The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-12-05


worthy of pursuit and of the great interest
they have excited, it is believed that the
better securities which may be de.
vised for the maintenance of peace among
all American nations and settlement oi
all contentious by Methodist Christian
civilization can approve, while viewing
with interest our national resources and
products, the delegates will, | am sure,
| find higher satisfaction in the evidences
of unselfish friendship which everywhere
attend their intercourse with our people.
| Another international conference having
great possibilities for good has,lately assem-
| bled and is now N session in this capital.
An invitation was extended by the govern
ment, under the act of congress of July 8,
| 1888, to all maritime nations to send dele
gates to confer touching the revision and
amendment of the rules and regulations
governing vessels, and to adopt uniform
system of marine signals. The response to
this invitation has been very general and
very cordial. Delegates from twenty-six
nations are present in the conference. and
they have entered upon their useful
work with great zeal and with an evident
appreciation of its importance. So far as
the agreement to be reached may require
| legislation to give it effect, the cooperation
of congress is confidently relied upon. 1t
is an interesting and unprecedented fact
| that the two International conferences have
brought here the accredited representatives
of thirty-three nations. Bolivia, Ecuador
and Honduras are now represented by resi-
| dent envoys of the plenipotentiafy grade
| All the states of the American system now
maintain diplomatic representation at this
capital. In this connection it may be noted
that all the nations of the Western Hemi-
| sphere, with one exception, send to Wash
ington envoys and ministers plenipoten-
| tiary, being the highest grade accredited to
this government. The United States, on
the contrary. sends ENJOYS of the lower
grade to some of our sister republics. Our
| representative in Paraguay and Uruguay is
La minister resident, while to Bolivia we send
administer resident and consul general. In
view of the Importance of our relations
with the states of the Amer
| lean system, our diplomatic agents
| the uniform rank of envoy-extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary. Certain
missions were so elevated by the last con-
| gress with happy effect and recommend the
completion of the reform thus begun with
the inclusion also of Hawaii and Hayti in
view of their relations to tho American
system of states. also recommend that
| timely provision be made for extending 10
Hawaii an invitation to be presented in the
International conferences now sitting at the
capital.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Our relations with China have the atten-
tive consideration which their magnitude
and interest demand. The failure of the
treaty negotiated under the administration
| of my predecessor for the further and more
Complete restriction of Chinese labor inn
migration and with it the leg
islation of the last session Of congress
dependent thereon leave some questions
open which congress should now approach
| in that wise and just spirit which should
characterize the relations of two great and
| friendly powers, while our supreme inter-
ests demand the exclusion of laboring
element which experience has shown to be
| incompatible with our social lite. All
steps to compass this imperative need
should be accompanied by recognition Of
the claim of those strangers now among us
to humane and just treatment. The ac-
cession of the young emperor of China
marks, we may hope, an era of progress
and prosperity for the great country over
which he is called to rule.
The present state of affairs in respect to
the Samoan islands, in encouraging the
conference which was held in this city in
| the summer of 1887 between the representa-
| tives of the United States, Germany and
| Great Britain, have been adjourned be-
which was developed in its deliberations.
The subsequent course of events in the
| islands gave rise to questions of a serious
character On the fourth of February last
the German minister at this capitol in be-
| half of his government proposed lesump-
| ton Of the conference at Berlin. This
proposition was accepted, as congress in
| February last was informed. Pursuant to
| the understanding thus reached, commits
sioners we're appointed by me, by and with
the advice and consent of the senate, who
proceeded to Berlin where the conference
was renewed. The deliberations extended
through several weeks and resulted in the
conclusion of treaty which will be sub
mitted to the senate for its approval.
| trust that the efforts which have been made
| to effect an adjustment of this question
will be productive of the permanent estab.
lishment of law and order in Samoa upon a
basis of the maintenance of the rights
and interests of nations.
| The questions which have arisen durin)
the past few years between Great Britain
and the United States are in allegiance Of
in course of adjustment.
| On the part of the government of the Do
minion of Canada an effert has been APP
parent during the season Just ended to ad
minister the laws and regulations applica
BILE to the fisheries with as little occasion
for friction as was possible. and the tenn
perate representations of this government
| In respect to cases of needed hardship or %
harsh interpretations have been in mos
cases met with measures of transitory re
| lief. tits trusted that the attainment o
our Just rights under existing treaties ant
| in virtue Of the concurrentle legislation of th'
two contiguous countries will not be lonj
deferred, and that all ecisting cause of diff
| ference may be equitably adjusted.
| | recommend that provision b.
made by an international agreemen
I, for vlsibly marking the water boundar,
between the United States and Canada il
! the narrow channels that join the grea
lakes. The conventional line therein
traced by the northwestern boundary sur
vey years ago is not in all cases readily as
certainable for the settlement Of jurisdic
tional questions.
A just and acceptable enlargement Of thu
list Of offenses for which extradition ma,
be claimed and granted is most desirabl
between this country and Great Britain
The territory of neither should become
secure harbOr for the evil-doers of the 9th
er. through any ayoidable shortcoming il
this regard. A new treaty on this subjec
between the two powers has been recentl
negotiated and will soon be laid before til
senate.
The importance Of the commerce of Cub
and Porto Rico with the United State,
their nearest and principal market, JUST
fies the expectation that the existing rels
tions may be benefcially expanded. Tn
impediments resulting from varying due
in navigation and from the yexatiou
treatment Of ourselves on merely technics