The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-12-07

ministration OF its Affairs has been
professionally intrusted to a military
governor until the Congress shall
otherwise provide The Cuban Joint
high commission has not yet termin:
ated its labors. Owing to the difficult
ties In the way of removing the large
numbers of Spanish troops still in
cuba. the evacuation cannot be COM
pleted before the LIST of January next.
Pursuant To the fifth article of the
protocol. | appointed William II. Day.
lately secretary of state; Cushman X.
Davis, William r. Fry and George
Gray, senators OF the United States,
and Whitelaw Reid. to be the peace
commissioners on the part OF the Uni
ted States. Proceeding In due season
TO Paris, they there met on the first OF
October. five commissioners similarly
appointed on the part of Spain. Their
negotiations have made hopeful prog
ress. so that I trust soon to be able to
lay definite treaty OF peace before the
Senate, with review of the steps
leading to It's signature.
do not discuss at this time the gov
ernment or the nature of the new pos
sessions which will come to us as the
result OF the war with Spain. Such
discussion will be appropriate after the
treaty or peace shall be ratified. In the
meantime and until the Congress has
legislated otherwise. II viii be my duty
TO continue the military governments
which have existed since our occiipa-
tion and give TO the people security In
life and property and announcement
under a Just and beneficent rule.
OUR RELATIONS WITH CUBA.
As soon az we are in possession of
Cuba and have pacified the island II
VIII be necessary to give aid and d-
rection to Its people to form a govern
ment for themselves. This should be
undertaken at the earliest moment
consistent with safety and assured
success. II is important that our re-
lations with this people should be OF
the most friendly character. and our
commercial relations close and recip-
rocal. II should be our duty to assist
In every proper way to build up the
waste places OF the island encourage
the industry Of the people. and assist
them TO form n government which
shall be free and Independent. thus re-
alizlng the best aspirations Of the Gu
ban people
Spanish rule must be replaced by a
just. benevolent and humane govern
ment, created by the people OF Cuba,
capable Of performing alb international
obligations and which shall encourage
thrift, industry and prosperity and
promote peace and good will among
all the Inhabitants. whatever may haye
been their relations in the past. NeitfA
er revenge nor passion should have b
place In the new government. Until
there Is complete tranquility in the ISL
and n stable government inaugurated.
military ocupation will continue.
With the one exception of the rup-
ture with Spain. the intercourse of the
United States with the great family of
nations has been marked with cordia'ity
and the close of the eventful year finds
most of the issues that necessarily
arise In the complex relations Uf SOW
cfeign States adjusted or presenting
no serious obstacle to just and hon
orable solution by amicable 1gree-
ment.
THE LATTIMER RIOT INCIDENT.
On the 10th OF September, 1897 a
conflict took place at Lattimer, Pa, be-
tween body of striking miners and
the sheriff of Luzerne county and his
deputies. in which 22 miners were kill
ed and A wounded. OF whom 10 of the
killed and IL Of the wounded were Aus
trian and Hungarian subjects. This
deplorable event naturally aroused the
solicitude of the Austro- Hungarian
government, which, on the assumption
that the killing and wounding invol-
we'd the unjustifiable misuse of au.,
thority. claimed reparatlon for the
sufferers. Apart from the arching
and peremptory action of
federal executive took appropriate
steps to learn the merits Of the case in
order to be in a position to meet the
urgent complaint of a friendly power.
The sheriff and his deputies having
been indicted for murder, were tried
and acquitted after protracted pro-
ceedngs and the hearing of hundreds
or witnesses on the ground that the
killing was in the line of their official
duty to uphold law and preserve public
order in the State. A representative
OF the department of justice attended
the trial for indemnity for its injured
Win all the facts in its possession, this
government expects to reach har-
understanding on tn subject
with that of Austria Hungary, not
the renewed claim of
the latter after learning the result of
the trial for indemnify for its Injured
subjects.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
The Nicaragua caral commission,
under the chairmanship Of Rear Ad-
miral John G. Walker. appointed July
"a. 1897, under the authority OF g pro-
vision in the sundry civil act of June
4 of that year, has nearly completed
It's labors, and the results OF its ,ex. 80
haustive inquiry into the proper route.
the feasibility and the cost of construc-
tion of an inter-oceanic canal by
NlcaraSuan route. In view of over
lures made tn the governments Of Mic
arasua and Costa Rica, by other par
ties for a new canal concession pre-
dicated on the assumed approaching
lapse Of the contracts of the Maritime
Canal company. with those states,
have not hesitated to express my con-
viction that considerations OF expedi.
ency and international policy as be-
tween the several governments in
terested in the construction and con-
troll of an inter-oceanic canal by this
route require the maintenance of the
status quo, until the canal commission
shall have reported and the United
States congress shall have the whole
matter during the present session.
without prejudice by reason of any
change in the existing conditions.
Nevertheless. IL appears that the
government of Nicaragua, as one Of its
last sovereign acts before merging its
powers in those of the newly found
United States of Central America, has
an optional concession to an
other association, to become effective
1n the expiration of the present grant
IL does not appear what surveys have
been made or what route Is proposedI
under this contingent grant. so that ami
of the feasibility OF its
l.ra L.. Ill 81