The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-06
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
They Have Not Besn Entirely Free From
Perp1exities.

They Have Not Been Entirely Free From
Perplexities.
While our foreign relations have not at
oil times during the past year been en-
tirely free from perplexity, no embarrass-
Ing situations remain that will not yield
TO the spirit of fairness and love OF justice
which, joined with consistent firmness,
characterize . truly American foreign
policy. My predecessor having &C
eepted the Office of arbitrator OF
the longstanding missions boundary
dispute, rendered to tho presi-
dent by the Argentine Republic and
Brazil it has been my agr eeable duty to
receive the special ENJOYS commissioned by
those states to lay before me evidence and
arguments in behalf Of their respective
governments. The outbreak of domestic
hostilities in the republic of Brazil found
the United States alert to watch the in
terests of our citizens in that country,
with which we carry on important COM
merco Several vessels of our new navy
are now, and for some time have been,
stationed at Rio de Janerio. The
struggle being between the es-
tablished, government which con-
trolls the machinery of administration
and with which we maintain friendly re-
lations, and certain officers of the navy
employing the vessels of their command
in an attack upon the national capital and
chief seaport, and lacking, as it does, the
elements of divided administration, I
have failed to see that the insurgents can
reasonably claim recognition as beliger-
ants. Thus far the position Of our gov
eminent has been that of an
Attentive but Impartial Observer
of the unfortunate conflict. Emphasizing
our fixed policy of impartial neutrality in
such a condition of affairs as now
exists deemed it necessary to disavow in q
manner not to be mi Misunderstood, the un-
authorized action of our late naval COM
mander in those waters in saluting the re-
voting Brazilian admiral, being indis-
posed to countenance an act calculated to
give sanction to the local instruction.
The CHILEAN Affair.
The convention between our govern
ment and Chill, having for it's object the
settlement and adjustment of the de-
mands of the two countries against each
other, has been made effective by the or
ganiZatiOn of the claims commission pro-
vided for. The two governments
failing to agree upon the third
member of the commission, the
good offices of the president of the
Swiss republic were invoked as provided
in the treaty, and the selection of tho
Swiss representative in this country to
complete the organization was gratifying
to the United States and Chill.
The vexatious question of q so-called
legation asylum for offenders against the
state and its laws, was presented anew in
Chill by the unauthorized action of the
late United States minister in sheltering
in his official residence two persons who
had failed in an attempt at revolution
and against whom criminal charges were
pending, growing out of former abortive
disturbance.
Not Sanctioned by Best Precedent.
The doctrine of asylum as applied to this
case is not sanctioned by the best prec-
edents, and, when allowed, tends to en-
courage sedjtion and strife Under no cir
cumstances can the representations of tho
government be permitted, under the ILL
defined fiction of extraordinarily, to in
terrupt the administration of criminal
justice in the countries to which they are
accredited. A temperate demand having
been made by the Gillian government for
the correction of this conduct, the minis
ter was instructed to no longer harbor the
offender.
s4Fs.S The 0eary Law. qeeNs
The legislation of last year known a.
the Geary law, requiring the registration
Of AL Chinese laborers entitled to resi-
dsnce in the United States, and the de-
portatiop Of all not complying with the pro-
vision Of the act within the time prescribed
met with much opposition from China
men in this country. Acting upon the adj
vice OF eminent counsel that the law was
unconstitutional, the great mass of Chin
csc lahorefs, pending judicial inquiry rs
TO its validity in good faith, declined to
apply for the certificates required by its
provision, and a test upon the proceeding
by habeas corpus was brought before tie
supreme Court, and on May Is, 1893, q de-
cision was made by that tribunal susta aim
Ing the law.
1t is believed that under tho recent
amendment of the act extending the time
for the registration of the Chinese laborers
thereto entitled who desire to reside in this
country will now avail themselves of the
renewed privileges thus afforded of estab-
fishing by lawful procedure their right to
remain, and that thereby the necessity
of enforced deportation may I've
to great degree avoided. 1t
has devolved upon the United States
minister at Peking as dean of the diplo-
Ma,ic body, and in the absence of repre-
sentative of Sweden and Norway To nress