Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-12-10
A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS-,
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To The Congress Of the United States: IL
discharge of constitutional duty ant
| following well established precedent il
the executive office, | herwith transmit tc
the congress at its reassembling, certain
| information concerning the state of the
Union together with such recommends
| tions for legislative consideration, as ap
| pear necessary and expedient. Our gov
ernment has consistently maintained it,
relations of
FRIENDSHIP TOWARDS ALL OTHER POWERS
! and of neighbOrly interest toward those
whose possessions are contiguous to our
| own. Few questions have arisen during
the past year with other governments
| and none of those are beyond the reach
| of settlement in friendly council. We
/ are yet without provision for the settle
ment of claims of citizens of the United
| States against Chill for injuries during
| the late war with Peru and Rolivia. The
| mixed commission organized, under the
claims convention concluded by the
Chill government with certain European
states have developed an amount of fric
tiOn which we trust can be avoided in the
convention which Oar representative at
Santiago is authorized to negotiate.
THE CRUEL TREATMENT OF INOFFENsIyE
CHINESE
has, | regret to say, been repeated in
some of the far western states and ter
rltories acts of violence against these
people, beyond the power of the local
constituted authorities to prevent, and
difficult to punish, are reported evel. in
distant Alaska. Much of this violence
can be traced to race prejudice and com
petition of labor which cannot, however,
Justify the oppression of strangers whose
safety is guaranteed by our treaty with
China equally with the most favored ma
tlons. In opening our vast domain to
alien elements the purpose of our law
givers was to invite assimilation and not
to provide an arena for endless antago-
nlsms. The paramount duty of main
tanning public order and defending the
interests of our own people may require
the adoption of measures of restriction,
but they should not tolerate the oppres-
sion of individuals of a special race |
am not without assurance that the gov
ernment of China, whose friendly dispo-
sition towards us, am most happy to
recognize, will meet us half way in devils
effective limitation of Chinese emigra-
tion Joined to protection of those Chinese
subjects who remain in this country may
bo secured. Legislation is needed to ex-
ecute the provisions of our Chinese con
yention of 1880, touching the opium
traffic.
The recommendation contained in my
last annual message in relation to n mode
of settlement of the
FISHERY RIGHTS
in the waters of British North America,
so long n subject of anxious difference
between the United States and Great
Britain was met by an adverse vote of
the senate April 18th last, and thereupon
negotiations were instituted to obtain an
agreement with her Britanic Maiesty's
government for the promulgation of such
joint Interpretation and definition of the
article of the convention of 1918
relating to the territorial waters and in
shore fisheries of the British provinces as
should secure the Canadian rights from
encroachment by United States fisher
men and at the same time insure the en-.
joyment by the latter of the privileges
guaranteed to them by such convention.
The questions involved are of long stand
ing, of grave consequence, and from
time to time for nearly eequarters Of
century have giveA rise to earnest inter
national discussions, not unaccOm panied
by irritation. Temporary arrangements
by treaties have served TO alIay the fric-
tion, which, however, has revived as each
treaty was terminated. The last arrange
mGnt under the treaty of 1871 was abro-
gated, after due notice by the United
States, on June 3, 1880, but | was enabled
20 obtain for our fisheries for the remain
Ter of that season the enjoyment of the
full privileges accorded by the terminal
ing treaty the joint commission by whom
the treaty had been negotiated, although
invested with plenary power to make per
maEent settlement, were content with
temporary arrangement after the ter
minatiou of which the question was rel
eGated to the stipulatiOns of the treaty
of 1878 rs to be, the first article of which
no construction satisfactory to both
countries has ever been agreed upon.
The progress of civilization and growth
of population iii the British Provinces,
to which the fisheries in question are con
tigions, and the expansion of commercial
intercourse between them and the United
States. present to-day condition of af-
fairs scarcely realiZable ut the date
of the negotiations of 1918. New
and vast interests have been brought into
existence. Modes of intercourse between
the respective countries have been in
vented and multiplied the methods of
conducting the fisheries have been wholly
changed; and all this is necessarily en-
titled to candid and lawful consideration
In the adjustment of the terms and con
ditious of intercourse and commerce be
tween the United States and their neigh
bOrs along n frontier of over $500 milss.
This propenquity community of Ian
guage and occupation and similar of
political and social estimates induce the
praCticlbility and obvious wisdom of main
tanning mutually beneticially and friendly
relations, whilst am unfeiguedly desirous
that such relations should exist between us
and the inhabitants of Canada; yet the
action of their officials during the fall
season toward our fishermen has been
such as To seriously threaten their con
tinuance. Although disappointed in my
efforts to secure satisfactory adjustment,
the fishery question negotiations are
still pending with reasonable hope that
before the close of the present session of
congress, an advancement may be made
that an acceptable conclusion has been
reached, At an early day there may be
laid before congIess the correspondence
of the department of state in relation to
this Important subject, so that the history
of the past fishing season may be fully
disclosed, and the action and the attitude
of the administration clearly compre
hended. More extended reference is not
deemed necessary in this communication.
Tho encouraging development of the
beneficial and intimate relations between
THE UNITED STATES AND MENICo
which has been SO worked within the past
few years is at once the occasion of CON
graduation and of friendly solicitude,
, urgently renew my former representation
of the needy and speedy legislation of
congress TO carry it to effect and recipro-
cate the commercial convention of Jan
uary 20, 1888. Over commercial treaty of
lS4l, with Mexico was terminated accord
ing to its provisions, in 1881, upon the
notification given by Mexico in pur-
suance of her announced policy of re-
casting all her, commercial treaties. Mexico
has since concluded with several foreign
/ governments, new treaties of COM
mercial and navigation defining
alien rights of trade. Property and
residence treatment of shipping
| consular privileges and the like.
| Oar yet uaexecuted reciprocity con
ventlon of 1888, covers none of these
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