead
and pre-emption laws was to promote
the settlement of the public domain by
persons having a bona fide intent to
raakea home on the selected lands,
Wherethisiutentls well establishecTand
the requirements of th law have, been
substantially complied with, the claim
ant is entitled to a prompt and friendly
consideration of his case. But whore
there is reason to lelieve that the claim
ant is the mere agent of another, who is
seeking to evade the law intended to
promote small holdings and to secure by
fraudulent methods large tracts of tim
ber and other lands, both principal and
and agenty should not only be thwarted
in their fraudulent purpose, but should
be made to feel the full penalties of our
criminal statutes. -The laws should be
so administered as not to xnfound these
two classes, and to visit penalties only
upon the latter. The unsettled state of
the title to large bodies of lands in the
territories of
:" , Alaika.
We have fortunately not extended to
Alaska the mistaken i-licy of establish
ing reservations for be Indian tribes,
and can deal with tho ra rom the begin
ning as individuals with, I am sure, bet
ter results, But anj-dupojittcacf th
lueuium wesi or ine - .Mississippi river. ' vuiuuoieirom mis urucie.
public lauds and any regulations leading
to timber and to the fisheries should have
a kindly regard to their interests. Hav
ing no power to levy taxes the people of
Alaska are wholly dependent upon the
general government, to whose revenues
the seal fisheries make a large annual
contribution. An appropriation for te
ductions should neither be overlooked
nor stinted. The smallness of the popu
lation and the great distances betweeo
the settlements offer serious obstacles to
11 A 11;K n.". sv? 4VtA 1 1 311 Q 1 At swtAl
f0rin of government. . Perhaps the or
ganization of several sub-districts, with
a small municipal council of limited
powers for each, would be safe and use
ful. Attention is called in this connec
tion to suggestions of the secretary of
the treasury in relation to the establish
ment of another port of entry in Alaska
and of other needed customs facilities
and regulations.
New Mexico and Ariiona
has greatly retarded the growth of those
territories. Provisions should be made
by law for the prompt trial and final ad
justment before a judicial, tribunal or
commission of all claims based upon
Mexican grants. It is not just to an intel
ligent and enterprising people that their
peace should be disturbed and their
prosperity retarded by those old conten-,
tiona. I hope that differences of opinion
as to rneUiods may yield to the urgency
Pensions.
TTn law rmvidA a npnhinn for everv'1
Holdier and sailor who was mustered into;
the service of the United States during;'
the civil war and is now sunering iroin
wour.du or disease having an rigin ir ,
the service, and the line of duty two of
tliwiA napucuanr fnnta vir mnafwr and.
disability are usually susceptible of easy'
proof, but the third "origin in tlie eervice
is often difficult, and in many destrving."
cases impossible to establish. That y"
many of those who endured 4 the hata
ships of our most bloody and nrduona
campaigns are now disabl d from dis
eases that had a real but not traceable
origin in service we do not doubt. Be
sides those are another class composed B
men, many of whom served y an enlist
ment of the three full years and of re
enlisted veterans who added a fourth
year of service, who esqaped the casual
ties of battles and tho assaults of dis
ease, who were always ready for any de
tail, who were in every battle line of
their conimaiid, and were mustered out
in sound health and have since tho close
of the war, while fighti g with the samo
indomitable and iadependent spirit,
the contests of civil life, . been
overcome by disease or casualty.
I am not unaware that the pension roll
1 3 1 1 . 1 . 1
tuieauy mvuivea a very utrge unmuii ex
penditure, neither am I deterred by that
fact from recommending that congress
grant a pension to such honorably dis
charged soldiers and sailors of the civil
war as having rendered substantial ser
vice during the war are now - dependent
upon their own labor for a maintenance,
and by disease or casuality are incapaci
ated for earnings. Many of the men
who would be included in this form of
relief are now dependent upon public aid,
and it does not in my judgment consist
with the national honor that tltey shall
continue to subsist upon the local relief
given indiscriminately to paupers instead
of upon the special and generous pro
vision of the nation thev served so enl-
lantly and uiiselfishly. Our peopl e will,
I dm sure, very generally approve such
legislation, and I am equally 6ure that
the survivors of the Union ' arm and
navy will feel grateful sense of relief
when this worthy and suffering class of
their comrades are fairly cared for.
Therein some manifest qualities in exist
ing law that should be remembered. To
some of these the secretary of (he in
terior has called attention.
It is gratifying to be able to state that
on account of new and better methods
in the war department, the calls of the
pension office for information as to the
military and hospital records of pension
claimants, are now promptly answered,
and the injurious and vexatious delays
which have heretofore occurred are en
tirely avoided. This will greatly facil
itate the adjustment of all pending
claims.
The New States.
The advent of four new stites South
Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and
Washington into the union under t
constutition in tbe same month, and the
admission of their duly chosen repre
sentatives to our national congress at tho
same session, is an event as ufSampled
as it is interesting. The certilvutiun of
the votoo cast and of the constitution
adop'ed in each of the states was filed
with n- as required by the eighth sec
tion of the act of Feb. 23, 1889, by the
govt mors of 6aid territories respectively.
Having, after a careful examination,
found that the several constitutions and
governments were republican in form
and not repugnant to the Constitution of
the United States, that all the provisions
of the act of congress had been complied
with, and that a majority of votes cast
in each of said proposed states was in
favor of adoption of the constitution sub
mitted therein, I did so declare by a
separ. te proclamation as to each; as to
North Dakota and South Dakota x Sat
urday, Nov. a, as to Montana on Friday,
jnov. o, and as to Washington on Mon
day, Nov. 11. 4 '
. Relief for Railway Employes.
During the ye ar ending June .30, 1888,
over two thousand employes were killed
m service and more than twenty thou
sand injured. It m competent, I think,
for congress to require uniformity in the
construction of cars used in inter-state .
commerce and the use of improved safe
ty appliances upon such trains. Time
will be necessary to make the needed
changes, but an earnest and intelligent
beginning should be made at once.
The president recommends that the
weather service be separated from the
war department; says the creation of the
agricultural department was a wise
and timely response to a request long re
spectfully urged; commends the work of
the civil service reform commission, and
recommends a system of promotion lor
efficiency; recommends government aid
for educational purposes, to be used in
connection with social and state funds; .
pays a tribute to the colored race, and
says:
I earnestly invoke the attention of con
gress to the consideration of such meas-
ures, witn its wen aennea constitutional
powers as will secure to all our people a
free exercise of the right of suffrage and
every other civil right under the consti
tutions and laws of the United States.
No evil, however deplorable, can justify
the assumption, either on the Dart
of the executive or of congress,!
of powers not p ranted, but both will beJ
highly blameable if all the powers;
granted are not wisely but firmly used!
to correct these evils.
A recitation of the crippled condition
of our merchant marine and recommend-'
ations for its upbuilding olotf tat mtz:
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