Rock Island daily Argus., 1891-12-10
THE ANNUAL MESSAGE.
President Harrison's Commu-
nication to Congress.
HIS VIEWS CONOISELY STATED.
The Lynching of Italians at New Or
leans Deplorable and Dis
creditable Incident.
HIS VIEWS ooNCIsELY STATED
Decided Stand Taken by the President
on the Murder of the American
Sailors by the ChiIians
at Valparaiso.

Gratifying Result of the Experiment of Max
ing Soldiers of Indians s-operations OF the
Treasury Department - Boundary Treaty
with Mexico and the Nicaragua canai-The
Smuggling of Chinese into the United States
Methods of Choosing Electors-other I'M
portant Topics Handled by the Chief Ex-
ecutive.
To THE SENATE AND House OF REPRESENT
ATIvEs: The reports of the heads of the sew
eral executive departments requirep by law TO
he submitted to me, which are herewith trans
mitted, and the reports of the secretary of the
treasury and the attorney general, mate
directly TO congress, furnish comprehensive
view of the administrative work of the last
fiscal year relating TO national and internation-
sal affairs. ltwould be of great advantage if
these reports could have attentive perusal
by every member of congress. and by
az VINO take an interest in public
fail 10 exact higher appreciation of the
vast labor and conscientious efforts which
t1on. The reports will, l believe. show that
every question has been approached. consider
ed and decided from the standpoint of public
1uty and considerations affecting the public
interests alone. Again invite tn every branch
of the service the attention and scrutiny of
congress. The work of tho state department
during the last year has been charactized by
an unusual number of important negotiations
and by diplomatic results Of notable and
the reciprocal trade arrangements which have
been concluded i'll the exercise of the powers
conferred by section of the tariff law with the
Republic of Brazil. with Spain for its West
India possessions and with san Domingo. Like
negotiations with other countries have been
much advanced. and it is hoped that before tie
close of the year further definitive trade
rangements of great value will be concluded.
The seaIeries Question.
In view of the reports which had been re-
ceived as TO the dimnution of the seal herds
In fhaR nhIn
her majesty's government in February last an
agreement as TO a closed season should he made
pending the negotiations for arbitration which
then seemed 70 be approaching favorable
conclusion. Nfter much correspondence and
delays for which this government not re-
sponsible an agreement was reached and signed
on the 18th of June, by which Great Britain IN
dertOOk. from that date and until MAY |, 1872,
10 prohibit the killing bv her subjects ef seals
IN the Behring sea. and the government of the
United states, during the same period. to en-
force its existing prohibition against pelagic
scaling and to limit the catch by the fur com
pany upon the islands to 1.OID skins II this
agreement could have been reached earlier, in
response to the strenuous endeavors of this
government, il would have been more effective:
but, coming even as late as il did il unquestion-
ably resulted iu greatly diminishing the de
struction of the seals by the Canadian sealers
In my last annual message | stated that the
basis of arbitration proposed by her maiesty's
government for the adjustment of The long
pending controversy as To- the seal-tshcries was
not acceptable. l am glad now he able 10
announce that terms satisfactory to this gov
agreement as 10 the arhtratorS i all that is
necessary TO the completion Of the convention.
In view of the advanced position which this
government has taken upon the subject of in
transitional arbitration -this renewed cxrres-
sion of our adherence TO this method for the
settlement of disputes such as have arisen in
the Bering Sea will, doubt not, meet with the
concurrence of congress.
BOUNDARY Disputes.
Provision should he made for a Joint dprlar-
kstion Of the frontier line between Canada
hp tNln
the increasing border settlements. and cspac-
tally for the exact location uf the water
boundary in the straights and rivers. should
have been glad to announced some favorable
disposition of the boundary disputes between
Great Britain and Venezuela. touching the
western frontier of British Guiana, hut the
friendly efforts of the United States in that
direction have thus far been uuavailing. This
government will continue to express its con
cern at any appearance of foreign encroach-
ment on territories long under the admins
trative control of American states The de-
termination of n disputed boundary i easily
attainable by amicabe arbitration. where the
rights of the respective parties rest here.
on historic facts, readily ascertainable
The Inspection of Meat.
The law of the last congress providing
system of inspection for our meats intended
to export and clothing the president with
power to exclude foreign products from our
markets in case the country sending them
should perpetuate unjust dissemination against
any product of the United States placed this
government in a position 70 effectively urge
the removal of such determinations against
our meats. II is gratifying TO be able 10 state
that Germany, Denmark, Italy, Austria and
France, in the order named, have opened their
ports to inspected American pork products
The removal Of these restrictions in every
instance was asked for and given solely upon
the ground that we had now provided a meat
inspection that should he accepted as ade-
quate to the complete removal Of the dangers
real or fancied, which had been previously
urged. The state department. our ministers
abroad and the secretary of agriculture have
co-operated with unfiagging and Intelligent
zeal for the accomplishment of this great re-
suit The outlines of an agreement have been
reached with Germany, looking to equitable
trade concessions in consideration of the con
tinued free importation of hCr sugars. but the
time has not yet arrived when this correspond
ence can be submitted to congress.
BRAZILIAN Troublp-.
The recent political disturbances in the re-
public of Brazil have excited regret and solici-
tude. The information possessed was too
meaRre to enable TO form q satisfactory
Judgment of the causes leading to the tempo
rary assumption of supreme power 10y Prcsi-
dent Fonseca; but this government did not fail
to express to him its anxious solicitnde for the
peace of Brazil and for the maintenance of the
free political institutons which had recently
hccn established there. nor to offer our advice
that great moderation should he observed in
the clash of parties and the contest for leader
ship. These cOunsels were received in the most
friendly spirit, and the latest information il
That constitutional government has been re
established without bloodshed.