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

| tion Of Hawaii as a natural and inevitable
| contamination. in harmony with our needs
| and IN fuinimt Mt Of our cherished traditions
| The questions heretofore existing between
| Hawaii and Japan, growing out OF the alleged
| mistreatment OF Japanese treaty Immigrants
were. I am pleased to say. adjusted before
| the act OF transfer by the payment OF n rea.
sorablo Indemnity to the government oil
| Japan. "
| tlon the existing customs relations Of the
Hawaiian islands with the United states aud
with other countries remain unchanged unti
| legislation shall otherwise provide The con-
| suis OF Hawaii here and In foreign countries,
| continue to fulhl their commercial ngencies,
| while the United States consulate at Homo
| lulu is maintained for appropriate services
| pertaining to trade and the revenue. u
would be desirable that all foreign consuls
| In the Hawaiian Islands should receive new
| cxcquaturs from this government
| The attention of congress is called to the
| fact that our consular offices having ceased
| to exist In Hawaii. aud being about to cease
| In other countries coming under the sover-
| eighty OF the United States. the provision
| for the relief aud transportation OF destitute
| Amer lean scamcn IN these countries under
our consular regulations viii In consequence
| terminate. u ia proper therefore that new
| legislation should be enacted upon this sub
| ioct IN order 10 meet the changed conditions.
| THE CZAR's DISARMAMENT PROPOSAL.
| Tho proposal of the cZar for n general re-
| duction of the vast military establishments
| that weigh so heavily upon many people In
| time Of peace was communicated TO TINS gov
l
| represented In tho conference which IL con-
| templatcd 20 assemble with view to dis
cussing the means of accomplishing so de-
srnble result. His majesty was nt once
| informed OF the cordial eympathy Of this
government with the principle involved In his
| exalted proposal, and of the readiness OF tho
! United States to take part In the conference.
| The active military forces Of the United
| States, as measured by our population. terrl-
torial area and taxable wealth is, and under
any conceivable prospective conditions must
1 Rnp lima -. hs ~ limo pf IA n
| spcuously less than that Of the armed pow
ers TO whom the ears appeal Is especially
addressed. that the question can have for us
| no practical Importance save MS marking an
auspcious step toward the betterment OF the
condition Of the modern peoples and the rul-
| tlvntion OF peace and good will among them.
hut In this vicw II behooves us as nation
10 lend countenance aud aid TO the benehcent
A NAVAL RED CROSS.
| Immediately after the outbreak OF the
| war with Spain the Swiss government ful-
| fllug the high mission II has deseryedly
assumed as tho patron OF the lnternatona,
| Red Cross proposed to the United States and
Spain that they should scvorally recognize
anl carry into execution, as n modus vivendi.
/ during the continuance ot hostilities, the
| additional articles proposed By the intcrnn-
| tional conference of Geneva, october ~, 1858,
| extending the effects Of tho existing RED
| Cross convention of 1864 to the conduct OF
| naval war Following the example set by
France and Germany In 1870 In adopting such
modus yivcndi and I'm view OF the cesston
Of the United States TO those additional art
| cles in 1852. although the exchange Of ratih-
cations thereof stll remains unaffected, the
Swiss proposal was promptly ana cordially
accepted by us, and, simultaneously by
Spain.
| This government feels a keen satisfaction
| In having thus been enabled to testify its ad-
| herence to the broadest principles OF human %
ity even amidst the clash of war, and II ~
| to be hoped that the extension of the Red
| Cross compact to hostilities by sea as well
| as on land may soon become an accomplished
/ fact, through the general promulgation OF the
additional naval Red Cross articles by the
maritime powers now parties to the convcn-
VICTORY FOR ARBITRATION.
| The arbltral tribunal appointed under the
| treaty of February 2. 1891 between Great
Britain and Venezuela, to determine the
| boundary line between the latter and the
! colony of British Guiana, IL to convent at
Paris during the present month. II is "A
| source OF much qualification to this govern
| ment to see the friendly resort of arbitration
applied to the settlement OF this controversy,
| not alone because of the earnest part We
have had In bringing about the result, but
also because the two members named on be-
| half OF Venezuela, Mr. Chief Justice Fuller
| and Mr.. Justice Brewer. chosen from our
highest court. appropriately testify lie con
| tinuing interest we feel In the definite ad-
justment OF the question according to the
| strictest rules OF Justice The British mem
| bers, Lord llerschell aud Sir Richard Collins,
are jurists OF no less exalted repute, while
the nth member and president of the trl-
| bunal, NJ. T. de Martens has earned world
wide reputation as an authority upon inter-
national law
| PRIVATE PROPERTY EXEMPT IN WAR.
| The experiences of the last year bring fore
ibly home to us sense Of the burdens and
with most civilized nations to reduce to the
| lowest possible point the damage sustained
In time of war by poaceable trade and com
| merce II Is true, we may suffer In such
cases less than other communities. but all
nations are damaged more less by the
state of uneasincss and apprehension into
which an outbreak of hostilites throws the
entire commercial world. II should be our
| object therefore, to minimize, so far as
| practicable. this inevitable loss and disturb
ance. This purpose can probably be best ac-
| complshed by an International agreement
to regard all private property at sea as ex-
| empt from capture or destruction by the
forces forces Of belligerent powers The United
Gated this humane and benencent principle
and Is now In position to recommend u to
other powers without the imputation of sell
| hsh motives. l therefore suggest for your
consideration that the executive be author
lied to correspond with the government of
the principal maritime powers with view
OF Incorporating into the permanent law Of
civilized nations the principle of the excmp-
tlon OF all private property at sea, not con-
traband OF war, from capture or destruction
GOVERNMENT FINANCES.
The secretary OF the Treasury reports that
the receipts of the government from all
sources during the fiscal year ended June 30,
1898. including SG4, ,751, ,223, received from sale
OF Pacific railroads. amounted to siO5, ,321, 1896,
and its expenditures to Sii3, ,36S, ,532 There
was collected from customs s1tl, l,575 C62, and
from internal revenue $l70 90O,6tI Our duti-
able imports amounted to 1924 635, 479, a de-
crease OF sos. $500 over the preceding year
and importations free of duty amounted 10
s2gl ,il4.1lb. decrease from the preceding
year OF S90.52i ,06S. Internal revenue receipts
exceeded those Of the preceding year by sa,-
The total tax collected on distilled sprits
VA Mas w. 23o'52! and on fermented liquors,
sJs,5lb,f2l. We reported merchandise during
the year amounting to 81. .231, ,4S2, $3.50. an in.
crease OF $3.50, iSs, IA from the preceding year
II is estimated upon the basis OF present
revenue laws that the receipts of the govern
ment for the year ending June 80, 1899. will
pc $s7,slf,B47, and its expenditures $3.50 S7i- :
6il, resulting In deficiency of SII2 OOO. .o'0
On the list OF December, 1898 there was
held In the treasury gold coin amounting TO
slSs. 502. 10. gold bullion amounting TO sl3s.
S02.oi; silver bullion amounting 10 ss3'35s-
go. and other forms Of money amounting to
$i51. .693 9S1. ~
On the same date the amount of money Of
all Kinds In circulation, or not Included I'm
treasury holdings was 81. $50, ,s79 3O4 an in
crease for the year OF s165, 40, 1855. Estmat-
ing our population at 75.194.0O0 at the time
mentioned, the per capita circulation was
s25O9. On the same date there was in the
5O2, ,545 '-'''