Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-12-10
THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
What Has Been Done in the Sealing, Chill
ian and Italian Iynching Difiicu ties.
The work of the state department during
the last year has been characterized by an
Unusual number Of important negotiations
and by diplomatic results OF a notable and
highly beneficial Oh ract.r. Among these are
the cinrOcal trade arrangements which
have been concluded, in the exercise OF the
powers conferred by section 3 of the tariff
law, with the republic OF BrIz l. with Spain,
for its West India possessions. and with San
Domingo
Like negotiations with Other countries
have been much advanced AID Is hoped
that before the clio of the year further
definitive trade arraug ementS of great value
will be concluded.
AFFAIRS WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
In view OF the reports whic have been
received as to the diminutiOn of the
seal herds in the Behring sea, 1 deemed
it wise TO ropose to her majesty's
government in + rbruary last that an agree
msut for a closed season should be made,
pending the negotiations for arbitration
which then seemed to be approaching
favorable conclusion After much CORE
spOnaence, and delays for which this gov
ernment was not responsible. an agreement
was rea he'd and signed on the 18th of June,
by which Great Britain undertook IRON
that date an until Nav 1, 1892, to prohibit
the killing ~ her subj cts of seals in the
Behr:ng sea and tn" government of the
United states dur NJ the 5 me period to
enforce its Existing prohibition against
rel e scaling ID to limit the catch by the
fur seal comp any upon the islands to $40
skins ii this agreem Mt could have been
reached earli'r in resp Inse to the strenuous
endeavors of this government. it would have
been more effective but coming as late
as it did, It unquestionably resulted in
greatly diminishing the destruction of the
seals by the Canadian sealers.
In my last ms ssage stated that the basis
OF arbitration proposed by her majesty's
government for the adjustment of the long
p"Eding cOntrov rsy a. to tn" seal fisheries
WIS not acceptable. am glad now to be able
to announc- that terms satisfactory to this
government have been agreed upon AMI
THAI an agreement as to the arOitrators is
all that is necessary to the comp elton of the
convention. In view OF the a vanced posi-
ton which It's g0veri mrnt has taken upon
the subieci OF International arb tration this
renewed exur ssion of our a lherence to this
method for the settlement of disputes such
as have aris n in the Behrng sea, will
doubt not, meet with the concurrence of
congress.
MEAT INSPECTION.
The law of the last congress providing
sys EN- of inspection for our mea intended
for export, and clio hing the president with
power to exclu e foreign products from our
market in case the country sending them
should perpetulte unjust determinations
against an pro iucts of the United States,
placed this government in a position to
effectively urge the removal of such di-crim-
nations against our meats. 1t is gratifying
to be able to stale that Germ my, Denmark
T#oT~-
named. have op ned their ports to inspected
Amer can pork pro iucts. The removal of
these restrict ons in every instance was
asked for and given olely upon tn ground
that we h td now provided a meat inspection
that should be accepted as adequate to the
complete removal of the DANCER, re Il or
fame ed, which had been previously urged
The state departmr our ministers abroad
and the SCI Rotary of agriculture have CO.
operated with unf1agging and intelligent
zeal for the accom- plishment of this great
result The outlines of an agreement have
been reached with rmany. looking o
equitable trade concessions in consideration
of the continued free importation of her
sugars. but the time has not yet arrive
when this correspondence can be submitted
to congress.
CHILEAN AFFAIRS.
The civil war in CnIli which began In
January last wa continued, but. fortunate
ly with infrequ mt and not important a med
collisions. until August 2s, when the con-
grrsSioual forces landed near Valparaiso
and, after a bloody en- agement captured
the city. Pre- -ilent Balmaceda at once
recognized that his cause was lost and a
provisional government was speedily es-
ta6lished by the victorious party. Our
minister was promptly directed to recog
nize aud put himself in communication with
Z ID
established its de facto charter, which was
done. During the pendence of this civil
contest frequent indirect appeals we're
made to this government to extend bellig r.
ent rights to he in urgents and to give
audience TO their representatives
The was declined, and that policy was
pursued throughout, which this govern
ment, when wrenched by civil war, so siren
uously Unlisted upon on the part of Europe
an naton The Itata an armed vessel
commanded bv a naval officer of the insur-
gent fleet manned by its sailors and with
soldiers on board. was seized under process
OF the United states court at San Diego Cal,
for violation of our neutrality law While
In the custody of an officer of the court the
vessel was forcibly wrested from his control
and put to sea 1t wOulI have been incon-
sistent with the dignity and self-respect of
this government not to have insis ed that
the Itata should be returned to San Diego to
abide by the iud ment of the court This
was so clear to the iunta of the con ,ression-
al p 'rty. establish d at Iquique, that, before
the arrival of the Itata at that port the C
Rotary of foreign relations of the provisional
government a idr SIS to Re n Adm. Br wn, |
commanding the Uni, ed States uavaI .orces
communication, from which the following
is an extract:
The provisional government has learned |
by tho cablegrams of the Asso lated press
that the transport Itata, detain-d in San !
Diego by order of the United States for tax 4
ing on board munitions of war and in pos
session OF the marshal left the port, carry
ing on board tn 5 official, who was landed at |
a point near the coast, and then continued |
her voyagr. II this news be correct, this |
gnvernm Mt would deplore the conduct of |
the Itata, and as an evidence that it is not |
disp d 10 support or sgree to the infrac- |
ton OF the laws Of the United ates, the un- |
dersigned takes adv Intage of the personal 4
you have been good enough to /
with him S nee your arrival In this |
port TO declare TO you that as soon as she Is /
within reach of our orders this government i
viii put the Itata with the arms and mum |
t0ns she took on board In San Diego at the 1
of the United States"
4 trial in the district court of the United 1
States for the southern district OF California /
has recently resulted in a decision holding. /
apong other th ngs. that inasmDch as the |
congressional psflS bad not been Recognised /
g 6s1llg5rent fts AA aQns q y luesrQt