Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-12-03

reasonably settled only by friendly and Inn
| partial arbitration, and that the resort to such
| arbitration should include the whole contro-
versy and is not satisfied if one of the powers
concerned is permitted to draw an arbitrary
line through the territory in debate and to de-
clare that it will submit to arbitration only
! the portion lying on one side of it,
| In view of these conclusions the dispatch IN
question called upon the British government
for definite answer to the question whether
| it would or would not submit the territorial
| controversy between itself and Venezuela IN
its entirety to impartial arbitration.
The answer Of tho British government has
not been received, but is expected shortly,
when further communication on the subject
will probably be made to congress.
The Hawaiian Question.
Early in January last an uprising against
| the government of Hawaii was promptly sup
pressed. Martial law was forthwith proclaimed,
and numerous arrests were made OF persons
| suspected of being in sympathy with the roy
alist party. Among these were several clti-
zens of the United States, who were either
| convicted by military court and sentenced 10
| death, imprisonment or fine, or were deported
without trial. The United States, while de
nying protection to such as had taken the
| Hawaiian oath Of allegiance, INSISTED that
martial law, though altering the + hms of
| Justice could not supersede justice itself, and
demanded Il stay of execution until the pro
ceedings had been submitted to this govern
ment, and knowledge obtained therefrom that
our citizens had received fair trial.
The death sentences were subsequently com
| mutel or were RENTED ON condition Of leav-
ing the islands, The cases Of certain Amerl'
cans arrested and expelled by arbitrary order,
| without formal charge or trial, have had at
tentiOn. and in some instances have be- .
found to Justify renonstrance and claim for
indemnity, which Hawaii has not thus far con
| cedcd.
M. Thurston, the Hawaiian minister, having
| furnished this government abundant reason
for asking that he b. recalled, that course was
! pursued and his successor has lately been re-
| ceivcd.
Padrnne system Condemned.
The dcplorable lynching of several Italian
| labOrers in Colorado was naturally followed
by international repre5 ntations, and am
happy to say that the best efforts Of the state
! in which the outrageS occurred have been put
forth to discover and punish the authors OF
this atrocous crime.
These manifestations against helpless aliens
may be traced through successive stages to
the vicious palrone -ysteln, which, unchecked
| by our Immigration and contract - labor
statute4-contros these workers from the
moment of landing our shores, and farms
| them out in distant and often rude regions,
| where their Cheapening competition IN the
fields of bread winning toll brings them into
collision with other labor interests. While
welcoming, as we should, those who seek orr
shores to merge themselves in our body poll
tic and win personal competence by honest
effort we cannot regard such assemblages Il
! distinctvely alien laborers, hired out in Il
mass to the profit Of alien spectators and
shipped hither and thither as the prospect Of
gain may dictate, as otherwise than repugnant
to the spirit of our civilization, deterrent to
individual advancement, and hindrances to
F5tul 81
upon the wholesome ambitions of the citl2
and constituting the prime factor in the Pr
perity and progress of our nation. II lcgis
lation can reach this growing evil, it certainly
| should be attempted.
The New Japan.
Japan has furnished abundant evidence of
her vast gain in every trait and characteristic
! that constitutes nations greatness. We have
reason for congratulation in the fact that tho
government of the United States, by the cX-
change of liberal treaty stipulations with the
new Japan, was the first to recognize her
wonderful advance and to extend to her the
consideration and confidence due to her ma
tional enlightment and progressive character
our Southern Neighbors.
The boundary dispute which lately threat
! ened to embruil Guatemala and Mexico has
| happily yielded to pacific counsels, and its de-
termination has, by the joint agreement OF the
parties, been submitted to the sole arbitration
| of the United States minister to Mexico.
The commission appointed under the con
vention of Feb Is, 1889, to set new monuments
along the boundary between the United States
and Mexico mas completed its task.
AS sequel to the failure of a scheme for the
colonization in Mexico of negroes, mostly i'm
migrants from Alabama under contract, a
great number of these helpless and suffering
! people, starving and smitten with contagious
! Il m ln bpi a assisted
frontier, whcr., in wretched plight, they were
| uuarantined by Texas authorities. directed
rations To be temporarily furnished them
through the war department. At the eNpira-
ton of their quarantine, they were conveyed
by the railway companies at comparatively
nominal rates to their homes in Alabama,
upon my suggestion, in the absence of any
fund available for the cost of their transpor-
tation, that l would recommend to congress for
its payment. Inow strongly urge upon con-
gress the prOpriety of making such an appro-
priation.
The Nicaragusn Disturbance.
In last years message l narrated ut some
length the jurisdictional questions then
freshly arisen in the Mosquito Indian strip of
Nicaragua. Since that time, by the volun-
tary act of the Mosquito nation, the territory
reserved TO them has been Incorporated with
Nicaragua, the Indians formally subjectng
themselves to be governed by the general laws
and regulations of the republic.
After this extension of uniform Nicaraguan
administration to the Mosquito strip. the case
of the British vice consul Hatch, and Of sew
eral of his countrymen, who had been sum
marily expelled from Nicaragua and treated
with considerable indignity, provoked a claim
by Great Britain upon Nicaragua for pecuni-
airy indemnity, which, upon Nicaragua's re-
fusal to admit liability, was enforced by Great
Britain. While the sovereignty and jurisdic-
ton of Nicaragua We're in no way questioned
by Great Britain, the formers arbitrary con-
duct in regard 10 the British subjects fur
nshed the ground for this proceeding.
A British naval force occupied without re-
sistance the pacific seaport of Corinto, but was
soon after withdrawn upon the promise that
the sum demanded would be paid. Through
out this incident the kindly offices of the
United States were invoked and were en-
ployed in favor of as peaceful settlement
and az such consideration and indulgence to-
ward Nicaragua were consistent with the
nature of the case. Our efforts have since
been made the subjects of appreciative and
grateful recognition by Nicaragua.
Relations With Russia.
The coronation of the Gar of Russia at Mos
COW in May next invites the ceremonial par
ticipation OF the United States, and, in &C.
Cordance with usage and diplomatic pro-
priety, our minister to the imperial court
has been directed to represent our government
| nm the occasion.