The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-12-17
THE MESSAGE.
President Harrison's Third Annual
Message to Congress.
GENERAL REVIEW CT STATE AFFAIRS,
Reciprocity, tho Tariff. Finance, Silver and
Other Questions Chiiian and
Italian ImbrOgliOs Views on the
"Gerrymander"-Sugg

Reciprocity, the Tariff Finance, Silver and
Other Questions Chiiian and
Italian Imbroglios Views on the
"Gerrymander"-Sugg
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9-The following
is President Harrison's message to the
Fifty second congress-:
To THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENT
ATIVES: The reports Of the heads Of the sever
al executive departments, required by law to
be submitted to me- Which are herewith trans.
mitted and the reports of the secretary of the
treasury and the attorney general, made d
rectly to congress- furnish comprehensive
view view Of the administrative work Of the last
would be Of great advantage if these
reports could have an attentive perus-
al an, -, by -, eve every y, member Of congress
fairs; such perusal should not fail to excite y
higher appreciatiea Of the vast labor and con-
scientious effort which are given to the conduct
of our civil administration The reports will, 1
believe. show that every question has been
approached considered and decided from the
standpoint of public duty and upon considera-
tions affecting, the public interests alone.
Again invite to every branch of the service
the attention and scrutiny of congress.
Reciprocal Trade.
The work OF the state department during the
last year has been characterized by al un-
usual number OF important negotiations and by
diplomatic results OF notable and highly ben
ehclal character Among these are the recip-
recall trade arrangements which have been con-
GUIDED in the exercise OF the power conferred
by section OF the tariff law with the republic
OF Brazil. W 18th Spain for it's West India posses
slons and with San Domingo. Like negotiations
with other countries have been much advanced
and 1t is hoped that before the Close of the year
further definitive trade arrangements of great
value will be concluded.
The Behring Sea Question.
In view Of the reports which have been re-
celVed as to the dlmlnution of the seal herds in
the Behrlng sea, l deemed it wise to propose to
her maJesty's government in February last
that an agreement as to a closed season should
be made pending the negotiations for arbitra
tlon winch then seemed to be approaching a
favorable conclusion. After much correspond.
ence and delays for which this government
was not responsible, an agreement was reached
and signed on the 18th OF June, by which
Great Britain undertook, from that date
her subjects Of seals in the Behring sea, and
the government Of the United States during
the same period to enforce it's existing pro-
hlbltion against pelagic sealing and to limit
the catch by the Fur Sealing Company upon
the Islands to $500 skins. If this agreement
could have been reached earlier, in response to
the strenuous efforts Of this government. it
even as late as 1t did, it unquestionably result
ed in greatly diminishing the destruction of
the seals by the Canadian sealers.
Our Pork Abroad.
The laws of the last congress providing a
system OF inspection for our meats intended
Tor exports, and clothing the president with
power to exclude foreign products from our
market in case the country sending them
should perpetrate unjust Determinations
;lss against any product OF the United States
10 effectively urge the removal Of
such determinations against our meats. IT is
gratifying to be able to state that Germany
Denmark Italy. Austria and France. in the or
Ger named, have opened their ports to inspect ed
pork products, The removal of these restric
tions in every instance was asked for and given
now provided meat inspection that should
be accepted as adequate to the complete re-
moval OF the dangers, real or fancied which
had been previously urged.
Brazilian Troubles.
The recent political disturbances in the re.
puollc OF Brazil have excited regret and solc.
tude. The information we possessed was too
meager to enable us to form a satisfactory
Judgment OF the causes leading to the tenn
porary assumption If supreme power by Pre>i
deht Fonseca; but this government did not fail
TO express to him its anxious soicitu1e for the
peace OF Brazil and for the maintenance
or the free cal institutions which had re,
Gently been established there nor to offer our
advice that great moderation should be OBJ
served in the clash Of parties and the contest
for leadership. These counsels were received
IN the most friendly spirit and the latest in
formation Is that constitutional government has
been re-establshed without bloodshed.
The New Orleans Lynching.
The lynching at New Orleans in March last
OF eleven men of Italian nativity by a mob Of
clt1zens was most deplorable and dscredit-
aole incident. 1t did not. however, have it's
origin in any general animosity to the Italian
people nor in any disrespect to the govern.
ment OF Italy. with which our relations were
of the most friendly character The fury of the
mop was directed aUDiDSt these m he
supposed participants or accessories in
the murder Of city officer. do
not allude to this as mitigating in any degree
this offense against law and humanity. but
only as affecting the International questions
which grew out Of it. 1t was openly represented
by the Italian minister that several Of those
whose lives had been taken by the mob were
italian subjects, and demand was made for
the punishment of the participants and for an
indemnity to the families Of those who were
killed: 1t is to be regretted that the manner
IN whlch these claims were presented was not
sucn as TO promote calm discussion Of the
questions. involved; but this may well
be. attributed to the excitement and
Indignation which the crime naturally
evoked. The views OF this government as to
its obligations to foreigners domiciled here
were fully stated in the correspondence as it's
purpose TO make an Investigation of the affair
with view to determine whether there were
present any circumstances that could under
such rules OF duty as we had indicated Gre
ate an oblgat1on upon the United States
plen1potcnttary OF Italy at this capital has re-
tarded the further correspondence, but it is not
doubted that a friendly conclusion is attanable
Some suggestions owing out of this un-
happy incident are worthy the IT entiol Of
congress. 1t would believe. he entire com
petent for congress to make ofenSes sanst
u treaty rights Of fore gners domicil III i'll the
United Sta es cogniZable in tt e feder.l courts
1hlS has not however, been done, and federal
officers and courts have power in such cases
to intervene either for the protection OF a
foreign citizen or for the punishment of his
slayers. 1t seems to me to follow in this state
OF the law that the officers Of lheistate charged
with police and judicial powers in such cases
must, in the consideration of the International
questions, growing out Of such incidents, be re-
garded in such sense as federal agents as to
make this government answerable for their
acts in cases where it would be answerable II
the United States had used it's constitutional
power to define and punish crimes against
treaty rights.
The Chilian ImbrogIio.
The president reviews the late civil war in
Chill at some length touches briefly upon the
seizure escape and surrender Of the Itata, and
says: THE instructions to our naval officers
and to our minister at Santiago. from the first
to the last OF the Chillan war, enjoined upon
them the most impartial treatment and abso-
lutte non interference I am satisfied that these
instructions were observed and that our rep
resentatives we're always watchful to use their
influence impartially in the interests of hu-
manity and on more than one occasion did so
duct Of our minister or OF our naval Of
fcers during the struggle has been pre-
sented to this government" Contin-
uing. the president details at length
the attack on the sailors of the Baltimore in
Valparaiso on October 16 resulting in the
death OF two seamen and the serious injury of
seven or eight others, and says: THE atten
tion of the Chilian government was at once
called to this affair, and a statement of the
facts obtained by the investigation we had con-
Quoted was submitted, accompanied by re-
quest to be advised OF any other or quail flying
facts in the possession Of the Gillian govern
ment that might tend to relieve this affair of
the appearance of an insult to this government.
The Chll1an government was also advised that
If such qualifying facts did not exist this gov
ernment would confidently expect full and
prompt reparatlon 1t is to be regretted
that the reply OF the secretary for
foreign affairs Of the provisional gov
ernment was couched in an offensive
tone. To this no response has been made This
government is now awaiting the result of an
investigation which has been conducted by the
criminal court at Valparaiso. 1t is reported
unofhcially that the investigation is about
completed, and it is expected that the result
will soon be communicated to this government,
,f<h.