Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-12-17
FOREIGN

FOREIGN RELATIONS.
THEY CONTINUE FRIENDLY.
II IA gratifying To announce that the relations
Of the United States with All foreign powers con-
tinue o be friendly. Oar position, after nearly
a century OF eucoessfuI constitutional govern
ment, the maintenance OF good faith In all our en-.
gagements. the avoidance OF complications with
other nations and consistent aud amicable atti-
tude toward the strong ami weak alike, furnish
proof OF q political disposition whish renders
profession Of good will unnecessary.
There are no questions OF difficulty
pending with any foreign government,
The Argentine government has revived The long
dormant question 81 the Falkland islanGs by
claiming from the United States indemnity tor
their loss, attritcuted Co tho action OF the COM
mander of the sloop-of-w@T Lexington Ia break
ting up a practical colony ~ those Islands in
1871. and their Subsequent OCCUPATION by Great
Britain. In view 81 the ample justification tor
tion Of the islands before and after their alleged
occupation by Argentine coiOnists, this govern
ment considers the claim as wholly groundless.
THE TILT WITH AUSTRIA.
A question las arisen with the government OF
Anstrn-Hungary, touching the representation OF
the United States AZ Vienna Having. under
ny constitutional preventative, appointed our
Rstimable citizen OF unimpeached probity, and
~ minister az tina court, the gov
srnMent % AustFiorH Hungary invited this gov
ernmcnt TO take cogniz tnoe ~ certain exceptions,
based upou ALLEGATIONS against the PEI
sonal accoptabiity OF hr, Kelley, th9 apz
Of, the appointment should bs Withdrawn.
The reasons advanced were such a. could not be
scquiesced In without VITO alton OF the oath OF
office aud the precepts OF the constitution, since
they necessarily involved a limitation In favor of
q fors,gp government upon the right OF selection
by the executive, and required such an appliea-
tion OF a religious test as a qualification for office
under the United States az would have resulted
In the practical disfranchisement OF a large class
OF our citizens and the abandonment 81 a vital
pri.ciple OF our government Inc Anstro-han
Mr.. Kelley as the envoy OF the United
States. and that gentleman has since re-
signed his commission, leaving the post vacant,
l have made no new nomination, and the mter-
ests OF this government 90 Vienna are now In
the care Of the secretary OF legation, acting as
charge daFdirsS ad interim. Early in March
last war broke out In Central America, caused
by the attempt Of Guatemala to eoHsolidate the
several states into . single government. ia this
between our n~eighborinG states the
United States iofbofe g iltertsrs actively but
sent the aid o. their friendly offices ia depre:
OF war and 20 promote peace and concord
among the belligerents, and by such counsel
imparttally TO the restoration OF
tranquility In that locality.
THE PANAMA EPISODE.
Emergencies growing out OF ciyil war In the
United States OF Columbia demanded OF the Cow
eminent at the beginning OF this administration
the employment OF an armed tofco 10 fglEll It's
guarantees under the ~thirty-hfth article OF tho
treaty OF 1916, iu order TO keep the transit open
across the lsthmus of Panams. DESTROYS OF eX-
ercising only the powers expressly reserved 70
us by the treaty, and mindraS OF the rights of
Columbia, the forces selt to the 18TH
mus were instructed TO oontine their
action to positively and ehicaeiousiy.
from being interrupted or embarrassed"
The execution Of this delicate and responsible
task necessarily involved police control where
the local authority was temporarily pow rless,
Int AlNNaVa I'm aid of The gONgrPIEntVg of CulDnf-
hia The prompt and successful fulhllment OF
It's duty by this government was highly anple-
oiated 6y the government OF olom and has
ton High praise II das % the officers and men
engaged In this service, the restogation of the
peace on the isthmus by the re.estabiishment
OF the constituted government These be-
ing thus accomplished, the forces
OF the United States were withdrawn.
Pending these occurrences, d question OF much
importance was presented BY DEGREES OF the
Colombian government prociaiminH the closure
OF certain ports. then IN the hands OF Insurgents,
aud In declaring veaseia hold by this revolution
lists TO be ~piratiual and liable to capture By siy
power. TO neither Of these propositions could
the United States assent. An effective
closure OF ports, not In the possession OF the
government, but held BY hostile par;i-
the vessels az Insurgents against the legiti-
mate sovereignty be deemed hostes hlnGape
gensris within the precepts OF international Jaw,
Whatever might be the definition and penalty
of their acts under Inc municipal law Of the
state against whose authority they were In re-
volt. The denial by this government " the Co
propositions did not, however, Imply
the admission OF a belligerent status on the part
~ the insurgents. The Colombian government
has expressed its willingness TO negotiate con-
y~enth-is fos the adjustment by arbitration
Of CLANS by foreign citizens arising ont OF the
destruction OF the city OF Aspinwall - the
insurrectionary forces.
II s~IcARAGuAN MA
The interest OF the United States in q practi-
cal transit for ships across the strip Of land sep
arAtins the Atlantic from the Pacific has been
repeatedly manifested during the last half-cen-
tory. MY immediate predecessor caused Co be
negotiated with Nicaragua a treaty for the con-
structiou by and at the sole cost OF the United
States OF . canal through Nlcaraguan territory,
and laid before the senate, peRding the acticn
Of that body thereon. i Withdrew tho treaty fos
denomination Attentive consideration OF
is provisions leads me 10 withhold
e from r~e-submission 10 the senate
Maintaining. as do, the position OF q line OF
presidents from Washingtou's day which pro-
scribes entangling alliances with foreign states,
! DO not favor a policy of acquisition OF new and
distast territory or toe incorporation OF remote
i~fseTests With our own. Laws OF progress are
vital and organic, I'D we must be conscious OF
that irresistible tide OF commercial expansion
which. as the concomitant OF our active c~iviliza,
ton. day by day Is being urged onward
by those Increasing facilities of production,
transportation, and communication 70 which
steam and electricity have given birth.
But our duty IL the preseEt iaatrpcts US 20 adj
dress ourselves mainly to the dcyelopment OF
the vast resources ~ this great area c9umitted
TO our charge and the cultivation OF the axis OF
peace within our borders through jealousy alert
In preventing the American hemisphere from
being involved In the political problems and
complications Of distant governments thereon.
| am unable TO recommend propositions involy-
ing paramount privileges of ownership or right
o4tside OF our own territory when coupled
with absolute and unlimited engagements
TO defend the territorial integrity of
While the general prospect OF connecting the
$50 oceans by means OF a canal Il to be encour-
aged, | am Of the opinion that any scheme 70
that end to We considered with favor should be
free from the features alluded 70. The Tehusn-
tepeer route Is declared by engineers Of highest
rcpute and BY competent scientific men 70
AFFORD an entirely practicable t.anslt Tor vessels
and oargoes by means of q ship Fa;iwSy from
the Atlantic 10 the Pacific. The obvious aiyan-
tAges OF such p route. IL feasible. over others
more remote from the axial lines OF traffic be-
tween Europe and the Pacific, and par
~ticularly between the valley OF the Mlssis-
sippi and the western coast OF Moth and
1Quth America, are deserving OF consideration
MbssSyer highway nav be constructed across
the barrier dividing the two greatest maritime
areas Of the world must he for the worlds benefit,
q trust for mankind 20 he removed from the
ss-Ree ~ domination by any single power nor
prize TOR wafiiks ambition. An engagement
combining the construction, ognersnip aud
operation OF such . work by this government
with an offensive and defensive alliance isr It's
protection with the foreign state whose Tespcn-
liabilities and rights we would have, is, In my
judgfnsnt Inconsistent with such dedication 10
universal ana neutral use, and would. moreover.
entail measures for It's realization beyond the
scope Of our national policy or present means.
The lapse OF years has abundantly confirmed
tia wisdom and foresight OF these earlier admin
istrations which long before the conditions %
maritime intercourse were changed and enlarged
by the progress of the are, proclaimed the vital
need OF sn interoceanic ronte asross ne Amer
common uss OF mankind, by their positive srx-
l~sratiors and through the formal obligation OF