NEWS OF THE WEEK.
T' first Message of President Harrison to Congress was sent in on Tuesday, the 3rd inst., and is altogether in rose- 'colour. The Union has no serious quarrel on hand with any State, the " friction" with Canada is decreasing, and the dispute with Germany about Samoa has been satisfactorily settled. The Government will " cordially recognise " the Re- public of Brazil, " when the majority of the people signify their assent to it." The receipts of the last fiscal year have been £77,400,000, and the expenditure £65,915,000, thus leaving a surplus of £11,485,000, while the surplus of the current year will be £8,800,000. The President thinks these surpluses threaten the course of business, and would therefore increase the Navy, grant liberal subsidies to lines of ocean-steamers, and abolish the excise on tobacco, which yields £6,200,000 a year. He would maintain all protective duties, but take off duties on articles not competing with domestic products. He wishes also to protect "farm products," but does not indicate his method. He would also pass restrictive legislation against Trusts,—that is, monopolies, which, we may remark en passant, have just been declared illegal. We have commented on this Message elsewhere. It furnishes a remarkable proof of the '-ease with which a country without frontiers, and therefore without military expenditure or fear of invasion, may be governed.
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