Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-02-14
WALLER GUILTY.
Opinion Of State Department on I'm.
prisonment Of Ex-Consul.
10 Offered His Liberty. But Rejects Il
in Hope Of Securing an Indemnity
Work Of Congress.

NbouluB cOu, IcU. L. i Alc pISSllclit
sent to congress Tuesday long report
from Secretary Olney and all the CORE.
epondence in the case of John l.. Wal.
Ter, eX-Uni.ed States consul to Tama-
tave, and now confined in French
prison under conviction of treason.
Secretary Olney says that Waller was
nnquestionably guilty of the offense
charged and that the penalty inflicted
would be considered exceedingly mod
crate, but the French government
made an offer to release Waller from
further imprisonment, and to pardon
his offense on condition that the aft
fair be thereby terminated MS between
the two governments and that the
United States should make no claim for
damages in behalf of the accused e&-
consul, based on his arrest, conviction
and imprisonment. Ambassador
Eustis, it appears from the CORE
spondence, had been instructed to give
notice to the French government OF
the acceptance by the United States Of
these conditions and to exchange the
notes necessary to carry out the ar .
rangement.
Waller Rejects Oners of Release.
Waller, however, as has been inti-
mated in United Press dispat hes from
this city, acting under the advice of his
wife and brother-in-law, who are here,
has not consented Il the arrangement,
md still inEfsts thof he shall receive
compensation from France. He
charged that he had received ill-treat-
ment while being taken from Madagas-
car 10 France and demanded indem-
nifty. Secretary Olney says should he
desire to resort to any action in the
French courts to sustain his claim, Mr..
Eustis could furnish security, and
there seemed to be nothing which
ought to stand in the way of the offer
of the French government for his inn
mediate release. Mr.. Eustis has been
instructed to furnish Waller with
means to reach the United States
should he desire to come here.
With reference to the Waller rubber
concession, which he claimed was con-
6sca.ed by France, Secretary Olney
says there is no proof of the nature, ex-
tent, validity OF value of the conces-
sion. and that it is certain that the
French authorities have always held
the concession to be without validity.
In the Senate.
Washington, Feb. lin the senate
Tuesday, on motion of Senator Hoar
trep., Mass.). it was ordered that OH
the 22d of February (Washngton's
birthday Immediately after the read
ing OF the journal, Washington's fare
we'll address be read to the senate by
Ss president pro tenn.
Senator Quay consented that his res
o}ution for the reco1nmittal of the
house tariff bill should go over without
nction. 30 as not to interfere with the
consideration of the bill Wednesday,
Senator Morrill, having given notice of
his purpose to ask the senate to act
upon it then.
The bill as to the distribution of seeds
was then taken up, and Senator Vests
tdem., MOI substitute for twas agreed
to, and the bill, so amended, was passed
without u division. 1t authorizes and
directs the secretary of agriculture to
purchase and distribute valuable seeds
for the year 1896, as has been done il,
preceding years. He is to procure the
seed by open purchase or contract, and
shall not pay more for them than IL
reasonable and fair price.
Another Monroe Doctrine Speech.
Senator Blanchard (dem., Ia) I'd
dressed the senate at length on the
Monroe doctrine as applicable to the
present state of our foreign relations.
He commended the presidents stand on
the Venezuelan boundary dispute and
strongly urged that the doctrine of
Monroe be advanced to the dignity of a
rule of governmental authority by
affixing to an enlarged scope of it the
sanction of legislative approval. Here
tofore this American policy had re-
manned mere dictum of the executive.
He insisted that the time had come when
1t should be given legal status by con-
gressional declaration-broad, bold,
comprehensive;n not made In temper, nor
nlenacing, but decisive.
While his speech occupied advanced
ground on this theme, it was conceived
In good temper and breathed a spirit
III peace and good will towards our
English cousins. He said, among other
things, that while the declarations of
the Monroe message sprang into being
BY reason of the imminence of a
peculiar danger then confronting this
country, which it was intended to meet
md avoid, 1t had still another purpose
20 serve. They were to furnish the
foundation of an active policy in con-
sonance with them, to last for all time.
More Nominations.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE president
Tuesday sent to the senate the follow
ing nominations: William Woodville
Rockhill. of Maryland, to be assistant
secretary Of state. Matthias A. Small.
ley, OF Ohio, to be marshal of the
United States for the northern dis
srict OF Ohio; ]. N. Morrison, of Mis-
souri,, to be judge advocate with the
rank Of major.
Doings Of the House.
Washington, Feb. 11.-Mr. Bartholdt
trep, MOI presented to the house
Tuesday petition containing 10000
signers and representing 100000 of the
population of St. Louis, asking that
the third bridge across the Mississip.
pi at st. Louis, q charter for which is
now being. asked OF congress, be built
at South st. Louis.
Under the agreement made Monday
the house proceeded to consider the
business reported from the COMMITTEES
on District of Columbia