The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-12-04

been COnCluQeu Wn1cn auCnOrlZeS the con
sruction bv the United States Of canal
railway and telegraph line across the Mica
raguan territory. BY the terms of thi!
treaty sixty miles of the river San Juan, a.
well as the Lake Nicaragua. an inland sea
forty miles in width, are to con
stitrte a part of the projected enterprise
This covers for actual canal construction
seventeen miles on the Pacific side and thir
ty-six miles on the Atlantic. To the United
States. whose rich territory on the Pacific is
for the ordinary purposes OF commerce
practically cut off from communication BY
water with Atlantic ports. the political anC
commercial advantages of such project car
scarcely be overestimated. 1t is believed
that when the treaty is laid before you the
justice and libelality of its provisions vii
command universal approval at home anc
abroad The death of our representative al
Russia, while at his post at St Petersburg
afforded to the imperial government re-
newed opportunity to testify its sympa
thy in a manner BETTING the intimate
friendliness which has ever marked
the intercourse of the two countries
The course of the government in raising its
representative at Bangkok to the diplomatic
rank has evoked from Siam evidences OF
warm friendship The Siamese government
has presented to the United States a commo
dious mansion and grounds for the occu-
pancy of the legation, and l suggest that
by joint resolution congress attest its appre.
cation OF this generous gift This govern
ment has more than once been called on OF
late to take action in fultillment OF interna
tional Obligation toward Spain, agitation in
THE ISLAND OF CUBA
hostile to the Spanish crown having been
fermented by persons abusing the sacred
right of hospitality which our territory
affords The officers of the government
have been instructed TO exercise vigilance to
prevent infractions of our neutrality laws at
-g0r 1r%n +1Npr ,1Ho,,
coast I am happy to say that in the only
instance where these precautionary measures
were successfully eluded, the offenders when
found in our territory were subsequently
tried and convicted The growing need of
close relationship of intercourse and traffic
between the Spanish Antilles and their nat
ural market in the United States led to the
adoption, In January last. OF commercial
agreement looking TO that end This agree
ment has since been superseded by more
carefully framed and comprehensive con-
vention, which l shall subject to the senate
for approval. 1t has been the aim of this
negotiation to open such favored reciprocal
exchange of production carried on under the
flag of either country as TO make the inter
course between Cuba and Porto Rico and
ourselves scarcely less intimate than the
commercial movement between our domestic
ports, and to insure removal OF the burdens
on shipping in the Spanish Indies. of which
in the past our sh1powners ana sn1pnasrers
have SO often had cause to complain.
The negotiation of this convention has for
a time postponed the prosecution of certain
claims of our citizens which were declared to
be without tho jurisdiction Of the late Span
ish-American claims commission, and which
are, therefore, remitted TO diplomatic chan
nes for adjustment The speedy settlement
of these claims will now be urged by this
government Negotiations for treaty of
commercial reciprocity with the Dominican
liz havn hnpD SnrcpSSfnllv concluded
and the result will shortly be laid before the
senate Certain questions between the
United States and the Ottoman empire still
remain unsolved Complaints in behalf of
our citizens are not satisfactorily adjusted
The porte has sought to withhold from our
commerce the right Ct favored treatment to
which we are entitled by existing conven-
tional stipulstions and the revision Of the
tariff is unaccomplished. The final disposition
of pending questions with Venezuela has not
as yet been reached but [ have good reason
to expect an early settlement, which Will
provide the means of re-examining the
Caracas awards, in conformity with the ex-
pressed desire of congress- and which will
recognize the justice of certain claims pre-
ferred against Venezuela
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
The Central and South American commits
sion, appointed by authority of the act of
July, 1854, will soon proceed to Mexico. 1t
will be laid before you They contain a
statement of the general policy of the gov
eminent for enlarging it's commercial inter
course with American states. The commits
sioners have been actively preparing for
their responsible task by holding confer
ences in the principal cities with merchants
and others interested in the Central and
South American trade The International
Meridian conference, lately convened in
Washington, upon the invitation of the
government of the United States, was COM
posed of representatives of twenty-five ma
tions. The conference concluded its labors
on the 1st OF November, having with SUBJ
stantial unanimity agreed upon the meridian
of Greenwich as the starting point whence
longitude is to be computed, through $50
degrees eastward :nd westward. and upon
the adoption, for all purposes for which it
day, which shall begin at midnight on the
initial meridian, and whose hours shall be
counted from zero up to twenty
four. The formal report of the
transactions of this conference will
be hereafter transmitted to congress
vitations from foreign states to participate
in international exhibitions, often of great
interest and Importance. Occupying as we
do an advanced position in the worlds pro-
duction, and aiming to secure a profitable
share for our Industries in the general COM
concern that the want of means Of partici-
patton in these exhibits should 30 often ex-
clude our producers from the advantages
enjoyed by those OF other countries. During
the past year the attention OF congress was
drawn to the formal invitations in this re-
gard rendered by the governments of En-
gland. Holland, Belgium, Germany and
Austria The executive has in some in
stances appointed honorary commissioners
This il, however, most unsatisfactory ex-
pedient, for, without some provision to meet
necessary working expenses OF commits
sion, it can effect little or nothing in behalf
of exhibitors An International inventors
exhibition is to be held in London next
May. This will cover field Of special i'm
portance in which our country holds
foremost rank, but the executive is at pres
emit powerless to organize proper represen-
tation OF our vast national interests in this
direction I have in some previous message
referred to this subject 1t seems to me
that statute giving to the executive gen.
eral discretionary authority to accept such
missioners without a salary and placing at
tho disposal of the secretary of state q
small fund for defraying their reasonable
expenses we uld be of great public utility.
This government has received official notice
that the revised International regulations for
preventing collisions at sea have been adopt
ed by all the leading maritime powers except
the United States. and came into force on the
LIST of September last For the due protec-
zion of our shipping interests the provis-
ions Of our statutes should at once be bIough
into conformity with these regulations. the
question Of securing authors, composers ard
artists copyright privileges In this country
in return for RECIPROCAL rights abroad
is one that may Justly challenge your
attention. 1t is true that q convention
will be necessary for fully accomplishing
this result. but until congress shall Tx the
extent to which foreign holders of copyright
shall be here privileged, it has been deemed
inadvisable to negotiate such convention.
For this reason the United 6tates were not
represented at the recent conference at
Berne. recommend that the scope Of the
ENLARGED as TO cover all patent acts Of
hostility committeA IN our territery and
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