Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-09

/ United States in the Antilles the whole
measure of reciprocy requisite under our
statutes, for the continuance of the sus-
| pension of determinations aga inst the
| Spanish Gag In our ports, | was
! constrained in October last to rescind my
| predecessors proclamation Of February
| Il, 1884, permitting such suspension. An
arrangement was, however, speedily
reached and upon notification from the
| government of Spain that all differential
/ treatment of our vessels and their cargoes
| from the United States and from any for
| eign country had been completely and
absolutely relinquished, availed myself
| of the discretion conferred by law, and
! issued on the 9th of October my proc
| lamation, declaring reciprocal suspension
| in the United States. 1t is most CRAFTY
! ing to bear testimony to the earnest spirit
! in which the government of the Queen
! Regent has met our efforts to avert I'M
! tiation of commercial Determinations
! and reprisals which are ever disastrous
| to the material interests and the political
| good will of the countries they may
! effect. The profitable development of the
large commercial exchange between the
United States and the Spanish Antilles, is
naturally an object of solicitude.
Lying close at our doors and finding
| here their main markets of supply and
demand the welfare of Cuba and Porto
| Rico, and their production and trade are
scarcely less important to Us than to
Spain. Their commercial aud financial
movements are so noticeably part of our
system that no obstacle to fuller and
freer intercourse should be permitted to
exist. The standing instructions of our
representatives. at Madrid and Havana
have for years been to leave no effort un-
essayed to further these ends, and at no
time has the equal good desire of Spain
been more hopefully manifested than
now. The government of Spain thus re-
moving the consular tonnage fees on
cargoes shipped to the Antilles, and by
reducing passport fees has shown its
recognition of the needs of less tram
meled intercourse.
TURKEY.
An effort has been made during the
past year to remove the hindrances to the
proclamation of the treaty of naturaliza-
ton with the sublime porte, signed in
1874, which has remained imperative
owing to disagreement of the interpre-
tation of the clauses relative to the eff
fects of return and sojourn of the nat
uralized citizen in the land of his origin.
trust to be able to announce favorable
settlement of the differences as to this in
depreciation. 1t has been highly salts
factory to note the improved treatment
of American missionaries in Turkey, as
has been attested by their acknowledge
ments to our late minister to that govern
ment of his successful exertions in their
behalf.
The exchange of ratification of the
convention of Dec. 5, 1885, with
VENEZUELA
for the reopening of the awards of the
Caracas commission, under the claims
convention Of 1866, has not yet been eff
fected owing to the delay of the execu-
tive of that REPUBLIC, in ratifying the meas
ure. I trust that this postponement will
be brief, but should it much longer con-
tinue the delay may well be regarded as
rescission of the compact, and failure
on the part of Venezuela to complete an
arrangement so persistently sought by
her during many years, and assented to
by this government in a spirit of inter
national fairness, although to the detri-
ment of holders of bona fde awards of
the impugned commission. I renew
the recommendation of my last an
nual message, that existing legislation
concerning citizenship and naturalization
be revised. We have treaties with many
states providing for the remuneration of
citizenship by naturalized aliens, but no
statute is found to give effect to such en-
gagementS, nor any which provides
for a needed central bureau for the reg
istration of naturalized citizens. Exper-
fence suggests that our statutes regulating
extraditIon might be advantageously
amended by a provision for the transit
across our territory, now conven-
lent thoroug hfare of travel from one
foreign country to another, of fugitives
surrendered by a foreign government to
third state. Such provisions
are unusual in the legislation of
other countries and tend to prevent
the miscarrying of justice. It is also
desirable in order to remove present I'M
certaioties, that authority should be con-
ferred on the secretary of state to issue
Il certificate in case of an arrests for the
purpose of extradition. to the officer be-
fore whom the proceeding is pending,
showing that a requisition for the sur
render of the person charged has been
duly made. Such a certificate required
TO be received before the prisoners ex-
animation would prevent a long and ex-
pensive judicial inquiry into a charge
which the foreign governments might
not be DESTROYS to press. I also recon-
mend that express provision be made for
the immediate discharge from custody of
persons committed for extradition, where
the president is of the opinion that sur
render should not be made.
The drift of sentiment in civiliz-
ed communities toward full recog
milton of the rights of property in
the creation of the human intellect
has brought about the adoption by
many important nations, of an interna-
tional copyright convention which was
signed at Berne, on the 18th of
September, 1885. Inasmuch as the
constitution gives to congress
the power to promote the progress of
science and the useful arts by securing
for limited times to authors and invent
ors, the exclusive right to their respective
writings and discoveries, this govern
ment did not feel warranted in becoming
signaUory pending the action of con-
gress upon measures of
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT,