CONGRESS. (PEESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



190 



markets, it is a matter of serious concern that the 

 want of means for participation in these exhibitions 

 should so often exclude our producers from ad- 

 vantages enjoyed by those of other countries. Dur- 

 ing the past year the attention of Congress was drawn 

 to the formal invitations in this regard tendered by 

 the Governments of England, Holland, Belgium, 

 Germany, and Austria. The Executive has in some 

 instances appointed honorary commissioners. This 

 is. however, a most unsatisfactory expedient, for 

 without some provision to meet the necessary ^ work- 

 ing expenses of a commission it can effect little or 

 nothing in behalf of exhibitors. An international in- 

 ventions exhibition is to be held in London next May. 

 This will cover a field of special importance.in which 

 our country holds a foremost rank, but the Executive 

 is at present powerless to organize a proper represen- 

 tation of our vast national interests in this direction. 



I have in several previous messages referred to this 

 subject. It seems to me that a statute, giving to the 

 Executive general discretionary authority to accept 

 such invitations, and to appoint honorary commis- 

 sioners, without salary, and placing at the disposal of 

 the Secretary of State a small fund for defraying their 

 reasonable expenses, would be of great public utility. 



This Government has received official notice that 

 the revised international regulations for preventing 

 collisions at sea have been adopted by all the leading 

 maritime powers except the United States and came 

 into force on the 1st of September last. For the due 

 protection of our shipping interests, the provisions of 

 our statutes should at once be brought into con- 

 formity with these regulations. 



The question of securing to authors, composers, and 

 artists copyright privileges in this country in return 

 for reciprocal rights abroad, is one that may justly 

 challenge your attention. It is true that conventions 

 will be necessary for fully accomplishing this result, 

 but, until Congress shall by .statute fix the extent to 

 which foreign holders of copyright shall be here privi- 

 leged, it has been deemed inadvisable to negotiate such 

 conventions. For this reason the United States were 

 not represented at the recent conference at Berne. 



.1 recommend that the scope of the neutrality laws 

 of the United States be so enlarged as to cover all 

 patent acts of hostility committed in our territory and 

 aimed against the peace of a friendly nation. Exist- 

 ing statutes prohibit the fitting out of armed expedi- 

 tions, and restrict the shipment of explosives, though 

 the enactments in the latter respect were not framed 

 with regard to international obligations, but simply 

 for the protection of passenger travel. All these stat- 

 utes were intended to meet special emergencies that 

 had already arisen. Other emergencies have arisen 

 since, and modern ingenuity supplies means for the 

 organization of hostilities without open resort to armed 

 vessels or to filibustering parties. 



I see no reason why overt preparations in this coun- 

 try for the commission of criminal acts, such as are 

 here under consideration, should not be alike punish- 

 able, whether such acts are intended to be committed 

 in our own country or in a foreign country with which 

 we are at peace. 



The prompt and thorough treatment of this ques- 

 tion is one which intimately concerns the national 

 honor. 



Our existing naturalization laws also need revision. 

 Those sections relating to persons residing within the 

 limits of the United States in 1795 and 1798 have now 

 only an historical interest. Section 2172 ? recognizing 

 the citizenship of the children of naturalized parents, 

 is ambiguous in its terms, and partly obsolete. There 

 are special provisions of law favoring the naturaliza- 

 tion of those who served in the army or in merchant 

 vessels, while no similar privileges are granted those 

 who serve in the navy or the Marine Corps. 



" A uniform rule of naturalization," such as the 

 Constitution contemplates, should, among other 

 things, clearly define the status of persons born with- 

 in the United States subject to a foreign power (K. S. 



sec. 1992), and of minor children of fathers who have 

 declared their intention to become citizens, but have 

 failed to perfect their naturalization. It might be wise 

 to provide for a central bureau of registry, wherein 

 should be filed authenticated transcripts ot every rec- 

 ord of naturalization in the several iederal and' State 

 courts, and to make provision also for the vacation or 

 cancellation of such record in cases where fraud had 

 been practiced upon the court by the applicant him- 

 self, or where he had renounced or forfeited his ac- 

 quired citizenship. A just and uniform law in this 

 respect would strengthen the hands of the Govern- 

 ment in protecting its citizens abroad, and would pave 

 the way for the conclusion of treaties of naturalization 

 with foreign countries. 



The legislation of the last session effected in the 

 diplomatic and consular service certain changes and 

 reductions which have been productive of embarrass- 

 ment. The population and commercial activity of our 

 country are steadily on the increase, and are giving 

 rise to new, vaiying, and oiten delicate relationships 

 with other countries. Our foreign establishment now 

 embraces nearly double the area of operations that it 

 occupied twenty years ago. The confinement of such 

 a service within the limits of expenditure then estab- 

 lished is not, it seems to me, in accordance with true 

 economy. A community of 60,000,000 of people should 

 be adequately represented in its intercourse with for- 

 eign nations. 



A project for the reorganization of the consular 

 service, and for recasting the scheme of extra-territo- 

 rial jurisdiction, is now before you. If the limits of 

 a short session will not allow of its full consideration, 

 I trust that you will not fail to make suitable provis- 

 ion for the present needs of the service. 



It has been customary to define in the appropriation 

 acts the rank of each diplomatic office to which, a sal- 

 ary is attached. I suggest that this course be aban- 

 doned, and that it be left to the President, with the 

 advice and consent of the Senate, to fix from tune to 

 time the diplomatic grade of the representatives of 

 this Government abroad as may seem advisable, pro- 

 vision being definitely made, however, as now, for the 

 amount of salary attached to the respective stations. 



The condition of our finances, and the operations of 

 the various branches of the public service which are 

 connected with the Treasury Department, are very 

 fully discussed in the report of the Secretary. 



It appears that the ordinary revenues for the fiscal 

 year ended June 30, 1884, were 



From customs $195,067.489 76 



From internal revenue 121,586,072 51 



From all other sources 31,866,307 65 



Total ordinary revenues $348,519,869 92 



The public expenditures during the same period 

 were 



For civil expenses $22.812,907 73 



For foreign intercourse 1,260,766 37 



For Indians 6,475,99929 



For pensions 55,429,22806 



For the military establishment, including river 



and harbor improvements and arsenals ... 89,429,60386 

 For the naval establishment, including ves- 

 sels machinery, and improvements at navy- 

 yards I. 17,292,601 44 



For miscellaneous expenditures, including 

 public buildings, light-houses, and collect- 

 ing the revenue 43,939,710 00 



For expenditures on account of the District 



of Columbia 8,407,049 62 



For interest on the public debt 54,578.378 48 



For the sinking fund 46,790,229 50 



Total ordinary expenditures $290,916,478 83 



Leaving a surplus of $57,608,396 09 



As compared with the preceding fiscal year, there 

 was a net decrease of over $21,000,000 in the amount 

 of expenditures. The aggregate receipts were less 

 than those of the year previous by about $54,000,000. 

 The falling off in revenue from customs made up 



