The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-12-09
MEXICO.
THE TREATIES.

The encouraging development of the bene-
fetal and Intimate relations between the
United States and Mexico, which has
been so marked within the past few years.
is at once the occasion of congratulation
and Of friendly solicitude urgently renew
my former representation of the need of
speedy legislation by congress to carry into
effect the reciprocity commercial convention
OF Jan. 20, 1883. Our commercial treaty of
1881 with Mexico was terminated accord
ing to its provisions, in 1881, upon nocit1ca-
ton given by Mexico. in pursuance of her
announced policy OF recasting all her COM
mercial treaties. Mexico has since con-
cluded with several foreign governments
new treaties of commerce and navigation,
defining alien rights of trade, property and
residence. treatment OF shipping consular
cuted reciprocity convention of 1888 covers
none OF these points, the settlement Of
which is so necessary to good relationship
propose to initiate with Mexico negotia-
lions for new and enlarged treaty of COM
merce and navigation.
THE CUTTING EPISODE.
In compliance with resolution of the
senate, communicated to that body on Aug
last, and also to the house of representa-
tlves, the correspondence in the case OF A. n
Cutting, an American citizen, then impris-
oned in Mexico, charged with the commits
sion Of penal offense in Texas, Of which a
Mexican citizen was the object After a de-
mand had been made for his release, the
charge against him was amended so as to
include a violation OF Mexican law within
Mexican territory. This joipder OF alleged
offenses one within and the other exterior
to Mexico. induced me to order special in
vestlga5lon OF the case, pending which MI.
Cutting was released The incident has.
however, disclosed o claim of jurisdiction
by Mexico novel in our history, whereby any
offense committed anywhere by foreigner
and Of which Mexican is the object, may, if
the offender be found in Mexico, be there
tried and punished in conformity with Mex
lean laws. Jurisdiction was sustained by
the courts OF Mexico in the Cutting case,
approved by the executive branch of
Mexican statutes The appellate court in re-
leasing Mi: Cutting decided that the aban-
donmeut Of the complaint by the Mexican
citizens aggrieved by the alleged crime "a
libeious pab:ication), removed the basis OF
further prosecution, and also declared Justice
to have been satisfied by the enforcement OF
small part of the original sentence. The
admission of such pretension would be at
tended with serious results, invasive of the
jurisdiction OF this government and highly
dangerous to our citizens in foreign lands
Therefore, l have denied it, and protested
against It's attempted exercise rs unwar-
ranted by the principle of law and inter-
national usuages A sovereign has jurislic-
ton of offenses which take effect within his
territory, although concerted or commenced
outside it; but the right is denied OF any
foreign sovereign to punish citizen OF the
United States for an offense conSummated
on our soil, even though the offense be
agalnsta subject or citizen OF such sover-
elgn. The Mexican statute in question makes
the claim bodily, and the principle. if con-
coded, would create dual responsibility in
the citizen and lead to confusion OF that
r. NSNtHy VpNry n: <t, in,
erty. When citizens of the United States
voluntarily 60 into foreign country they
must abide by the laws there in force and
will not be protected by their own govern
ment from the consequences of an otfense
against the laws committed in such foreign
country; but the watchful care and interest
OF this government over it's citizens are not
rel!nqushed because they have gone abroad,
and ii charged with crime committed in the
foreign land. fair and open trial, con-
Quoted with decent regard for justice, will
be demanded for them. With less than that
this government will not be content When
the life or Liberty of it's citizens is at stake,
whatever the degree to which extradition
criminal jurisdiction may have been
formerly allowed by consent and
lec!pfocal agreement among certain
OF the European states, no such doctrine or
practice was ever known to the laws of this
country or of that from which our institu-
tons have mainly been derived In the case
OF Mexico there are reasons especially strong
for perfect harmony in the mutual exercise
of jurisdiction. Nature has made us irreyo-
cably neig hbors, and wisdom and kind feel
| ing should make lis friends The overflow
OF capital and enterprise from the United
States is a potent factor in developing the
resources OF Mexico and in building up the
property Of both countries 10 assist this
good work all grounds of apprehension for
the security of person and property should
he removed, and trust that In the interests
OF good nelghborhood the statute referred to
will be SO modified as to eliminate the pre- y
emit possibilities of danger to the peace of
the two countrleR
THE NETHERLANDS.
The government of the Netherlands has ex-
hibited concern in relation to certain
features of our tariff laws, which are sup
posed by them to be aimed at class of TO-
bacco produced in the Dutch East Indies.
Comment would seem unnecessary upon the
unwisdom of legislation appearing to have q
special national discrimination for it's object
which, although unintentional, may give
rise to injurious relations The establish
nent. less than four years ago, of lepa-
ton at Teheran, IS bearing fruit in the inter
est exhibited by the shah's government in the
industrial activity Of tho United States and
the opportunities Of benefit. stable govern