Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-07

from the United States, or Rom any for
eign country had been completely and alb
solutely relinquished. / availed myself ol
the discretion conferred by law and issu eC
on the 9th of October my proclamation
declaring reciprocal suspension in the
United States 1t is most gratifying Il
bear testimony to the earnest spirit il
which the Government of the Queer
Regent has met our efforts to avert the
initiation of commercial discrimination
and reprisals which are ever disastrous tC
the material interests and the political
goodwill of the countries they may affect
The profitable development of the large
commercial exchanges between the United
States and
THE SPANISH ANTILLES
Is naturally an object of solicitude. Lying
close at our doors and finding here theiI
main markets of supply and demand, the
welfare of CuB.9 and Porto Rico and their
production and trade are scarcely less i'm.
portant to us than to Spain. Their COM
mercial and financial movements are Sc
naturally part of our system that no OBJ
stacle to fuller and freer intercourse should
be permitted to exist. The standing in
structions of our representatives at Madrid
and Havana have for years been to leave no
effort unassayed to further these ends, and
at no time has the equal good desired OF
Spain been more hopefully manifested
than now. The government of Spain, by
removing the consular tonnage fees on car
goes shipped to the Antilles, and by reduc-
ing passport fees, has shown its recognition
of the needs of untrammeled intercourse.
An effort has been made during the past
year to remove the hinderance to the
proclamation of the treaty of naturaliZa-
ton with the Sublime Port signed in
1S47, which has remained imperative,
owing to disagreement of the interpre-
tation of clauses relative to effects of the
return to and sojOurn of q naturalized cit
zen in the land of origin. | trust soon to
be able to announce favorable settlement
of the differences rs to this Interpretation.
1t has been highly satisfactory to note
the improved treatment of American Mis-
sionaries in Turkey, as has been attested
by their acknowledgement to our late Min
lister 10 that Government of his successful
exertionS in their behalf.
VEN ECU Ella.
The exchange of ratifcatiOns of the con-
ventiOn of December 5, 1885, with
Venezuela for the reopening of the awards
of the Caracas Commission and the claims
convention of 1869 has not yet been effected
owing to the delay OF the Executive of that
republic in ratifying the measure. | trust
that this postponement will be short, but
should it much longer continue the delay
may well be regarded as rescissiOn OF the
compact and n failure on the part OF
Venezuela to complete an arrangement sc
persistently sought by her during many
years and assentcd TO by this Government
in aspirit of international fairness although
to the detriment Of holders of bona tide
rewards of the impugned commission.
renew the recommendation of my last
Annual Message that existing legislation
concerning citizenship and naturalization
be reversed. We have treaties with many
many states providing for remuneration OF
citizenship by naturalization, but no
statute is found to give effect to such en-
gagements, nor any which provides q
needed central bureau for the registration
of fnaturalized citizens.
EXTRADITION.
Experience suggests that our statutes
regulating extradition might be advan-
tagiOusly amended by provision for the
transit across territories. Now a cOnven-
lent thOroughfarc of travel from one for
eign country to another, of iugitives sur
rendered by a foreign Government to a
state. Such provisions are not unusal
in the legislation of other
countries and tend to prevent
the miscarriage of justice. 1t is also de-
tainties that authority should he conferred
on the Secretary of State to issue q certiti-
cate in case of an arrest for the purpose of
extraditiOn to the officer before whom the
proceeding is pending showing that a
requisitiOn for the surrender of the person
charged has been duly made. Such cer-
tificate if required to be received before
the prisoners examination, would prevent
long and expensive judicial inquiry into
charge which the foreign government
might not desire to press. | also recon-
mend that express provision be made for the
immediate discharge from custody of per-
President is of opinion that surrender
should never be made.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.
The drift of sentiment in civilized COM
munities toward full recognition Of the
rights Ofproperty in the creations of the
human intellect has brought about the
adoption ofmany important tactics of an
international copyright convention, which
was signed at Berne on the 18th of Sep
tember, 1885. Inasmuch as the cOnstitu-
ton gives to Congress the power ito pro-
mote the progress Of science and useful
arts by securing for limited times to
authors and inventors the exclusive right
TO their respective writings and discover
les this government did not feel warranted
in becoming signatOry pending the action
of congress upon measures of International
copyright now before it, but the right of
adhesion to the Berne convention hereaf-
ter has been reserved. / trust the subject
will receive at your hands the attention it
deserves and that the Just claims of au-
thors so urgently pressed will be duly
needed.
Representations continue to be made TO
me of the injurious effect upon American
artists study ing abroad and having free
access to the art collections of foreign coun-
tries of maintaining a discriminating duty
against the introduction of the works Of
their brother artists of other countries,
and am induced to repeal my recommen-
dation for the abolition of that tax.
CONSULAR APPROPRIATIONS.
Pursuant to a provision OF the diplo-
matte and consular appropriation act, ap-
proved July 1st, 1886, the estimates sub
mitted by the Secretary of State for the
maintainance of the consular service have
been recast on the basis of salaries for all
officers to whom such allowance is deemed
right. Advantage has been taken Of this
to re-distribute the salaries of the officers
now appropriated for, in allowance with
the work performed-the Importance of
the representative duties of the incumbent
and the cost of living at each post. The
last consideration has been too often lost
sight of in the allowances heretofore
made. The compensation which may
suffice for the decent maintenance of a