Grover Cleveland: “Age and poverty do not themselves justify gifts of public money.”

I transmit herewith, in reply to the resolution of the Senate of January 23, 1897, a report from the Secretary of State, accompanied by copies of the correspondence therein requested, relating to the Nicaraguan Canal or the Maritime Canal…

A careful examination of this bill has convinced me that for the reasons given and others not specifically stated its provisions are unnecessarily harsh and oppressive.

The time is quite within recent memory when the same thing was said of immigrants who, with their descendants, are now numbered among our best citizens.

A radical departure from our national policy relating to immigration is here presented.