The Portland daily press., 1886-12-07
Civil Service Reform Laws Again En-
dorsed.


late war with Peru and Bolivia. The mixed
commissions organized under claims cOnven-
tions concluded by the Gillian Government
with certain European States have de-
veloped an amount of friction which we
trust can be avoided in the convention which
our representative at Santiago is authorized
to negotiate.
THE CHINESE oUTRAGEs
The cruel treatment of inoffensive Chinese
mas, regret to say, been repeated in some of
the Western States and Territories, and acts
OF violence against those people beyond the
power of the LEGAL constituted authorities to
prevent, and ifficult to punish, are reported
even in distant Alaska. Much of this viO-
lence can be traced to race prejudice and
competition of labor, which cannot, however,
justify the oppression of strangers whose
safety is guaranteed by our treaty with
| China equally with the most favored nation.
In opening our vast domain to alien ele-
ments the purpose of our law-givers was to
| invite assimilation and not to provide an
arena for endless antagonisms. The para
mount duty OF maintaining public order and
defending the interests of our own people
may require the adoption of measures of re-
| striction, but they should not tolerate the
| oppression Of individuals of special race.
| am not without assurance that the govern
ment OF China, whose friendly disposition to
us | am most happy to recognize, will meet
us half way in devising comprehensive
remedy by which an effective limit of Chi
nese emigration, joined to protection of those
| Chinese subjects who remain in this country
may be secured Legislation is needed to
| execute the provisions of our Chinese Con-
vention Of 1880 touching the opium traffic.
AMERICAN INTERESTS IN COLOMBIA.
While the good will of the Colombian gov.
| ernment toward our country is manifest, the
| situation OF American interests on the 18th
mus OF Panama has at times excited concern
and invited friendly action looking to the
performance of the engagements of the two
nations concerning the territory embraced
in the Interocean transit. With the subsi-
dence of the Isthmian disturbances and the
ere ctlon Of the State of Panama into Fed
eral district under the direct Government of
the Constitutional Administration at Bogo-
ia, new order OF things has been inaugur-
ated which, although as yet somewhat ex-
perimental and affOrding scope for arbitrary
exercise of power by the delegates of the ma
tlonal authority, promises much improve
ment.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.
The sympathy between the people of the
United States and France born, during our
struggle Tor independence and continuing
today. has received fresh impulse in the
successful completion and dedication of the
statue of Liberty Enlightening the World
in New York harbor, the gift of Frenchmen
to Americans.
PROTECTION OF SUBMARINE CABLES.
SoANChe OS1NOCA bllS OulICu OldItc
and certain other powers for the protection
of submarine cables was signed at Paris
March IA, 1884, and has been duly ratified and
proclaimed by this Government. BY agree
ment between the high contracting parties
this convention is to 90 into effect the first of
January next, but the legislation required
for its execution in the United States has
not yet been adopted. | earnestly recon-
mend its enactment.
GERNfAN-ABIERICAN CITIZENSHIP.
Cases have continued to occur in Germa-
ny, giving rise to much correspondence in
relation to the privilege of sojourn of our nat
urallZed citizens OF German origin reyiSitino
the land of their BIRTH yet am happy &c
state that our relations with that country
have lost none of their accustomed cOrdiali-
| ty. The claims for interest upon the amount
| of tonnage duts Illegally exacted from Ger.
| tain German steamship lines, were favorably
| reported in both houses of Congress at the
| last session, and | trust will receive final
and favorable action at an. early -date.--
THE FISHERY TROUBLES.
The recommendation contained in my last
| message in relation to mode of settlement
| of the fishery rights in the waters of British
North Amerlca-S0 long subject of anxious
| difference between the United States and
| Great Brtain-was met by an adverse vote
| of the Senate of April 18th last and the
| recent negotiations were instituted to obtain
an agreement with Her Britannia Majesty's
L
| joint Interpretation and definition of the
| article of the convention of 1918 relating tC
| the territorial waters and inshOre fisheries OF
| the British Provinces as should secure the
Canadian rights from encroachment by
United States fishermen and at the same
time ensure the enjoyment by the latter Of
| the privileges guaranteed to them by such
| convention. The questions involved are 0l
| long standing, of grave consequence, anC
from time to time for nearly three-quarter'
nf hox rixr nrpa 20
| national discussion, not unaccompanied by
| irritation. Temporary arrangements by
treaties have served to allay friction, which
| however, has revived as each treaty wa:
terminated. The last arrangement unde
the treaty OF 1871 was abrogated after due
notice by the United States on June 80, 1885
| but was enabled to obtain for our fisher
men for the remainder of that season enjoy
ment of the full privileges accorded by the
terminated treaty. The joint high commits
sion by whom the treaty had been negoti
ated, although invested with plenary pOwe
to make permanent settlement were con
tent with a temporary settlement, after the
| termination OF which the question was rele
gated to the stipulations of the treaty o
1878, as to the first article of which no con
struction satisfactory to both countries ha
ever been agreed on. The progress of civil
Zatlon and growth of population in tn,
British Provinces, to which the fisheries il
question are contiguous, and the expansion
and the United States present today a con
ditiOn of affairs scarcely realizable at tn
date of negotiations of 1878. New and vas
interests have been brought into existence
| modes of intercourse between the reSpectiv
countries have been invented and multi
piled. The methods of conducting the fish
| cries have been wholly changed; and all thi
is necessarily entitled to candid and careful
consideration in the adjustment. The term
| and conditions of intercourse and commerc
| hnfWppO fhp TTnitad Stafac and fbnir naiUh
bors along frontier Of over $500 miles, tn
| proplnQulty, community of language an
occupation, and similarity of political an
social institutions indicate the practicabilit
and obvious wisdom of maintaining mutu
ally beneficial and friendly relations. Willis
| | am unfeignedly desirous that such rela
tions should exist between us and the inhab
itants of Canada, yet the action of their offit
ials during the past season toward our fisher
men has been such as to seriously jeopardiZ
their continuance. Although disappointe
in nay efforts to secure a satisfactory SETTLE
ment of the fishery question, negotiation
are still pending with reasonable hope thu
before the close of the present session {
Congress announcement may be made thu
an acceptable conclusion has been reached
As at an early day there may be laid befol
Congress the correspondence of the Depar
ment of State in relation to this importa1
subject so that the history of the past fsl
ing season may be fully disclosed and I'll
action and the attitude of the administratio
clearly eomprehended, more extende
reference is not deemed necessary in this.
THE ALASKA BOUNDARY LINE.
The recommendation submitted last YET
that provision be made for preliminal
reconnaissance of the conventional boundal
line between Alaska and British Columbia
| renewed.
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
express my unhesitating conviction tn
+ the intimacy of our relations with Hawa
( should be emphasized. As result of Il
} | reciprocity treaty of 1875 those islands on Il
highway Of Oriental and Australasian trafl
, are virtually an outpost of American cor
: merce, and a stepping-stone to the grown
trade of the Pacific. The Polynesian IslaI
groups have been so absorbed by other an
more powerful governments that the III
wallan Islands are left almost alol
In the enjoyment of their autonomy, whit
II is Important for us should be preserve
Our treaty is now terminable on one yeal
; notice, but propositions to abrogate wou
: be In my Judgment most ill-advised. III
paramount influence we have there acquire
once relinquished, could only with Difficult