The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-10
SEATTLE. THURSDAY. DEC. 10.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The presidents message. which is pub
lishcd in full this morning, begins with
review of the work of the state depart
ment. which the events of the year have
rendered exceptionally interesting. Re-
riprocal trade arrangements have been
Entered into with Brazil Spain and San
Domingo. The terms of the arbitration
OF the Bering sea controversy have been
pgreed upon between Great Britain and
The United States, and it only remains to
Rgree upon the arbitrators to complete the
convention. Germany, Denmark, Italy,
Austria and France have opened their
markets to American pork products be-
fore our legislative threat TO exclude from
Dur markets the products of any country
perpetrating unjust discrimination against
the products of the United States.
The president. truthfuily describes the
lynching of the Maha at New Orleans as a
aiscreditable., as well as deplorable Incl
dent an otfense against law and human
lty, and points out that through the fail
nre CT congress to make offenses against
The treaty rights OF foreigners. domiciked
IN the United States, cognizable il, the
federal court, the United States courts
have no power in such cases to intervene
sther tor the protection of 1.-THE foreign
citizen or for the punishment of his slay-
srs. The president thinks that the federal
government is answeraRle for the acts of
The officers of the stats charged with DO
lice and judicial powers in cases where it
would be answerabk, if the United States
had exercised its ohstitutional power to
rights.
In the matter of Chile our government
simply st9od by the policy which it in
sisted up on on the part of Europe during
2Rx evil war. The Itata was seized for
violation of our neutrality laws, broke her
arrest and put to sea; but her surrender
was promptly ordered by the iunta of the
congressional party. No official complaint
Of the conduct of our minister TO Chile or
our naval officers or of the policy of our
government has been made. For the out
rage committed upon the sailors of the
Baltimore our government has notified
Chile that it would expect full and prompt
reparation. The reply of the Chilean Sec
rotary of foreign affairs was offensive in its
tone, and the government Is now awaiting
an adequate and satisfactory response to
its demand for satisfaction.
The president announces that under the
direction of the inter-continental railway
commission nearly 1000 miles of the pro-
posed railway has been surveyed. includ-
Ing the most difficult part. that through
Ecuador and Southern Colombia. The
president strongly recommends the equip
ment of Pearl harbor in the Hawaiian
islands as a United States naval station.
Our government has officially remon-
strated with the car of Russia against the
harsh measures now being enforced against
his Hebrew subjects, measures which
within o few years will expel 100000 of
persons from Russia and increase an emf
grafton to the United States that will seri-
ously affect our labor market.
81 The construction of the Nicaragua
eanal is a matter of supreme commercial
Interest TO the Pacific coast, and the presi-
dent declares ii q matter of the highest
concern to the United States that this
canal should be speedily built The gain
of freight to the people and TO the govern
ment of the United States in the use of
naval vessels by this short water commu-
pication between the Atlantic and Pacific
would soon pay for its cost. President
Harrison commands the assent of every
intelligent man on this Coast when he dc
clares his entire agreement with United
States Senator Morgan's opinion that 1.-THE
Nicaragua canal is the most important
subject now connected with the CONNER
cial growth and progress of the United
States" This view of the Democratic SEN
ator from Alabama was identical with
that of Senator John Sherman, and
with the leading minds OF both
the great parties of the country in exact
accord upon this subject there would seem
10 be no good reason why congress should
not push this great work rapidly TO COM
pletion by government loan. like that
granted the Union Pacific railroad. The
president favors the guaranty of the bonds
of the canal company by the United
States, which would give them a ready
sale at par as a per cent. bond, thus saw
ing the marketing of the bonds at heavy
discount which would retard the rapid con-
struction of this great national commercial
waterway. The president deems the
Nicaragua canal of such transcendent in
terest that the government would be jaSti-
fed in securing il by direct appropriations
from its treasury. The guaranty of the
bonds of the canal company 10 an amount
necessary TO its completion could be given
without any serious risk of ultimate loss
The president makes q humane appeal TO
congress to provide legislation that shall
-;vs the protection of our federal courts TO
American labor upon the West Indian
s.l.nd of Navassa belonging 10 the United
c,ates. At present the discipline MAIN
1880 unon this island is as barharous and
s.snos;c as that of q convict camp. The
.,as,aent urges that the protection of our
s.aeral jurisdiction be at once thrown
.hort American labor On the island which
s.now governed only blythe arbitrary viii
osthe Nayassa Phosphate Company.
international copyright has been secured
with Belgium. France. Great Britain and
switzerland. while With Germany a special
convention nas bss9 eads that VIII bring