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Show ' ! THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. I , I . The President's message is at last be- , fore the people. It is somewhat lengthy, ' y . a thing necessary in such documents. The document is straightforward and j statesmanlike, and treats all subjects f 1 touched upon in a most comprehensive I j manner, Americans, in the "peace and f security of their prosperous and happy 1 home, are apt at times to think that our I , country is isolated and far removed from the world. The reading of a Presidential I message dispels ail such ideas, for then i we see that we are intimately connected with the nations of the earth. From the I strifos and ambitions of the nations of the I eartli we are happily isolated, and no I greater blessing can ever be vouchsafed the United States than a continuation of 1 such isolation. j , President Cleveland ha9 sought to , impress upon Congress and the country the wisdom of continuing that policy which will save us from "entangling alliances." '.' this it is not necessary I that the Mc doctrine be abandoned !: or that it be bo distorted as to put upon t he United States the burden of guaranteeing guarantee-ing the oblations, of every nature, of distant ami lovolutionary countries. The discussion over the Isthmus lines of !: transit during the past year have given rise to many false theories regarding the rights and duties f the American Government. Gov-ernment. The President has given no encouragement to any such false notions, ' but he calls the people back to the true and salutary duct i !.. of Monroe when lie says, "Our uJtjr the present instructs Ua to . Lv-s ourselves mainly to the deveioj'.'i nt of the vast resources of the greai ;:rea committed i to our charge, and to the cultivation . of the arts of peace within our borders, though jealously alert in previnting the ! ! American hemisphere froui being in- , volved in the political problems andcom- : ' plications of distant goverui oats." If a I - trans-Isthmian canal or ship rail ,vay is to : be constructed, it should le for the bene- I ' fit of the world, and far removed from ; the chance of domination by any one ! single Power. ' ' The message shows that the relations j : 1 of the Government to foreign Powers are ! eminently satisfactory. This is so com- I , mon a thing with the United States that the people fail to realize its full significance. signifi-cance. Even with China the relations of the Government are most cordial, alt hough the treatment which the subjects of that country have received here during the past few months has been such that f( t it might very easily have brought about i a rupture between the Government of I Pekin and the Government of Washing- I : ton. For this cordial relationship as ,: much credit is due China as the United States. The reference to thelCielv affair !is dignified, and such as to receive the approbation of all. ; Among other matters we may mention j i' is that part of the message which refers S i to the naturalization laws, laws of which f ' i advantage has too often been taken for i 't, unworthy purposes, and without any in- i : 3 v tention on the part of those who take ad- I . vantage, of them of becoming bona fide I , citizens. It is this that has brought about f the trouble in Germany over naturalized I : j Americans of German birth. The natu: i . . ralization laws need amendment in vari- f ; ' ous ways as pointed out by the President. I p j The matter of extradition is also an j j i important one, and one to which atten- I '4 tion should be given immediately. The j ! facility with which embezzlers and de- ' J 1 faulters escape punishment by a trip J to Canada is a scandal upon our f diplomacy. In ante-bellum days, I f; in the days when the country I . was a seething cauldron on ac- j count of the slavery question, t 1 ' Canada was a haven of rest for the t. - . . colored refugee and an asylum for the j I1! oppressed. To-day she is a place of I j f safety for the unworthy and the criminal. 1 j Extradition trealies should remedy this I ' state of affairs. The recommendations 1 1 in regard to the consular service are wise I y and timely, and the recommendations in I1 ? f . regard thereto should receive the favor- : , - " consideration of . Congress. One I . ' j . recommendation in particular is right. " j an( timely. We refer to the recommen- J ; dation that the duty on the paintings of 5 I ' - foreign artists be removed. The policy . ; of discontinuing the appointment of civil- I j, ians to lieutenancies in the army is wise ! y and proper. His discussion of the silver , question is both thorough and from the j j j right standpoint, and the conclusion he ? 1: 5 reaches in retrard to n. diamntinn-inoo n( I f j an enforced coinage of silver correct, as .'; j we look at the matter. It is.a knotty j q uestion, an 1 one that requires more exact I ' knowledge and a fuller appreciation of i I tlie laws of trade and commerce than al- ; ' I most any other question. The question ! t very nearly approaches true science, and I j to decide one way or the other requires ( ( . f lip mnef tit nnA lnirlonl rancnnSn Ti ! ;; is the foremost question of peace in all I I K commercial countries. ! ij ' All subjects touched upon are ably j i treated, and Bhow abreadth of view on . the part of the President that gives great I: Is hnj)c for the future prosperity and welfare !; of the conntr', and shows that the coun- 'i try has not misplaced its confidence. It shows the President to be the true suc- ! i ; cessor of the great men among his prede- I cessors. All who have filled the place he now occupies have not been great men. He is but beginning his career in . r a field where greatness can find its fullest I play, and it the close of that career shall , i be as auspicious and happy as its begin- j ' ning, then it will be one of which the t I American ieople may well feel proud, I aud will place Mr. Cleveland in the front , rank of statesmen. |