Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-04


 | suit of which it is hoped will remove | the cause of complaint.
 The pending claims of sealing vessels | Of the United States seized in Russian
 waters remain unadjusted. Our recent
 convention with Russia establishing a | modus vivendi as to imperial jurisdiction 1 in such cases has prevented further diff | hculty of this nature. The Russian gov-g I ernment has welcomed in principle our l suggestion for modus vivendi to em- | brace Great Britain and Jupan, looking 1 to the better preservation of seal life in | the North Pacific and Behring sea, and
 the extension of the protected area de- | fined by the Paris tribunal. It Is es- pecially noticeable that Russia favors prohibition of the use of firearms in seal l hunting A+hout the proposed area and a l longer :. .d season for pelagic sealing. Samoa.
 In V st two annual messages called | the . ltion of congress to the position
 we s lpied as one of the parties | tof = eaiy or agreement by which we | bg S c jointly bound with England and | q Z any 10 so interfere with the govern 7 q and control of Samoa as in effect | z ssume the management of its affairs. the 9th day of May, 1894. transmitted ,>,s the senate a special message, with ac- = Jmpanying documents giving informa- - ion on the subject, and emphasizing the | opinion I have always entertained that our situation in this matter was incon- l sistent with the mission and tradition of 1 our government, In violation of the prin- | ciples we profess an6 in all it's phases l mischievous and veXatiouS l again press | this subject upon the attention of the congress and ask for such legislative ac- tion and expression as vii! lead the way to our relief from obligations both irk- some and unnatural.
 Cuba.
 Cuba is again gravely disturbed An insurrection in some respects more ac- tive than the last preceding revolt which continued from 1868 to 1878, now exists in a large part of the eastern interior of the island, menacing even some popula- tionS on the coast. Besides deranglng the commercial exchanges of the island, of which our country takes the predomi- nant share, this fragrant condition of hos tilities. by arousing sentimental sympa- thy and melting adventurous support among our people, has entailed an earn est effort on the part of this government to enforce obedience to our neutrality laws and to prevent the loyalty of the United States from being abused as vantage ground from which to aid those in arms against Spanish sovereignty.
 The ottoman government has lately is- sued an imperial edict exempting forever from taxation an American college for girls at Szutari. Repeated assurances have also been obtained by our envoy at Constantinople that similar institutions maintained and administered by our countrymen shall be secured in the en- ioyment of all rights, and that our cit izens throughout the empire shall be protected. The government however, in view of existing facts. is far from rely ing upon such assurance as the limit Of its duty Our minister has been vtgilant and alert in affording all possible pro- tection in individual cases where danger was threatened or safety was imperilled. We have sent ships as far towards the points of actual disturbance as 1t Is pos sihle for them to go,where they offer ref+ uge to those obliged to flee, and we have the promises of other powers which have ships in the neighborhood that our citi- zens as well as theirs will be received and protected on board these ships. On the demand of our minister orders have been issued by the sultan that the Turk ish soldiers shall guard and escort to the coast American refugees. These or ders have been carried out, and our latest intelligence gives assurance of the pres ent personal safety of our citizens and missionaries. Though thus far no lives of American citizens have been sacrifice ed, there can be no doubt that serious loss and destruction of mission property have resulted from riotous conflicts and outrageous attacks
 ful European nations have secured the right to assume a duty not only in be- half of their own citizens and in further ance of their own interests, but as agents or the CnflS1lan WOTlu. TlBHl IS tO enforce such conduct of the Turkish gov- ernment as will restrain fanatical brutal ity, and if this falls their duty is to so in- terfere as to insure against such dread full occurrences in Turkey as have lately i. shocked civilization. The powers de- clare this right and this duty to be theirs alone, and 1t is earnestly hoped that prompt and effective action on their part will not be delayed
 The new consulates at Erzeroum and To-. f1. vl1t <,1. f1t ion made last session, have been provision ally filled by trusted employees of the de- partment of state. The appointees, though now in Turkey, have not yet re- ceived their exequaturs.
 The arbitration of the claim of the Ven ezuelan Steam Transportation company, under the treaty of January 19, 1892, be- tween the United States and Venezuela, resulted in an award in favor of the claimants
 This government has used it's good of-
 fees towards composing the differences between Venezuela on the one hand and France and Belgium on the other, grow N ing out of the dismissal of the repre- grounds of publicat tion deemed offen- sive to Venezuela although that dis missal was coupled with cordial re- quest that other and more personally agreeable envoys be sent in their stead. rupture of intercourse ensued and still continues.
 Consular Service
 Tn view of the growth of our interests in foreign countries, and the encourag- ing prospects for general expansion of our commerce. the question of an inn provement in the consular service has increased In importance and urgency. Though there is no doubt that the great body of consular officers are rendering valuable service to the trade and indus tries of the country, the need of some plan of appointment and control which would tend to secure a higher average of efficiency cannot be denied. The import ance of the subject has led the executive |, to consider what steps might properly be taken without additional legislation to answer the needs of a better system of consular appointments. The matter having been committed to the considera- ton of the secretary of state, in ,pursu- ance of his recommendations an execu- tive order was issued on September 20, 1895, by which 1t Is provided that af- ter that date any vacancy In a consulate or commercial agency with an annual salary or compensation from official fees 4I,a, Ioe