The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-11
THE DUTY on WORKS oE ARR.

IdE DUI4 ON MOhhS Ot All,
Much anxiety has lately been display.
ed by various European Governments, and
especially by the Government of Italy,
for the abolition of our import duties
upon works of art. tits we'll to consider
whether the present discrimination in
favor of the productions of American
artists abroad is not likely to result, as
they themselves seem very generally to
believe it may, in the practical exclusion
of our painters and sculptors from the
rich fields for observation, study and
labor which they have hitherto enjoyed.
MEXICO.
During the past year the increasing
good will between our own Government
and that of Mexico has been variously
manifested. The treaty Of commercial
reciprocity, concluded January 20, 1883,
has been ratified, and awaits the necessa.
ry tariff legislation of Congress to become
effective. This legislation, will, I doubt
not, be among the first measures to claim
your attention.
A full treaty Of commerce. navigation
and consular rights is much to be desired,
and such treaty, have reason to be-
lieve, the Mexican Government stands
ready to conclude.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
With the Republic of Nicaragua trea-
ty has been concluded which authorizes
the construction by the United States of
q canal, railway and telegraph line across
the Nicarauguan territory. By the terms
of this treaty sixty miles of the River
San Juan, as we'll as Lake Nicaragua, an
inland sea forty miles in width, are to
constitute part Of the projected enter.
prise. This leaves for actual canal con.
struction seventeen miles on the Pacific
side and thirty-six miles on the Atlantic.
To the United States, whose rich territory
on the Pacific is, for the ordinary purpo.
ses of commerce, practically cut off from
communication by water with the Allan
tic ports, the political aud commercial
advantages of such a project can scarcely
be overestimated. tits believed that when
the treaty is laid before you the Justice
and liberality of its provisions will com.
mand universal approval at home and
abroad.
CUBAN INSURGENTS.
This Government has more than once
been called upon Of late to take action
in fulfllment of it's international obliga.
,ions toward Spain. Agitation in the
Island of Cuba hostile to the Spanish
Crown having been fomented by persons
abusing the sacred rights of hospitality
which our territory affords, the officers of
this Government have been instructed to
exercise vigilance to prevent infractions
of our neutrality laws at Key West and
at other points near the Cuban coast. In
the only instance where these precau-
tionary measures were successfully eluded
the offenders when found in our territory
were subsequently tried and convicted.
THE SPANISH TREATY.
The growing neel of close relationship
of intercourse and traffic between the
Spanish Antilles and their natural mar.
ket in the United States led to the adop.
ton, in January last of commercial
agreement looking to that end. This
agreement has since been superseded by
more carefully framed and comprehen.
sive convention which shall submit to
the Senate for approval. 1t has been the
aim of this negotiation to open such a
favored reciprocal exchange of produc.
tions carried under the flag of either
country, as to make the intercourse
between Cuba and Porto Rico and our
selves scarcely less intimate than the
commercial movement between our
domestic ports, and to insure a removal
of the burdens ON shipping in the Span
ish Indies, of which in the past our ship
owners and ship masters have so often
had cause to complain.
THE NEUTRALITY LAWS.
1 recommend that the scope of the
neutrality laws of the United States be
so enlarged as to cover all patent acts ot
hostility committed in our territory and
aimed against the peace of friendly
nation. Existing statutes prohibit the
fitting out Of armed expeditions and
restrict the shipment of explosives
though the epactments in the latter
respect were not framed with regard to
international obligations, but simply fol
the protection of passenger travel. All
these statutes were intended to meet
special emergencies that had already
arisen. Other emergencies have ariser
since, and modern ingenuity supplies
means for the organization of hostilitie:
| without open resort to armed vessels Of