Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-04
The Waller Incident.


tons.
The Waller Incident.
The customary cordial relations be
tween this country and France have been
undisturbed, with the exception that a full
explanation of the treatment of John L.
Waller by the expeditioDary military au
thorities of France still remains to be
given. Mr.. Waller, formerly United
States consul at Tamatave, remained in
Madagascar after his term of office ex.
pred and was apparently successful in
procuring business concessions from the
Hovas of greater or less value After tn,
occupation of Tamatave and the declara
ton of martial law by the French. he
was arrested upon various charges
Among them that of communicating mil.
1tary Information To the enemies OF
France, was tried and convicted by mil
ltary tribunal and sentenced to twenty
years imprisonment. Following the course
justified by abundant prccedents, this gov
crpment requested from that of France the
record of the proceedings of the French
tribunal which resulted in Mr. Walters
condemnation. This request has been
Il copy of the official record, from which
appear the constitution and organization
of the court, the charges as formulated.
and the general course and result of the
trial, and by which it is shown that the
accused was tried in open court and was
defended by counsel. But the evidence
adduced in support of the charges-which
were preferred by the French minister
for foreign affairs-till the first week in
October, has thus far been withheld, the
French government taking the ground
that It's production in response to our de-
mand would establish IA bad precedent.
The efforts of our ambassador to procure
it, however, though impcded by recent
changes in the French ministry have not
been relaxed, and it is confidently ex-
pectci that some satisfactory solution of
the matter will shortly be reached Mean
while it appears that Mr.. Walters confine-
mcnt has every alienation which the
state of his health and all the other cir
cumstances of the case demand or permit
In agreeable contrast to the difference
above noted respecting Il matter of common
concern where nothing is sought except
such a mutually satisfactory outcome as
the true merits of the case require, is the
recent resolution of the French chambers
favoring the conclusion of u permanent
treaty of arbitration between the two
countries. An invitation has been OK
tended by France to this government and
people of the United States to participate
in great international exposition at
Paris in 1900 as suitable commomoration
of the close of this worlds marvellous
century of progress heartily recon-
mend Its acceptance together with such
legislation as will adequately provide for
a due representation of this government
and its people on the occasion.
Relations With Germany.
Our relations with the states of the
German empire are in some aspects, typi
cal Of a condition Of things elsewhere
found in countries, whose products and
trade are similar to our own. The close
rivalries of competing industries the influ
encc of the delusivc doctrine that the in
tcrnal development of nation is promo
ted and its wealth increased by policy
which in undertaking to reserve its home
markets for the exclusive use of its
own producers, necessarily obstructs
their sales in foreign markets and pre-
vents free access to the products of
the world; the desire to retain trade
in time worn ruts regardless Of the
memorable laws Of new needs and
changed conditions of demand and supply,
and our own hating tardiness in invi-
ting free exchange of commodities
and by this means imperiing our
feeling in the external markets nat
" To,
somewhat injurious to American export
interests, not only in Germany, where
they are perhaps most noticeable, but in
adjacent countries. The exports affected
are largely American cattle and other
food products, the reason assigned for I'M
avoidable dissemination being that their
consumption is deleterious TO the public
health This Is all the more Irritating in
view Of the fact that no European state is
as jealous of the excellence and whole
someness of its exported food supplies as
the L. s. nor so easily able, on account
of inherit soundness to guarantee those
qualities Nor are their difficulties con
tined to our food products designed
for expectation Our great insurance
companies, for example having built up a
vast business abroad and invested large
share of their gains in foreign countries
in compliance with the local laws and
regulations then existing, now find
themselves within a narrowing circle Of
onerous and unforeseen conditions, and are
confronted by the necessity of retirement
from a field thus made Improbable, if In
deed they are not summary expelled, rs
some of them have lately been from
Prussia. 1t is not to be forgotten that
trade can not be one sided |
Its currents are alternating and its move