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VOL. XII. SALISBURY. N;C, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 71898; NO- 6. THE M President . HtKinleyV Address INTERESTING DOCUMENT UPON HftTIONAL TOPICS Kcrletv of the First Steps of the War Wrecking of tho Maine Rapt ore of Relations .Ilobson'g Yalor Peace Negotiations lilg Standing Army Recommended Annexation of Hawaii, Etc., Etc. Washington, Dec. 5. On the convening of congress today. President McKinley transmitted Lis annual mtssige, which follows: - . To the Senate and House of Representa tives: , ' Notwithstanding the added burdens rendered necessary by the war our people rejoice in a very satisfactory and steadily Increasing l?gree of prosperity evidenced ly,the greatest volume, of business ever recorded. Manufacture has been pro ductive, agricultural pursuits have yielded abundant returns, labor in the fields of industry is better rewarded, rev enue legislation passed by the present congress has increased the treasury's re-, feipts to the a,niount expected by its "au thors, the finances of the government have been successfully administered arid its credit advanced to the first rank, while Its currenc ha& been maintained at the xvn ld's highest standard. "Military service under a common flag Tor h righteous cause has strengthened the nat ional spirit and served to cement mora closely than ever the fraternal bonds between every section of the country. A review of the relations of the U ited States to other powers, always appropri ate, is this year of primary importance in view of the momentous issues which have arisen; demanding in one instance the ul timate determination by arms and involv ing farreaching consequences which will require the earnest attention of the con gress, i . First Steps In tho War In my last annual message very full consideration was given to the question of the duty of the government of the United States towards Spain and the Cu hia insurrection as being by far the most 'important problem wiuii which we were then called upon to deal. The considera tions then advanced and the exposition of the views therein expressed disclosed my f use of the extreme gravity of the situa tion. Setting aside as logicallv unfounded rrr practically advisable, the recognition of the independence of Cuba, neutral inter vention to end the war by imposing a ra tional compromise between the contest ants, intervention in favor of one or tho other party, and forcible annexation of the island, I .concluded it was honestly due to our frieudly relations with -Sp tin that she should be given a reasonable chance to realize hr expectations of re form to which she had become irrevoca bly c mmitted.. ' The ensuing month brought little sign 'Of real progress toward the pacification of Cuba. No tangible relief was afforded the vast number of unhappy reconcen trados despite the reiterated professions . made in that regard and the amount ap propriated by Spain to that end. By the end of December the mortality among them bad frightfully increased. Conserv ntivo estimates from Spanish sources placed the.deatbs among these distressed people at over 40 per cent from the time General Weyles decree of reconcentra tion was enforced. The war continued on the old footing without comprehensive plan, developing only the same spasmodic encounters, bar ren of strategic result,- that had marked the course Of the earlier ten years' rebel lion, as well as" the present insurrection from its start. No alternative save phys ical exhaustion of either combatant and therewithal the practical ruin of the island lay in sight, but how far distant no one could venture to conjecture. Dluwiiig Up of the Slalne. At this juncture, on Feb. 15, last, oc curred the destruction of the battleship Maine, while rightfully lying in the har bor of Havana, on a mission of interna tional courtesy and good will a catastro phe the suspicious nature and horror of which stirred the nation's heart Dro- fouudly. It is a striking evidence of the poise and sturdy good sense distinguish ing our national character that this shock ing blow, falling' upon our generous peo ple already deeply touched by preceding event's in Cuba, did not move them to au instant, desperate resolve to" tolerate no longer thejexistenee of a condition of dan ger and disorder at our doors that made possible such a deed by whomsoever wrought. Yet by instinct of justice pa tit uce prevailed and the nation anxiously awaited the result of the searching inves tigation at once set on foot. The finding of the naval board of inquiry established that the origin of the explosion was. ex ternal by rt submarine mine, and only halted through lack of positive testimony to fix the responsibility of its authorship. All these things carried conviction to the most thoughtful, even before, the finding of the naval court, that a crisis in our relations with Spain and toward Cuba was at hand. So strong was this belief that it needed but a brief executive suggestion to the congress to receive im mediate answer to the duty of making in stant provision for the possible and per haps speedily probable emergency of war and the remarkable, almost unique, spectacle was presented of a unanimous vote of both houses on March 9 appropri ating $"0,000,000 "for the national defense and for each and every purpose connected therewith, to be expended at the discre tion of the president." Still antmated by the hope of a peaceful solution and obeying the dictates of duty, no effort was spared to bring a speedy ending of the Cuban struggle. Grieved and disappointed at the barren outcome of my sincere endeavors to reach a practicable solution, I felt-itmy duty to remit the whole question to congress. The congress was asked" to authorize and empower the president to take measures to secure a full and final termination of hostilities between Spain and the people of Cuba. . After nine days of earnest deliberation, durinsr which the almost unanimous sen tient of your body was developed on every point save a to the expediency of coupling the proposed action with a for mal recognition of the republic of Cuba ine true and lawful trovernment of that island a proposition which failed of adop tion ine congress, oa April 19, by a 'vote of 42 to &5 in the senate and 311 to 6 in the house of representatives, passed the mem orable joint resolution declaring the peo ple of Cuba free and independent, de; manding that Spain at once relinquish autnority over the island and empowering the president to use the entire land and sea forces of the Dnited States to that end. This resolution was approved by tbje executive on the next day, April 20. A copy was at once communicated to the Spanish minister at this capital who forthwith announced that Discontinuance in Washington had thereby become im possible, and asked for bis passports, which were given him. Simultaneously with its communication to the Spanish minister. General Woodford, the Ameri can minister at Madrid, was telegraphed confirmation of the text of the joint reso lution and directed to communicate it to the government of Spain with the formal demand that it at once relinquish its au thority and government in the island of Cuba and withdraw its forces therefrom. Rupture of Relations. That demand, although, as above shown, officially made known to the Span ish envoy here, was not delivered at Mad rid. After the instructions reached Gen eral Woodford on the morning of April 31, but before he could present it, the Spanish minister of state notified him that ,upon the president's approval of the joint resolution, the Madrid government re garding the act as "equivalent to an evi dent declaration of war," had ordered its minister in Washington to withdraw, thereby breaking oft diplomatic relations between the two countries. General Wood ford thereupon demanded his passports and quitted Madrid the same day. Spain having thus denied, the demand of the United States and initiated that complete form of rupture of relations which attends a state of war, the execu tive powers authorized by the resolution were at once usee! by me to meet the en larged contingency of actual war between 1 sovereign states. By my message of April 25 the congress was informed of the situa tion and I recommended formal declara tion of the existence of a state of war be tween the United States and Spain.; The congress accordingly voted on. the same day the act approved April 25, 1898, de claring the existence of such war from and including April 21 and re-enacted the provision of the resolution of April 20 di recting the president to use all the armed forces of the nation to' carry that act into effect. . It is not within the province of this mes sage to narrate the history of the extraor dinary war that followed the Spanish declaration of April 21. but a brief recital of its more salient, features is apropos. The first encounter of the war in point of date took place Apfil27A.whW-a.. dstach ment of theTJlockading squadron made a j reconnoisance in force at Matanzas, shelled the harbor forts 'and demolished several ne v works in construction. The next engagement was destined to mark a memorable epoch in maritime warfare. The Pacific fleet under Commo dore George Dewey had lain for some weeks at Kong-Kong. Upon the colonial proclamation of neutrality being issued and the customary 24 hours notice being given, it repaired to Mirs bay near Hong Kong whence it proceeded to the Philip pine islands under telegraphic orders to capture or destroy the formidable Spanish fleet then assembled at Manila. At day break on the morning of May 1 the Amer ican force entered Manila bay and after a few hours engagement effected the total destruction of the Spanish fleet, consist ing of ten warships and a transport, be sides capturing the naval station and forts at Cavite, thus annihilating the Spanish naval power in the Pacific ocean and com pletely controlling the bay of Manila with the ability to take the city at will. Following the comprehensive scheme of general attack powerful forces were as sembled at various points on our coast to invade Cuba and Porto Rico. Meanwhile naval demonstrations were adopted at several exposed points. Young Hobson'a Brave Deed. The next acts of the war thrilled not only the hearts of our countrymen, but the world by its heroism., On the night of June 3 Lieutenant Ilohson. aided by seven devoted volunteers, blocked the nar row outlet at Santiago harbor, by sinking the collier Merrimac in the channel under a fierce fire from the shore batteries, es caping with their lives as by a miracle, but falling into the hands of the Span iards. They were subsequently exchanged. On June 22. the advance of the invading army under Major General Shafter landed at Daiquiri, about 15 miles east of Santi ago. Un July 1 a severe battle took place, our forces caining the outworks at Santi ago. On the second El Caney and San Juan were taken after a desperate charge an 1 the investment of the city completed. On the" dy following the brilliant achievement of our land force, July 3, oc curred the decisive battle of the warl The Spanish fleet, attempting to leave the harbor, was met by the American squad ron under command of Commodore Samp son. In less than three hours all the Spanish ships were destroyed, the two torpedo boats being sunk and the Maria Teresa, Almirante Oquendo, Viscaya and Cristobal Colon driven ashore. The Span ish admiral and over 1.300 men were taken prisoners, while the enemy's loss of life was deplorably large, some 630 perishing. On our side but one man was killed and one seriously wounded. With the catastrophe of Santiago Spain's power on the ocean virtually ceased. The capitulation, of Santiago followed. The occupation of Porto Rico became the next stragetic necessity. General Miles had previously been assigned to or ganize an expedition for that purpose. On July 27 he entered Ponce, one of the most important ports in the island, for which he thereafter directed operations for the capture of the island. The campaign was prosecuted with great vigor and by Aug. 12 much of the island was in our posses sion and the acquisition of the remainder was only a matter of a short time. Negotiations For Peace. I The annihilation of Admiral Cervera's fleet, followed by the capitulation of San- l tiaso. having brought to the cpamsh eor- ' ernment a realizing sense of the hopeless- ! ness of continuing a struggle now becom ' ing wholly unequal, it made overtures of , oeace through the rencn amoassaaor. ' On Auz. 12. M. Cambon, as the plenipo- - tentiary of Spain and the secretary of ' state as the plenipotentiary of the United States, signed a peace protocol and I ap pointed William R. Day, lately secretary of state, Cushman Davis. William P. Frye and George Gray, senators of th United States, and Whitelaw Reid to b the peace commissioners on the part of the United States.- Proceeding in du time to Pari", they there met on Oct 1 live commissioners similarly appointed b the paft of Spain. The negotiations bav made hopeful progress, so that I trust soon to be able to lay a definite treaty ol peace before the senate with a view of th bteps leading to its signature. I do not discuss at this time the govern ment or the future.of the hew possession which will coble to us as the result of thf war with Spain. Such discussion will bi appropriate after the treaty of peace.sball be ratified. In the meantime, and 'until 4 the congress has legislated otherwise, it will be my duty to continue the military governments Which have existed since oui occupation and give to the people security in life and property and encouragement under a just and beneficieut rule. As soon as we are iu possession of Cnba and have pacified the island it will .bt neeesstry to give aid and decisionto itf people to form a government of them selves. It should be undertaken at the earliest moment consistent with' safety and assured success. It is important that our relations with these people shall be ol tne most friendly character and our com mercial relations close and reciprocal. It should be our duty to assist in every proper way to build up the waste Cv'Sses of the island, encouraee . the industry ol the people and assist them to form a gov rtiment which shall be free and inde pendent, thus realizing the best aspira tions of the Cuban people. Spanish rule must be replaced by a just. benevblent .Mid humane government, created by the people of Cuba, capable of performing all international obligations, and Which thall ncourage thrift, industry and prosperity and promote peace and good will among all of the inhabitants, whatever may have been their relations in the past. Neither reveng - nor passion should have a place in. the new government. Until there is complete tranquility in the island and a stable government inaugurated military occupation will be contiuUed. With the exception of the rupture with Spain the intercourse of the United States with the great family of nations has been marked with cordiality and the close' of the event finds most of the issues that necessarily arise in the complex relations of sovereign, states adjusted or presenting no serious obstacle to a just and honor able solution by amicable agreement. The Lattlmer Tragedy. On Sept. 10, 1S97. a conflict took place at Lattimer, Pa., between a body of striking miners and the sheriff of Luzerne county and his deputies, in which 22 miners were killed and 44 wounded, of which ten of the killed and 12 of the wounded were Austrian and Hungarian subjects. This deplorable event naturally aroused the solicitude of the Austro-Hiingarian gov ernment, which on the presumption that the killing and wounding involved the un justifiable misuse of authority, claimed ill. ii nr - t, , t ,,, the searching investigation, and peremp tory action of the authorities of Pennsyl vania the federal executive took appro priate steps to learn the merits of the case in order to be in a position to meet the urgent complaint of a friendly power. The sheriff and his deputies, having been indicted for murder, were tried and ac quitted after protracted proceedings and the hearing of hundreds of witnesses on the ground that the killing was in the line of their official duty to uphold law and preserve public Order in the state. A representative of the department of jus tice attended the trial and reported its course fully. With all the facts in its pos session, t.his government expects to reach a harmonious understanding on the sub ject with that of AustroHungary, not withstanding the renewed claim of the atter after learning the result of the trial, for indemnity for its injured sub jects. " Nicaragua. Canal Proj-cr. The Nicarau'gua canal commisssion. un der the chairmanship of Rear AdmiraU jotin u. waiter, appointed July 24, 1897, under the authority of a provisiou in the sundry civil act of June 4 of that year, has nearly completed its labors, and the results of its exhaustive inquiry into the proper route, the feasibility and the cost of construction of an interoceanic canal by a Nicaraguan route will be laid before you. - -.' .. j As the scope of recent inquiry embraced the whole subject with the aim of making plans and surveys for a canal by the most convenient route, it necessarily included a review of the results of previous surveys and plans and in particular those adopted by the Maritime Canal company under its existing concessions from Nicaragua and) Costa Rico, so that to this extent those grants necessarily held an essential parti in the deliberations and conclusions of the canal commission as they have held and must needs hold in the discussion of the matter before congress. Under these cir cumstances and in viewpf overtures made to . the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica by other, parties for a new ca- u il concession predicated on the assumed approaching lapse of the contracts of the Maritime Canal company with those states I have not- hesitated to express my i ouviction that considerations of expedi ency and international policy as between the several governments interested in the construction and control of an inter oceanic canal by this route require tho m untainance of the status quo until the canal commission shall have reported and the United States congress shall have had lan opportunity to p iss finally upon the whole matter, without prejudice by rea son of. any change in the existing condi tions. I All these circumstances suggest the ur gency of some definite action by the con gress at this session if its labors of the past are to be utilized and the linking ol the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by a prac tical waterway is to be realized. That thd construction of such a maritime highway is now more than ever indispensable to that intimate and ready intercommunica tion between our eastern and western sea- l.-oards demanded by the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands and the prospective expansion of our influence and commerce in the Pacific and that our national policy now more.imperatively than ever calls for its control by this government, are propo sitions wmcn l aouot net the congress will duly appreciate and wisely act upon, i The Partition of China. The United States has not been an In. different spectator of the extraordinary events transpiring in the Chinese empire. whereby portions ol its maritime pro vinces are passing under the control of various European powers, but the pros twt that the vast commerce which th energy of our citizens and the necessity of our staole production for Chinese nses has built up in these regions may not fef prejudiced through any exclusive treat ment by the new occupants has obviated the need of oar country becoming an actor in the scene. ( Our position among nations having a large. Paeifie coast knd a constantly ex panding direct iraje with the farther Orient, gives us tlib equitable claim to consideration and (friendly treatment in this'regard and it will be my aim to sub serve our large interests in that quarter by all means appropriate to the constant policy of our government. The territories of Kiao Chow; of Wet Hal-Wei add Of Port Arthur and Talienian. leased to Ger "many. Great Britainiand Russia respect ively for terms of tears, will, it is an nounced, be open ti international com merce during such alien occupation, and if no -discriminating treatment of Ameri can citizens and their trade be found to exist or be hereafter developed, the desire of this government would appear to' be realized. Meanwhile there may be just ground for disquietude in view cf the un rest and revival of the old sentiment of .opposition and prejudice to alien people which pervades certain of the Chinese provinces. As in the case of the attacks upon our citizens in Szechuatt and at Kulien in 1895, the United States minister has been instructed to secure the fullest measure of protection, both local-and im perial, for any menaced American inter ests and to demand, in case of lawless in jury to p?rson or prpperty, instant repara-? tion appropriate to the case. Warships have been stationed at Tien-Tsin for more ready observation of the disorders which have invaded the Chinese capital, so as to be in a position to act should need arise, while a guard of marines has been sent to Peking to afford the minister the same measure of authoritative protection as the representatives of other nations have been constrained to employ.. The French Exposition. There is now every prospect that the participation of the United States in the universal exposition to be held in Paris in 1900 will be on a scale Commensurate with the advanced position held by our pro ducts and industries in the world's chief markets. The preliminary report of Moses P. Handy, who, under the act approved July 19. 1897. was appointed special com missioner with a view ' to securing all at tainable information necessary to a full and complete understanding by congress In regard to the participation of this gov ernment in the Paris" exposition, was laid before you by my message of Dec. 6, 1S97, and showed the large opportunities to make known our. national progress In manufactures, as well as the urgent need of immediate and adequate provision to enable due advantage thereof to be taken. Mr. Handy's death, soon afterward ren dered it necessary for another to take up and complete the unfinished work, and on Jan. 11 last Mr. Thomas W. Criiler, third assistant secretary of -state, was desig nated to fulfill. that task. By-a provision in the sundry eivil appropriation act of July 1, 1998, a sum not to exceed $650,000 was allotted for t he organization of a com- and installation of American "exhibits and for the display of suitable exhibits by the several executive departments, particu larly by the department of agriculture, the fish commission and the Smithsonian institution, in representation of the gov ernment of the United States. Pursu ant to that enactment, I appointed Mr. Ferdinand W. Peck- of Chicago commis sioner general, with an assistant commis sioner general and secretary. Mr. Peck at once proceeded to Paris, where his suc cess in enlarging the scope and variety of the United States exhibit has been most gratifying. Notwithstanding the com-" paratively limited area of the exposition site less than one half that of the World's Fair at Chicago the space assigned to the United States has beeu increased from the absolute allotment of 157,403 square feet reported by Mr. Handy to some 202, 000 square" feet, with corresponding aug mentation of the field for a" truly charac teristic representation of the various im portant branches of our country's devel opment. Mr. Peck's report will be laid before you. In my judgment its recom mendations will call foryour early con sideration, especially as regards an in crease of the appropriation to at least H.OOO.OOO in all, so that not only may the assigned space be fully taken up by the best "possible exhibits in every class, but the preparation and installment be on so perfect a scale as to rank among the first in that unparalleled competition of artis tic and inventive production and thus counterbalance the disadvantages with which' we start as compared with other countries whose appropriations are on a more generous scale and whose prepara tions are in a state of much greater for wardness than our own. Annexation of Hawaii. Pending consideration by the senate of the treaty signed June 16, 1837. by the plenipotentiaries of the United States and of the republic of Hawaii, providing for the annexation of the islands, a joint Reso lution to accomplish the same purpose by accepting the offered cession and incorpo rating the ceded territory into the Union was adopted by the congress and approved July 7, 1898. I thereupon directed the United States steamer Philadelphia to convey Rear Admiral Miller to Honolulu and entrusted to his hands this important legislative.net to be delivered to the presi dent of the republic of Hawaii, with whom the admiral and the United States minis ter were authorized to make appropriate arrangements for transferring the islands to the United States. This was simply but impressively accomplished on Au '. 12 bv the delivery of a certified copy of the resolution to President Dole, who thereupon yielded up to the representa tives of the government of the United States the sovereignty and the public property of the Hawaiian Islands. Pursuant to the terms of the joint reso lution and in exercise of the authority thereby conferred upon me. I directed that the civil, judicial and military pow ers theretofore exercised by the officers of the government of the republic of Hawaii should continue to be exercised by those officers until congress shall provide a gov ernment for the incorporated territory, subject to my power to remove such offi cers and to fill vacancies. 1 be president, officers and troops of the republic there upon look the oath of allegiance to the Unitd States, thus providing for the uu interrupied continuances of all the admin istrative and municipal functions of the snnexed territory until congress shall otherwise enact. Following the further provision of the ioint resolution I appointed the Hons. Shelby M. Cullom of Illinois, John T. Morgan of Alabama. Robert R, Hitt of Illinois San ford B. Dole of Hawaii and Walter F. Frear of Hawaii as commission ;rs to confer and recommend to congress mnh luiftltirtn ittvncerninir the Hawaiian Islands as they should deem necesaaf j" or proper. " . . ,:..:".-" " . - - The commissioners having fulfilled the mission confided - to them their work will be laid before you at an early day. It is believed that their recommendations will have the earnest . consideration due to the magnitude of the responsibility resting upon yon to give such shape to the rela tionship of those midpacific lands to our home Union as will benefit . both in the highest degree, realizing the aspirations of the community that has cast its lot With us and elected to share ear political heritage while at the same tittle justify ing the foresight of those who' fof three quarters of a century have looked to the assimilation of Hawaii as a natural and inevitable consummation In harmony with our needs and in fulfillment of our cherished traditions; Under the provisions of the joint resolu tions the existing customs relations oi the Hawaiian Islands with the United States and with other countries remain unchanged until legislation shall other wise provide. The consuls of Hawaii, here and in foreign countries continue to fulfill their commercial agencies, while the United States consulate at Honolulu is maintained for all proper - services per taining to trade and revenue. It would be desirable that all foreign consuls in the Hawaiian Islands should receive new ex equaters from this government. Czar's Disarmament Plan. The proposal of the Russian czar for a general reduction of the vast military es tablishments that weigh so heavily upon many peoples in time of peace Was re cently communicated to this government With ah earnest invitation to be repre sented iti . the conference which it is con templated to assemble With a view to dis cussing the means of accomplishing so de sirable a result. His majesty was at once informed of the cordial sympathy of this government with the principle involved in his exalted proposal and of the readiness of the United States to take part in the conference. The aetive military force of the United States as measured by otir popUlatidn, territorial area and taxable wealth, is and under any conceivable prospective condi tions must continue to be in time of peace so conspicuously less than that of the armed powers to whom the czar's appeal is especially addressed that the question can have for us no practical importance save as marking an auspicious step to ward the betterment of the condition of the modern peoples and the cultivation of peace and good will among them, but in this View it behooves us as a nation to lend countenance and aid to the benefi cent project. ' The Currency Question The secretary of the treasury reports that the receipts of the government trp all sources during the fiscal year eued June 30, 1898, . including tS4, 75123 re ceived from sale of Pacific railroads. amounted to $405,321,335 and its expendi tures to $443,368 582. There was collected from customs $149,575,062 and from.m ternal revenue $170,900,641. Our dntiable crease of $58,156,690 over the preceding year, and . importations of . -duty amounted to $291,414,175. a decrease from the preceding year of $90,524,063 Internal revenue receipts exceeded those of the preceding year by $24,212,068. The total tax collected on 'distilled spirits was $92,546,999, on manufactured tobacco $36,230,522 and on fermented iquors $39,515,421. We exported mer chandise during the year amounting to $l,23l.482',330, an Increase of $180,488,774 from the preceding year. It is estimated upon the basis of present revenue laws that the receipts from the government for the year ending June 30, 1899, will be $577,874,607 and its expendi tures $630 474.647, resulting in a deficiency of $li2,00$000. On Dec. 1, 1898, there was held in the treasury gold .coin amounting to $138,441,547. gold bullion amounting to $130,502,545, silver bullion amounting to $93,359,250 and other forms of money amounting to $451,963,981. On the same date the amount of money of all kinds in circulation or not included In treasury holdings was $1,868,879,509, an ncrease for the year of $165.794;966. Esti mating our population at 75,194,000 at the time mentioned the per capita circulation was $25.09. On the same date there was in the treas ury gold, bunion amounting to io,ouzt &45. . . The provisions made for strengthening the resources of the treasury in connec tion with the war has given increased confidence in the purpose and the power of the government to maintain the present standard both established more firmly than ever the national credit at home and abroad. A 'marked evidence of this is found in the inflow of gold to the treas ury. Its net gold" holdings on Nov. 1, 1898, were $239,8S5,160 as compared with 153.573,147 on Nov. 1. 1897, and an in crease of net cash of $2j7,756,lfe0 Nov. 1, 1897, to $300,238,275 Nov. 1, 1898. The pres tht ratio of net treasury gold outstanding government liabilities including United States notes, treasury notes of 1896, silver certificates, standard silver dollars and fractional silver coin Nov. 4, 1898, wag 25.35 per cent as compared " with 16.96 per cent Nov. 1, 1897. ' Redemption of Notes. I renew so much of my recommendation of December, 1897, as follows. 'That when any of the United States notes are presented for redemption in gold and are redeemed in gold such notes shall be kept and set apart and only paid out in exchange for gold. This is an obvious duty. 'If the holder of the United btates note prefers the gold and gets it from the government, he should not receive back from the government a United States note without paying gold in exchange .for it. The reason for this is made all the more annarent when the government issues an interest bearing debt to provide gold fox the redemption of United Seatrs notes a npninterest bearing debt. Surely it should not pay them out again except onr de mand and for gold. If they are put la any other way they may return again, to bj followed by another bond issue to redeem I bem another interest bearing debt tore- deem a noninterest bearing debt." Th s recommendation was made in the belief that such provisions of law would insure a greater degree the safety of the L present standard and better protect onr rnmncr from the dangers to wmcn it is subjected from a disturbance in the gen eral business conditions of the country. In my judgment the present condition of the treasury amply justifies the imme diate enactment of the legislation recom mended one vear aeo. under which a por tion of the gold holdings should be placed in a trust fund, from which greenbacks should be redeemed upon presentation, but when once redeemed should not there after be paid out except for gold. It is not to be inferred that other legis atioa relating f our currency is not re quired: on the contrary, inrr is an od vioul demand for ItT'j - - - .. ' The importance' ot adequate provision which will insure. to our f Qtafe m money standard, related as our money standard now is to that of our commercial rivals, is generally recognized. The companion proposition that our domestic pa-per cur rency shall be kept safe and yet be so re lated id th seeds of our industries and internal commerce as to b . adequate and responsive to such needs is a proposition scarcely less important. The subject, in all its parts, is commended -to the wise consideration of the congress. For a B?g Standing Army. Under the act of congress approved April 28,1898 authorizing president, in his discretion, "upon a declaration of war by congress, or a declaration by con gress that war exists,"1 directed the in crease' of the regular army to the maxi mum of 62,009, authdriied in said act. There are now in th regular army 57, 862 officers and men. In said act it was provided 'that at the end of any War in which the United States may become in volved the army shall be reduced to a peace basis by the transfer of the same arm of the service or absorption by pro motion or honorable discharge under such regulations as the secretary of war may establish of supernumerary commissioned officers and the honorable discharge or the transfer of supernumerary enlisted men, and nothing contained in this act shall be construed as authoring the permanent in crease of the commissioned or enlisted force of the regular army beyond that how provided by the law in force prior to the passage of this act, except as to the increase of 25 majors provided for in sec tion 1 hereof." . " The importance of legislation for the permanent increase of the army is there i fore manifest and the recommendation the secretary of war for that purpose h my unqualified approval. There can e no question that at this time and probacy for some time in the future 100,000 men will be none too many to meet the necesi; ties of the situation. At all ,rnt: whether that number shall be rtquired? permanently or not, the power should be given to the president to enli' that force if in his discretion it shouR be necessary, and the further discretion should be given him to recruit for tb' "my within the above limit from tH Inhabitants of the islands with the pivernment of which we are charged. - - It is my piitt86 to muster out the en tire Volunteyf army as soon as the con gress shaUProyide for the increase of the regular establishment. This will be only an act6i justice and will be much appre ciated by the brave men who left their hvtnes and employment to help the coun try in its emergency. Washington's Centennial. . In the year 1900 will occur the centen nial anniversary of the founding of the city of Washington for the permanent capital of the government of the United Btates by authority of an act of congress approved July 16, 1790. In May 1800 the Archives and general offices of the fed eral govern menw removed to this place. On STov. 17, 1800, thenailonal o Kress met here for the first time and as sumed exclusive control of the federal dis trict and city.' This interesting event as sumes all the more significance whenwi recall the MrfMimatjinnx ott tafftho choosing of the site,-the naming of the . . i . .1.' . i capiLai in nonor ol lue.iaiuer ol ujb cuuu try and the interest taken by him in the tion for this purpose and the appointment of a committee from its respective bodies. t might also be advisable - to authorize the president to appoint a committee from the country at large, which, acting with the congressional and ' District of Col urn' bia committees, can complete the plans for an appropriate national celebration. Pension Statistics. There were on the pension rolls on June 80, 1898, 993,714 names, an increase of nearly 18,000. over the number of the rolls for the same day of the preceding year. The amount appropriated by the act of Dec. 22, 1896, for the payment of pensions for the fiscal year 1898 was $140,000,000. By the act of March 31, 1898, $3,070,872.46 was appropriated toover deficiencies in army pensions and repayments in the sum of $12,020.35, making a total ot 1148,- 082,892.79 available for the payment ot pensions during the fiscal year 1893. lue amount disbursed from that sum was $144,651,879.80, leaving a balance of $3,431, 012.99 unexpended on June 30, 189i, which was covered into the treasury. There were 389 men added ..to the rolls during the year by special acts at the sec ond session" of the Fifty-fifth congress, making a total of 6,486 pensioners by con gressional enactments since 186L' Supreme Courtroom. I deem it my duty to call to the atten tion of congress the condition of the pres ent building occupied by the department of justice. A proper regard for the safety, comfort and convenience of the officers and employes would, justify the expend!, ture of a liberal sum of ' money in the erection of a new building. The Twelfth Census. I earnestly urge noon congress the im portance of early legislation providing for the taking of the twelfth census. This is necessary in view of the large amount of work which must be performed in the preparations of schedules preparatory to the enumeration of the population. Admiral and Vice Admiral. I join with the secretary of the navy In recommending that the grades of admiral and vice admiral be temporarily revived. to be filled by officers who have specially distinguished themselves In the war with Spain. - - Allen Contract Law. The alien contract law Is shown by ex perience to need some amendment; a measure providing better protection for seamen is proposed: the rightful applica tion of the 8-hour law for the benefit of labor and of the principle of arbitration are suggested for consideration and I com mend these subjects to the careful atten tion of the congress. The several departmental reports will be laid before you. They give in great detail the conduct of the affairs of the government during the year past and dis cuss many questions upon which the con gress may be called npon.to act. Signed.) WllXIAM McKlXIJJT. Executive Mansion, Defc. 5, 1S8. J)o you traht art up-to-date, live newspaper one that trill keep you posted on affair at homeland abroad? You will answer the question affirma tively by sending us your name and subscription for this paper for a year or at least nix months." ' "'.-'. -' '". f ' - S0LO5S REASSEMBLE ANlBEQIN BUSINESS AT THE OISTAKD. THE -PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 'READ: The Opening of thefesloa Wm Un4r Ci ream stances of Jbasnsl Public In- tcmt-Aa OriioB to Whler. AWashingtonspecial says: Congress reassembled tJ noon Monday under circumstancefjof unusual publio inter est. The b6J congress six months .ago declar irar "gainst Spain, and now, witr war fought and won, it came tether again for the first legis lative onsideration of the questions ed by the eventful months just ; - ' -I i were more than ,the usual t ii.i! t.-.v nnlDer OI aisunguisneu personages he thronged galleries, including ny" representatives of foreign gov- ements, high officials and ladies and rntlemen conepicnons in social and rfolitical life. 1W greetings of the. numbers were most cordial, and there fZaa nnnntrrnnninff of Partisan rauCOr " - . VI o . to man the occasion. One! of the most striking incidents was the cordial meeting between the floor leaders of the respective . sides, jifessrs. Dingley and Bailey. In view of the gossip about the possibility of , Mr. Bailey being deposed as the mi nority leader, it is significant that the speaker named Mr. Bailey as the mi nority member of the committee to wait7 upon the president, an honor always bestowed upon the recognized leader of the minority. Speaker Reed received a warm wel come from both sides of the house' when he ascended the rostrum to call the house to order. , - But perhaps the greatest personal ovation to any member was that given to Major General Wheeler, of Ala bama, who has not been seen by many of his colleagues since he Went to the front at the head of the cavalry divis ion of General Shafter's army.. The floral tributes were unusually numerous and made the hall a verita ble bower of beautiful flowers. ' The Droceedings themselves were) : dur all interest centering in the read '" 'J the president's message? JTct two hours the clerk droned through the long document, but interest never flagged. the 4 The resident's review of the cause leading up to the war, the .manner iuV wbich the preparations for hostilities wereTnJnldLjlie succession of vi tories on land ana feearwm t-ua toC with rapt attention. The , other pro visions of the message were f otto wed with almost as much interest. There was no expression of approval or dis approval through the reading. As soon as the reading was conclud ed the message was ordered printed, and then, at 3:50 house adjourned. - o'clock p. m , the IJT THE SENATE. When the senate convened Monday to begin the doting session of the fifty-sixth congress tho chamber pre sented a notable and beautiful appear ance. By 11 o'clock the public and private galleries were filled almost to their capacity with a distinguished as semblage, including many ladies in brilliant attire. On the floor of tho senate the dis play of flowers was unusually beauti ful, even for the opening day of a ses sion of congress. The memorable scenes enacted in the chamber during the last session and the momentous events that have occurred since con gress last adjourned created a feeling of intense expectancy on the part of both the spectators and the members of the senate. The reading of the president's mes sage was received with very careful attention for an hour, bnt after that the senators drifted to the cloakroom, where thev could peruse the message at their leisure in the printed copies which they had been furnished. The reading of the message occu pied two hours and eighteen, minutes and not the slightest demonstration occurred. At 3:15 o'clock p. m., after the in troduction of a few unimportant bills and resolutions, the senate adjourned. GAGE'S ESTIMATES Of appropriatloas Iiqnired For the Ser- vice Tot West Two Tears. In conformity with the requirements of law, the-secretary of the treasury transmitted .to congress Monday the estimates of appropriations required for the service for the fiscal year end ing June 30, 1900, as furnished by the oTprntive departments. These estimates, including permanent an nual appropriations, agarregate $593, 048,378, as against $802,875,513, the i amount of the appropriations, inclnd intr deficiencies and miscellaneous, for tue nscai year, otff v'. RH 97Q pa ,. 885. the amount of estimates for 1899. f-W" ( TO INVESTIGATE WAR. CoBCTMiBIM alll Ol ' - trodaces a Resolution In the Itouse. A Washington dispatch, ssys; Rep resentative Sulzer, of New York, rank ing democratic member of the. bouse committee on military affairs, intro duced a resolution , at the first day'a session "authorizing and directing the committee on military affairs to inves tigate the war department und the con duet of the bpamsh-Amencan war ' A V I . OA H " M erf -J. 1 r
Salisbury Globe (Salisbury, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 7, 1898, edition 1
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