The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-07
Relations with Foreign Governments.

mendations for legislative consideration as ap-
pear necessary and expsdient.
Relations with Foreign Governments.
Our government has consistently maintained
its relations Of friendship toward all other pow
ers, and of neighbor!y interest toward those
whose possessions are contiguous to our own.
Few questions have arisen during the past year
with other governments, and none of these are
beyond the reach of settlement in council. We
are, as yet. without provision for the settlement
of claims OF citizens of the United
States against Chilli for injuries dur
ing the late war with Peru and Bolivia.
The mixed commissions organized under the
claims conventions concluded by the Gillian
government with certain European states have
developed an amount of friction which we trust
can be avoided in the convention which our rep
Fesentativs at Santiago is authorized to neeotl-
ate
The cruel treatment of inoffersiye Chinese
has, regret to say, been repeated in some of
the far Western States and Territories, and acts
OF violence against those people, beyond the
power OF the local constituted authorities to pre-
vent and difficult TO punish, are reported even in
distant ALASKA. Much Of this violence can be
traced 10 race prejudice and competition of
labor. which cannot however, justify the Cd
precision OF strangers whose safety is guaran-
4eed by our treaty with China equally with the
most favored nations. In opening our
pose OF our law-giyers was to in
vite assimilation and not to provide
en- arena Is. endless antagouisms. The para
poEnt duty of maintaining public order and de-
Tending the interests of our own people may re-
quire the adoption OF measures of restriction.
but they should not tolerate the oppression of
Individuals of special race / am not without
assurance that the government of China, whose
ffierdly disposition towards US | am most happy
TO recognize, will meet us half way in devising
comprehensive remedy, by which an effective
Limitation of Chinese emigration, Joined to pro-
tectidn OF those Chinese subjects. who remain
In this country, may be secured. Legislation is
needed to execute the provision of cur Chinese
eohveption OF 1850. touching the opium traffic.
While the good will Of the Colo mbian govern
ment coward our country is manifest. the
existence of American interests on the Isthmus
OF Panama has, at times, excited concern and
invited friendly action looking to the perform
ance OF she engagements of the two nations con-
eerning the territory embraced u the interoceanic
transit With the su bsidence Of the two isthmus
disturbances, and the erection of the State of
Panama Into federal district, under the direct
government of the constitutional administration
ut Bogota, a new order of things has been inaue-
urated. which, although as yet somewhat expert
mental and afording scopefer arbitrary exercise
Of power by the delegates of the national author
ity, promises much improvement
The sympathy between the people of the
United States and France, born during our
colonial struggle for independence and continu-
ing to-day, has received fresh impulse in the
successful completion and dedication of the CO.
lossal statue of Liberty EnliRhtening the
World" IN New York harbor, the gift of French
men to Americans.
copYention between the United States and
certain other powers for the protection of sub
UBrihe cables was signed at Paris on March H.
1884. and has been duly ratified and proclaimed
by this government By agreement between the
high contracting parties this convention is TO go
into effect the LIST of January next. but the leg
islation required for it's execution in the United
States has not yet been adopted / earnestly
recommend its enactment
Cases have continued to occur in Germany
giving rise to much correspondence in relation
to the privilege of soiourn of our naturalizedf
citizens of German origin revisiting the land Of
their birth, yet am happy to state that our re-
lations with that country have lost none of their
accustomed cordiality. The claims for interest
upon the amount of tonnage dues illegally ex-
acted from certain German steamship lines
were favorabv reported in both houses of Con-
gress at the last session. and trust will seceive
final and favorable action &C an early day.
The recommendation contained in my last an
nual message in relation to a mode of settle
rnent of the fishery rights 10 the waters Of
British North America so long subject of
anxious difference between the United States
and Great Britain was met by an
ID last, and thereupon negotiations
were instituted to obtain agreement with Der
Britannia Majssty's government for the promul-
cation of such joint Interpretation and defini-
tion of the article of the convention of 1878. re-
lating to the territorial waters and inshore ish-
cries of the British provinces, as should secure
Canadian rights from encroachment by United
States fishermen and at the same time insure
the enjoy ment by the latter of the privileges
questions involved are of long standing, of grave
consequence, ard from time to time for nearly
three-quarters OF o century have given rise to
earnest international discussion, not nnaccom-
panied by irritation. Temporary arrangements
by treaties have served TO ailay friction, which,
however, has revived each treaty was term
mated. The last arrangement under the treaty
OF 1871, was abrogated after due notice by the
United States. on June 80. 1885, but was en-
abed to obtain for our fishermen. for the re-
mainder OF that season, enjoyment of the full
privileges accorded by the terminated treaty.
The joint high commission by whom the treaty
had been negotiated, although invested with
plenary power 10 make a permanent settleme IT,
were content with temporary arrangement.
after the termination of which the question was
releg2ted to the stipulatons of the treaty of
1915, as to the first article of which no con-
gtruction satisfactory to both countries has
sver been agreed upon. The progress of oiviii-
cation and growth of population in the British
contiguous. and the expansion of commercial in
tercourse between them and the United States,
present to-day condition of affairs scarcely
conceivable at the date of the negotiations
of 1878 New and vast interests have
been brought into existence; modes OF inter-
course between the respective countries have
been invented and multiplied; the methods OF
conducting the fisheries have been wholly
changed, and all this is necessarily entitled to
candid and careful consideration in the adjust
ment The terms and conditions of intercourse
and commerce between the United States and
their neighbors along frontier of over thirty
five thousand miles; this propinquity, community
of language and occupation, and similarity of
political and social institutions, indicate the
practicable and obvious wisdom of maintaining
mutually beneficial and friendly relations
Whilss arr unfeicnedly DESTROYS that such re-
lasions should exist between the United States
and the inhabitants of Canada. yet the action of
sheir officials during the past season towards
our fishermen has been such to seriously
hat