The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-12-12

fore YOU the justice and lberality of it
| at home and abroad. Tie death of our reI
resentative in Russia while Mt his poetsat 81
Petersburg afforded 10 the Imperial Govern
sympathy in a manner telling the intirnat
friendliness which has ever marked the IN
tercourse e The two countries.
The course of this Government in raisin,
its representation Mt Bang kek to the diplo
matte rank has evoked from Siam evidences
of warm friendship, and augurs well for GU
enlarged intercourse. The Siamese Govern
ment has presented to the United States
| commodious mansion ind grounds for the
occupancy of the legation, and suggest thai
by Government resolution, Congress attest
| its appreciation of this generous gift. Tht
| upon of late to take action I'm fullfillment OF
| its international obligation towards Spain
| Agitation In the island CT Cuba to the Span
| fish crown having been fomcnted by persons
| abusing the sacred rights of hospitality
which our territory affords, the officers OF
the Government have been instructed to use
vigilance to prevent infractions of our neil-
| trality laws at Key West and at the other
points neart the Cuban coast. / am happy to
| say that In only one instance were these pre-
eautionary measures suecessfully eluded.
| were subsequently, tried and convicted. The
growing need of close relationship of inter
course and truffc between the Spanish An
tillas and their natural market the United
States led TO the adoption in January last of
a commercial agreement looking to that end.
This agreement has since been superseded
by q more carefully framed and compre hem
sive one which 1 shall submit to the
Senate for approval. 1t has been the aim of
this negotiation to open such favored re-
ciprocal exchange of productions carried
the intercourse between Cuba and Porto
Rico and ourselves scarcely less intimate
than the commercial movement be-
tween our domestic ports, and to insure a re-
Spanish Indies, of which in the past our ship
owners and shpmasters have so often had
cause to complain. The negotiations of the
convention have for a time postponed the
prosecution of certain claims of our citizens
which were declared to be without the juris-
diction of the late Spanish-Americau Claims
Commission. and which we therefore re-
mitted TO diplomatic channels for adjust
mont. The speedy settlement of these claims
will now be urged by the Government. Ne
gotiations for treaty of COMMERCIAL reci-
been successfully concluded, and its result
will shortly be laid before the Senate. Ger
tain questions between the United States
and the Ottoman Empire still remain un-
solved. Complaints i'm behalf of our citizens
are not satisfactorily adjusted. The porte
has sought to withhold from our commerce
the right of favored treatment to which we
are entitled by existing conventional stipu-
lations. and the revision of the tariffs unac-
comp.ished. The final disposition of pend
in- questions with Venezuela has not as yet
pect an early settlement which will provide
the means of re-cXaInining the Caracas
award in conformity with the expressed de-
sire of Congress and which will recognize
the justice of certain claims preferred
against Venezuela. The Central and South
American commission appointed by author
ity of the act of July :, 1884, viii soon pro-
coed to Mexico. 1t has been furnished with
which will be laid before you.
They contain u statement of the general pol
icy of the Government for enlarging. its
commercial intercourse with American
States The commissioners have been actually
preparing for their responsible tasks by
holding conferences in the principal cities
with merchants in the Central and South
American trade. The international meridian
conference, lately held in Washington upon
the invitation of the Government of the
United States, was composed of representa-
tives from Twenty-Five nations. The confer
ence concluded its labors on the LIST of No
yember, having with substantial unanimity
agreed upon the meridian of Greenwich as
the starting point whence longitude is to be
through $50 degrees eastward and
westward, and on the adoption for all pur-
poses for which it may ~ found conveeient
Of Il universal day which, shall begin al mid |
hours shall be counted from zero up to |
The formal report OF the trans |
actions of this conference will be hereafter |
transmitted to Congress. This Government
"a in frequent receipt of invitations from for |
sigu states to participate in international ey- |
often of great interest and import |
,nee. Occupying, as se do, an ad-
iuction, and aiming to secure a psSfit- |
able share for our industries in the |
general competitive markets, it is Il MASTER |
of serious concern that the want of means
forparticipation i'll these exhibits should so |
often exclude our products from the advant- |
ages enjoyed by those other countries. Dur
ng the past year the attention of Congress |
Was drawn to the formal invitations III this |
regard by the Governments of England, Hol- !
and, Belgium. Germany and Austria. The |
Executive has in some instances appointed |
honorary commissioners. This is. however, |
some provision to meet the necessary work |
ng expenses of "a commissioner, it can effect |
little or nothing i'll behalf OF exhibitors An !
Inventors Exhibition is TO be
held i'm London next May. This will cover "A /
field of special importance, in which our |
country holds foremost rank: but the Ey- |
proper representation of our vast National !
interests in this direction. / have in several |
previous messages related to this subject. |
L seems to me that statute giving to the
Executive general discretionary authority to |
accept such invitations, and to appoint hon. |
pray commissioners, without salary, and |
placing at the disposal of the Secretary of
State small fund defraying their real |
sonaoie expenses would DO of great public |
utility.
This Government has received official no.
tice that the revised International regula- |
tons for preventing collisions at sea have
been adopted by all the leading marine |
powers except the United States, and came
into force on the first of September last. |
For the due protection of our shipping i:.-
terest provisions of our statutes should at
once be brought into conformity with these |
The question of securing to
authors, composers, and artists copyright |
privileges in this country in return for re-
ciprocal rights abroad was one that may
justly challenge yonr attention. 1t is true
that convention will be necessary for fully |
this result; but Congress
shall by statue fix the eNtent to which for
eign holders of copyright shall be here privi-
legged. 1t has been deemed advisable to nego-
tate such conventions. For this reason the
United States were not represented ct the
recent conference at Bernc.
AFTER THE DYNAMTTERs.
recommend that the scope of the neutral
ity laws of the United States be SO enlarged
as TO cover all patent acts of hostilities COM
mitted in our territory, and aimed against
the peace of a friendly nation. Existing
prohibit the fitting out OF armed eX-
petitions and restrict the shipment of ex-
plosives, though the enactment in the latter
respect were not framed with regard to in
ternational obligations, but simply for the
protection of passenger travel. All those
statutes were intended to meet special enIer
gencies that had already arisen. Other
have arisen since, and modern
supplies means for the organiza-
ton of hostiities without open resort to
armed vessels or ilibustering parties. / see
no reason why overt preparations in this |
country for the commission of criminal acts, |
such as are here under consideration, should
not be alike punishable, whether such acts !
are intended to be committed in our own |
country or in a foreign country with which |
We are at peace. The prompt and thorough |
treatment of this question is one which nat |
urally concerns the National honor.
Our existing naturalization laws also need |
revision. Those sections relating to persons |
residing within the limits of the United States |
IN l1!5 and 1873 have now only an historical |
interest. Section ZIP, recognizing the citi- |
LenShip of the children of naturaliZe1 par.
snts, is ambiguous in its terms, and partly |
obsolete There are special provisions of |
aw fayoring the naturalization of those who |