Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-12-12

supply, and our own haiting Hardness in inyit--
ing free exchange of commodities and by this
means imperiling our footing in the external
markets naturally open TO us, have created
situation somewhat injurious to American ex-
port 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 fo- unfavor able discrimination being
that their consumption is deleterious to the
public health. This is all the more irritating
In view of the fact that European State is
as JEALOUS of the excellence and wholesome
ness of its exported food supplies as the United
States, nor SO easily able on account of inner
emit soundness to guar antee those qualities.
Nor are these difficulties confined to our food
products designed for expectation, Our great
insurance companies, for example, having
built up a vast business abroad and invested a
large share of their gains in for ign countries.
in compliance with the local laws and regula-
tons then existing. now find themselves within
narrowing circle of onerous and unforeseen
conditions, and are confronted by the necessity
Of retirement from a field these made unproft-
able. If indeed they are not summarily ex-
PEELED, some of them have lately been In
Prussia. It is not to be forgotten that inter
national trade can not be one-sided. Its cur
rents alternating and its movements should
be honestly reciprocal Without this 1t almost
necess arily degen crates into device to gain
advantage or a continuance to secure benefits
with only the semblanee of a return. In our
dealings with other nations. We ought to be
open-handed and Scrup0iOuSIy ta1r.
This should be our policy producing ma
ton, and it plainly becomes apeople who
love generosity and the moral aspects of ma
tiona1 good faith and reciprocal forbearance.
These considerations should not, however, con-
I strain US to submit to unfair discrimination
nor to silently acQuiesce in vexatious hindrauces
to the enjoyment of our share of the legitimate
advantages of proper trade rela tons LIZ an
examination of the situa ton suggests such
measures on our part would involve restric-
tions similar to those from which we suffer- the
way to such a course is easy; it should, how
ever, by no means be lightly entered upon.
since the necessity for the inauguration OF such
q policy would be regretted by the best senti-
ment of our people, and because it naturally
and logically might lead to consequences of the
gravest character.
The Behring Sea Matter.
Our relations with Great Britain, always in
innate and important, have demanded during
the past year, even greater share of consider
| alton than is usual Several vexatious ques-
lions were les undetermined by the decision of
| the Behring arbitration tribunal. The ap-
plication of the principles laid down by the
august body has not been followed by the re-
suits they were intended to accomplish, either
because the principles themselves lacked in
breadth and dehnlteness or because their exc
cution has been more or less imperfect The
understanding by which the United States was
to pay and Great britain to receive a lump
sum of $i25,OO) in full settlement of all British
claim for damages arising from our seizure OF
British sealing vessels unauthorized under the
award of the Paris tribunal of arbitration was
not confirmed by the last Congress, which de-
clined to make the necessary appropriation l
am still of the opinion that this arrangement
was judicious and advantageous one for the
government, and I earnestly recommend that
| it be again considered and sanctioned. II,
however this does not meet with the favor of
Congress, it certainly will hardly dissent from
the proposition that the government is bound
to every consideration of honor and good faith
| to provide for the eedy adjustment of these
| " arbitration
tive. treaty of arbitration has, therefore,
| been agreed upon and will be Immediately laid
before the Senate so that, in one of the modes
| suggested, final settlement may be reached
The Venezuela Issue.
It being apparent that the boundary dispute
between Great Britain and the Republic OF
| Venezuela, concerning the limits of British
| Guinea, was approaching an acute stage,
| definite statement of the interest and policy of
| the United States regards the controversy
| seemed to be eluired both on its own account
and in view of It's relations with the friendly
powers directly C 'ncerned. In july last, there
| fo1e, dispatch was addressed to our ambassa-
| dor at London for communication to the British
| government in which the attitude of the United
| Stale s was fully and distinctly set forth. The
general conclusions there reached and formu-
| lated are in substance that the traditional and
| established policy of this government is firmly
| opposed to forcible increase by any European
power of its territorial possessions this CONT
nent; that this policy is as well founded in
| principle 1t is strongly supported by
| merous precedents; that as consequence the
United States is bound to protest agains -he
enlargement of the area of British Guinea n
derogation of the rights and against the will of
| Venezuela; that, considering the disparity in
| strength of Great Britain and Venezuela, the
| territorial dispute between them can be easily
! settled only by friendly and impartial arbitra-
| ton and that the resort to such arbitration
| should include thu whole controversy and is
not satisfied if one of the powers concerned is
permitted to draw arbitrary line through the
| territory in debate and to declare 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 terri
| torial controversy between itself and Venezuela
in its entirety to impartial arbitration. The
| answer of the British government has not yet
| been received but is expected shortly when
further communication on the subject will prob
| ably be made to congress.
The Hawaiian Matter.
Early in January last an uprising against the
government of Hawaia promptly sup
pressed. Martial law was forthwith pro-
claimed and numerous arrests made of
persons SUSPECTED of being in sympathy with
the Royalist party. Among these several
! citizens of the United States, who were either
convicted by military court and sentenced to
| death, imprisonment or fine, we're deported
without trial. The United States, while deny
| ing protection to those who had taken the Ha-
| waiian oath of allegiance, insisted that martial
| law, though altering the forms of Justice, could
not supercede justice itself, and demanded a
| stay of execution until the proceedings had
been submitted to this government. and knowl-
edge obtained therefrom that our citizens had
received fair trial. The death sentences were