The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-05

control of markets now supplied by our
home industries. There is good reason to
believe that the law restricting the immigra-
ton of Chinese has been violated intention
ally or otherwise, by the officials OF
China, upon whom is devolved the duty OF
certifying that the immigrants belong to the
excepted classes. Measures have been taken
to ascertain the facts incident to this sup
posed infraction, and it is believed that the
government of China will cooperate with
the United States in securing the faithful OBJ
servance of law. The same considerations
which prompted Congress, at its last session,
to return to Japan the Simoneshi indemnity,
seems to NE to require at its hands like
action in respect to the Canton indemnity
fund, now amounting to 100000
The question of the general revision of the
foreign treaties of Japan has been considered
in an international conference held at Toxic,
but without definite result as yet. This
government is disposed to concede
the requests of Japan to de-
termine its own tariff duties and
to provide such proper judicial tribunals as
may commend themselves to the western
powers for the trial of causes to which
foreigners are parties, and to assimilate the
terms and duration of its treaties to those OF
other civilized states
LIBERIA AND THE CONGO COUNTRY
Through our ministers at London and Mon
rovia this government has endeavored to aid
Liberia in its differences with Great Britain
touching the northwest boundaries OF that
republic. There is prospect Of adjustment
of the dispute by the adoption of the Mare
nah river as the line This arrangement is
compromise OF the conflicting territorial
claims, and takes from Liberia no country
over which it has main tanned eHectual juris-
diction.
The rich and populous valley of the Congo
is being opened to commerce DIV society
called the International African Association,
of which the King OF the Beigjans is the
president, and a citizen of the United States
the chief executive officer. Large tracts of
territory have been coded to the association
by native chiefs; roads have been opened;
steamboats, placed on the rivers, and the
nuclei of states established at twenty-five
stations under one flag, which offers freedom
to commerce and prohibits the slave trade.
The objects of the society are philanthropic;
it does not aim at permanent political con-
troll, but seeks the neutrality of the valley.
The United States cannot be Indifferent to
this work, nor to the interests of their citizens
involved in it. 1t may become advisable for
us to. cooperate with other commercial pow
ers in promoting the rights of trade and
residence in the Congo valley, free from the
interference or political control of any one
nation.
from foreign governments to participate in
social and scientific congresses for the dis
cussion of important matters of general con-
Germ, l repeat the suggestion of my last mes
sage. that provision be made for the exercise
of discretionary power by the executive in
appointing delegates to such conventions:
Specialists are ready to serve the national
interests in such capacity without personal
profit or other compensation than the de-
fragment of expenses actually incurred, and
this comparatively small annual approprl-
alton would suffice to meet. t.s. -.
COMMERCIAL RESTRICTIONS.
have alluded, In my previous message,
to the injurious and vexatious restrictions
suffered by our trade in the Spanish West
Indies and Brazil, whose natural outlet for
its great national staple, coffee, is in and
through the United States. These coun tries
impose heavy export duty upon that pro-
duct Our petroleum exports are ham,
pered in Turkey, and in other
eastern ports by restrictions as to storage,
and by onerous taxation. For these
mischiefs, adequate relief is not always af-
forded by reciprocity treaties like that with
Hawaii, or that lately negotiated with Mexico
and now awaiting the action of the Senate.
Is it not advisable to provide some measure
of equitable retaliation in relations
with governments which discriminate
against our own? If. for example, the ex-
ecutive were empowered to apply to Spanish
vessels and cargoes from Cuba and Porto
Rico the same rules of treatment and scale
of penalties for technical faults which are
applied to our vessels and cargoes in the An
titles, resort to that course might not be.
barren of good results.