190 



CONGRESS. (SHIPBUILDING.) 



should determine the result, it is not too much to say 

 that the public peace might be seriously and widely 

 endangered. 



1 have alluded to the " gerrymander " as affecting 

 the method of selecting electors of President by 

 congressional districts, but the primary intent and 

 effect of this form of political robbery have relation to 

 the selection of members of the House of Representa- 

 tives. The power of Congress is ample to deal with 

 this threatening and intolerable abuse. The unfail- 

 ing test of sincerity in election reform will be found 

 in a willingness to confer as to remedies, and to put 

 into force such measures as will most effectually pre- 

 serve the right of the people to free and equal repre- 

 sentation. 



An attempt was made in the last Congress to bring 

 to bear the constitutional powers of the General Gov- 

 ernment for the correction of frauds against the suf- 

 frage. It is important to know whether the opposition 

 to such measures is really vested in particular features 

 supposed to be objectionable or includes any propo- 

 sition to give to the election laws of the United States 

 adequacy to the correction of grave and acknowledged 

 evils. I must yet entertain the hope that it is possible 

 to secure a calm, patriotic consideration of such con- 

 stitutional or statutory changes as may be necessary 

 to secure the choice of the officers of the Government 

 to the people by fair apportionments and free elec- 

 tions. 



I believe it would be possible to constitute a com- 

 mission, non-partisan in its membership and com- 

 posed of patriotic, wise, and impartial men, to whom 

 a consideration of the question of the evils connected 

 with our election system and methods might be com- 

 mitted with a good prospect of securing unanimity in 

 some plan for removing or mitigating those evils. 

 The Constitution would permit the selection of the 

 commission to be vested in the Supreme Court, if that 

 method would give the best guarantee of impartiality. 



This commission should be charged with the duty 

 of inquiring into the whole subject of the law of elec- 

 tions as related to the choice of officers of the National 

 Government, with a view to securing to every elector 

 a free and unmolested exercise of the suffrage and as 

 near an approach to an equality of value in each bal- 

 lot cast as is attainable. 



While the policies of the General Government upon 

 the tariff, upon the restoration of our merchant marine, 

 upon river and harbor improvements, and other 

 such matters of grave and general concern are liable 

 to be turned this way or that by the results of con- 

 gressional elections, and administrative policies, 

 sometimes involving issues that tend to peace or war, 

 to be turned this way or that by the results of a 

 presidential election, there is a rightful interest in all 

 the States and in every congressional district that 

 will not be deceived or silenced by the audacious 

 pretense that the question of the right of any body of 

 legal voters in any State or in any congressional dis- 

 trict to give their suffrages freely upon these general 

 questions is a matter only of local concern or control. 

 The demand that the limitations of suffrage shall be 

 found in the law, and only there, is a just demand, 

 and no just man should resent or resist it. My ap- 

 peal is, and must continue to be, for a consultation 

 that shall "proceed with candor, calmness, and pa- 

 tience upon the lines of justice and humanity, not of 

 prejudice and cruelty." 



To the consideration of these very grave questions 

 I invite not only the attention of Congress, but that 

 of all patriotic citizens. We must not entertain the 

 delusion that our people have ceased to regard a free 

 ballot and equal representation as the price of their 

 allegiance to laws and to civil magistrates. 



I liave been greatly rejoiced to notice many evi- 

 dences of the increased unification of our people and 

 of a revived national spirit. The vista that now 

 opens to us is wider and more glorious than ever be- 

 fore. Gratification and amazement struggle for su- 

 premacy as we contemplate the population, wealth, 

 and moral strength of our country. A trust, momen- 



tous in its influence upon our people and upon the 

 world, is for a brief time committed to us, and we 

 must not be faithless to its first condition the de- 

 fense of the free and equal influence of the people in 

 the choice of public officers and in the control of 

 public affairs. BENJ. HAKKISON. 



EXECUTIVE MANSION, Dec. 9, 1891. 



Though several topics of great interest were 

 discussed during the session, very few measures 

 of importance became laws. 



Shipbuilding'. The following measure "to 

 encourage American shipbuilding " was passed 

 by the House of Representatives, May 2, 1892 : 



Be it enacted, etc., That the Secretary of the Treasury 

 is hereby authorized and directed to grant registers, 

 as vessels of the United States, to such foreign- 

 built steamships now engaged in freight and passen- 

 ger business, and sailing in an established line from 

 a port in the United States, as are of a tonnage of not 

 less than 8,000 tons, and capable of a speed of not less 

 than 20 knots per hour, according to tho existing 

 method of Government test for speed, of which 

 not less than 90 per cent, of the shares of the capital 

 of the foreign corporation or association owning the 

 same was owned Jan. 1, 1890, and has continued to 

 be owned until the passage of this act by citizens of 

 the United States, including as such citizens corpora- 

 tions created under the laws of any of the States 

 thereof, upon the American owners of such majority 

 interest obtaining a full and complete transfer and 

 title to such steamships from the foreign corporations 

 owning the same : Provided, That such American 

 owners shall, subsequent to the date of this law, have 

 built, or have contracted to build, in American ship- 

 yards, steamships of an aggregate tonnage of not less 

 m amount than that of the steamships so admitted to 

 registry. Each steamship so built or contracted for 

 to DC of a tonnage of not less than 7,000 tons. 



SEC. 2. That the Secretary of the Treasury, on be- 

 ing satisfied that such steamships BO acquired by 

 American citizens, or by such corporation or corpora- 

 tions as above set forth, are such as come within the 

 provisions of this act, and that the American owners 

 of such steamships, for which an American registry 

 is to be granted under the provisions hereof, have 

 built or contracted to build in American shipyards 

 steamships of an aggregate tonnage as set forth in the 

 first section hereof, shall direct the bills of sale or 

 transfer of the foreign-built steamships so acquired 

 to be recorded in the office of the collector of customs 

 of the proper collection district, and cause such 

 steamships to be registered as vessels of the United 

 States by said collector. After which, each of such 

 vessels shall be entitled to all the rights and privi- 

 leges of a vessel of the United States, except that it 

 shall not be employed in the coastwise trade of the 

 United States. 



SEC. 3. That no further or other inspection shall 

 be required for the said steamship or steamships 

 than is now required for foreign steamships carrying 



Eassengers under the existing laws of the United 

 tates, and that a special certificate of inspection may 

 be issued for each steamship registered under this 

 act; and that before issuing the registry to any such 

 steamship as a vessel of the United States the col- 

 lector of customs of the proper collection district shall 

 cause such steamship to be measured and described 

 in accordance with the laws of the United States, 

 which measurement and description shall be recited in 

 the certificate of registry to be issued under this act. 

 SEC. 4. That any steamships so registered under 

 the provisions of this act may be taken and used by 

 the United States as cruisers or transports upon 

 payment to the owners of the fair actual value of the 

 same at the time of the taking ; and if there shall be a 

 disagreement as to the fair actual value at the time of 

 taking between the United States and the owners, 

 then the same shall be determined, by two impartial 

 appraisers, one to be appointed by' each of said par- 



