The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-03-12
FACING THE
ADMINISTRATION.
Problems for the President to Solve,
DIPLOMATIC DISPUTES.
Things That Must be Taken
up at Once.
TARIFF AND ARBITRATION.

Two of the Principal Subjects to
be Disposed of-Destruction of
the Seal Herds, the Alaskan
Boundary and Europe's Inter
dictlon of American Products
and Other Commercial Matters
Also Demand Attention.
WASHINGTON, March 5.-Probably
never before in American history has
an administration been Obliged to face
at the very beginning of its assump-
ton of power so many and important
questions affecting the foreign relations
of the United States as confront Presi-
dent Mckinley and his premier, Sec
rotary Sherman.
All of these are important and,
while some of them may be for time
kept in the background, others, and
those of the utmost gravity, are likely
to force themselves upon the attention
of the new administration in such a
persistent manner that they must be
met promptly.
In the list of open diplomatic issues
are some old veterans, questions that
were running along in diplomatic,
time-Rilling fashion when President
Harrison turned over the helm of tine
ship of state to President Cleveland,
but the latter, in his time, with the
best of intentions, and in spite of the
most heroic efforts, was obliged to add
to the list aud make new issues of his
own that he was unable TO bring to a
conclusion before he, in turn, gave way
to President Mckinley.
CUBA'S COMPLICATIONS.
Foremost, and of the greatest inter-
est to the people of the United States,
because of the strife that is being
waged under their very eyes, is the
subject of our relations toward Cuba.
For over two years the instruction
on the ever faithful isle has gone on,
and from the confusion of reports that
reach the Department of State, it is
not possible to accurately aud surely
ascertain the exact condition of this
struggle, which, as President Cleve-
land has stated in his message to Con-
gress. has involved in itself interests of
enormous value to citizens of the Uni
ted States.
1t is understood to be the policy of
the new administration to deal with
this matter deliberately, 4nd not to I'M
dertake to depart from the policy with
which it has so far been treated until
our more important internal affairs are
adjusted,
But the matter is not of an explosive
nature, aud 1T is not safe to predict
that through some overt aud outra-
geous act of a subordinate, among
the Spanish forces or in the insurgent
lines something like the Virginius af-
fair for instance) the administration
will not be forced to depart from its
plans and direct its attention at short
notice to this dangerous subject
HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION.
One of the issues that was carried
over from the Harrison administration,
but which now stands in very different
shape from that it held then, is the
subject of Hawaiian annexation.
The citizens of the little island re.
public have come to look upon the Re-
publicans as their friends, and making
ready in advance for the Inauguration
of President Mckinley, they have be-
gun carefully prepared agitation to
further their ends in Washington.
They will seek, with the aid of power
full friends in and out of Congress, to
induce the President to negotiate
new annexation treaty at the earliest
possible moment, and while the desir-
ed annexation may be attained in short
order ii the President approves to so
arrange the details of the transaction
as to avoid raising unpleasant issues
with Great Britain, France anG japan,
and losing all reputation for consisten-
cy, it will require the exhibition of d.
plomacy of high order.
BRITISH RELATIONS.
With the mother, England, our re-
lations are so founded ON reasonable
ana mutual consideration that there
is no ground for apprehension that the
subjects pressing for the consideration
of the diplomatic agencies will not
yield in the end to the usual methods
of treatment. This is fortunate for the
welfare of both countries, as some of
these questions are of the greatest i'm
portance, and are easily capable, if
treated in harsh aud uncompromis-
ing spirit, of becoming sources OF open
rupture.
ALASKA'S BOUNDARY.
OF such is the Alaskan boundary
question aud the proposed extensions
of the regulations for the protection of
the seals in Behring Sea. In the first
Instance, though gratifying progress
has been made by the negotiation of
treaty providing for the loca ion of the
l4lst meridian, which forms the
bounary line in the northern portion
of Alaska, the most difficult phase yet
awaits final treatment, namely, the
drawing of the boundary line in the
southeast. made peculiarly troublesome
because of the absolute failure of the
original treaty of cession to follow we'll
defined geographical lines.
Nevertheless, the last ADMINISTRATION
took the initial steps towards settle
ment of this question, and although
delay in following up these negotiations
will certainly result in complications,
a pursuance of the negotiations in
proper spirit on both sides will doubt
less lead to satisfactory conclusion.
This was one of the matters which was
to have come first under consideration
had the general arbitration treaty been
ratified, and if this great peace-pre-
serving compact is long delayed in con-
clusion the southeast boundary ques-
ton may have to be settled by sep
arate and special arbitration.
As to tine protection of seal life in