Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Notwithstanding the added burdens rem
dered necessary by the war our people
rejoice in very satisfactory and steadi-
~ increasing degree OF prosperity evil
denced by the largest volume OF business
ever recorded.
The president here reviews the causes
that led up to the war with Spain and
the prosecution of the war by the army
and navy. The message then continues:
L do not discuss at this time the govern
ment or the future of the new possess
sions which viii come to us as the result
of the war with Spain Such discussion
viii be appropriate after the treaty of
peace shall be ratified.
AS soon as we are in possession OF Cuba
and have pacified the island IT will be
necessary to give aid and direction to its
people to form a government for them
selves. This should be undertaken at the
earliest moment consistent with safety
and assured success. 1t is important that
our relations with this people shall be OF
the most friendly character and our COM
mercia1 relations close and reciprocal. 1t
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 a gov
eminent which shall be free and equal.
Spanish rule must be replaced by just.
benevolent and humane government Gre
ated by the people of Cuba. capable OF
performing all International obligations
and which shall encourage thrift, indus
| try and prosperity and promote peace and
good will among ali of the inhabitants.
whatever may have been their relations
in the past. Neither revenge nor passion
| should have a place in the new govern
ment. Until there is complete tranquil
/ ty In the island and a stable governtent
inaugurated military occupation win be
continued.
| The Lattimer Shooting.
On the 10th of September. 1897. con-
| fiict took place at Lattiiner. Pa. between
| n body of striking miners and the sheriff
| OF Luzerne county and his deputies. in
i which % miners were killed and a wound
| ed, OF whom 10 of the killed and u of the
| wounded were Austrian and Hungarian
subjects. This deplorable event natural
! ly aroused the solicitude of the Austro-
Hungarian government. which, on the as
| sumption that the killing and wounding
| involved the unjustifable misuse Of au-
| thority. claimed PREPARATION for the suf-
| ferers- Apart from the searching inves-
! tigation and peremptory action of the
authorities OF Pennsylvania. the federal
executive took appropriate steps to learn
| the merits OF the case. in order to be in n
position TO meet the urgent complaint of
friendly power. The sheriff and his dep
uties, having been indicted for murder
were acquitted after protracted proceed
ings and the hearing OF hundreds of wit
nesses on the ground that the killing was
in the line of their official duty to uphold
the law and preserve public order I'm the
state. representative of the DEPART
ment OF Justice attended the trial and re-
, ported its course fully. with all the facts
| in its possession this government expects
TO reach harmonious understanding or
the subject with that of Austro-Hungary
The Nicaragua Canal.
The Nicaragua canal commission has
; nearly completed its labors. and the re.
suits Of it's exhaustive inquiry into tho
| efh flo
OF construction of an interoccanic cana
by n Nicaraguan route will be laid be.
! fore you.
As the scope OF the recent inquiry en-
, braced the whole subject with the aim o
making plans and surveys for a canal by
the most convenient route. it necessarily
included n review OF the results of pre-
Vious surveys and plans, and in partic
= ular those adopted by the Maritime Cana
company under its existing concession.
q from Nicaragua and Costa Eica. so tina
a TO this extent those grants necessarily
hold SIS essential part in the delibera
tons and conclusions of the canal com
mission as they have held ard must needs
hold In the discussion of the matter b,
q congress. I have not hesitated to ex
!. press my conviction that consideration,
: OF expediency and international policy a.
I between the several governments inter
4 ested In the construction and control O
. I an tnteroceanic canal by this route re
quire the maintenance of the status ou,
until the canal commission shall have re
4 ported
;, Nevertheless. It appears that the gov
: eminent OF Nicaragua. as one of its las
] sovereign acts before merging its power
Z !. in those OF the newly formed Unite,
States of Central America, has granite,
: | an optional concessio ion to another asso
citation. TO become effective on the expira
ton of the present grant. 1t does no
appear what surveys have been made O
g what route is proposed under this con
D tingcnt grant. so that an examination o
n the feasibility OF its plans is necessaril.
+ not embraced in the report of the cana
commission. All these circumstances sug
gest the urgency OF some definite actioi
by the congress at this session IL the la
bors OF the past are TO be utilized and TIA
linking OF the Atlantic and Pacific ocean
:, by a practical waterway is to be realized
! That the construction OF such a MARTINI
q highway is now moro than ever indispen
. | sable to that intimate and resdy inter
| communication between our eastern an
. western seaboards demanded by the an
nexatIon of the Hawaiian Islands and tn
? | prospective expansion OF our infuenc
= and commerce in the Pacific and that on
national poLcy now more irlpcrativel
s than ever calls for its control by thi
: government. are propositions which
doubt not the congress will duly appre
ciate and wisely act upon.
Our Interests In China.
: The United States has not been an in
? different spectator of the eStraordinar
, | events TRANSFERRING In the Chinese empire
. | whereby portions of its maritime prov
= inces are passing under the control OF va
rious European powers. but the prospec
| that the vast commerce which the eneT
gy of our citizens and the necessity of on
staple productions for Chinese uses ha
built up in those regions may not be pref
I | udiced through any exclusive treatEen
: by the new occupants has obviated tn
need of our country becoming an acto
In the scene. Our position among nation:
having a large PaciEc coast and a con
:. | stantly expanding direct trade with tn
: farther Orient. gives us the equitabl
= claim to consideration and friendly treat
: msnt in this regard. and 1t viii be m
a aim to subserve our large interests in tina
quarter by all means appropriate to tn
: constant policy of our government. TIL
territories of Kia-Chow. OF Wei-hai-wa
= and OF Port Arthur and Talicnwan. lease
+ | to Germany, Great Britain and Russi
| respectively for terms OF years will. 1t
announced. be open 10 international CON
Ill