Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-12-15


tween our ports upon those two great
and az the smallest practicable limit OF
cost. The gain in freights to the people
and the direct saving to the government
of the United States, in the use of naval
vessels would pay the entire cost of this
work within short series of years. a
guaranty Of the bonds of the canal com
pany, to an amount necessary to the
completion of the canal, [ think, be Sc
given as not to involve any serious risk
Of ultimate loss.
Tho Island of Navassa,
in the West Indian group, has, under the
provisions of title ~. Of the revised stat
utes, been recognized by the president
as appertaining to the United States. 1t
contains guano deposits, is owned by
the Navassa Phosphate company, and
occupied solely by its employees. In Sep
TENDER, 1889, a revolt took place among
these laborers, resulting i'll the killing OF
some OF the agents Of the company,
caused as the laborerS claimed by cruel
treatment. These mon were arrested
and tried in the United States courts at
Baltimore, as If the Offenses had been
committed on board q merchant vessel
of the United States on the high seas.
There appeared on the trial, and other
wise came to me, such evidences OF the
bad treatment OF the men, that in con-
sideration of this and of the fact that
the men had no access to any public Of
fcer or tribunal for protection or the re-
dress of their wrongs, / committed the
death sentences that had been passed by
the court upon three Of them. In April
last my attention was again called to
this island, and to the unregulated con-
dition Of things there, by letter from
colored labOrer, who complained that he
was wrongfully detained upon the island
by the phosphate company after the ex-
piration of his contract for service. A
naval vessel was sent to examine into the
case Of this man and generally into the
condition Of things on the island. It
was found that the laborer referred to
had been detained beyond the contract
limit, and that condition of revolt
again existed among the laborers.
l recommend legislation that shall
place labor contracts upon this and
other islands, giving the relation that
Navassa has to the United States, under
the supervision Of a court, commissioner.
and that shall provide, at the expense of
the owners, an officer to reside upon the
islands with power to judge, and adjust
disputes and to enforce a just and humane
treatment of the employees.
International Copyright
has been secured in accordance with the
conditions of the act OF March 3, 1891,
with Belgium France Great Britain and
the British possessions, and Switzerland,
the laws Of those counteries permitting
TO our citizens the benefit of copyright
on substantially the same basis as their
own citizens or subjects. With Ger
many a special convention has been ne
gotiated upon this subject, which will
bring that country within the reciprocal
benefits of our legislation.
The general interest in the operations
of the treasury department has been
much augmented during the last year by
reason of the conflicting predictions,
which accompanied and followed the
tariff and other legislation of the last
congress
Affecting the Revenues
SIS to the results of this legislation upon
the treasury and upon the country. It
is not my purpose to enter at any length
into q discussion Of the effects of the leg
islatiOn to which | have referred, but a
brief examination Of the statistics of the
treasury and general glance at the
state of business throughout the country
will, think. satisfy any impartial in
quirer that its results have disappointed
tine evil prophecies of its opponents, and
in large measure realized the hopeful
predictions of its friends. Rarely, if
ever before i'll the history of the country,
has there been time when the proceeds
of Que days labor or the product of one
farmed crop. that could purchase such q