The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-12-08

Andean CreSts, from the sOutnerH oof-
der of the Atacama desert to the Magel-
Ian straits. nearly third of the length
of the South American continent, as
sumed an acute stage In the early part
of the year and afforded this government
occasion TO express the hope that the re,
sort to arbitration already contemplated
by existing conventions between the par
ties, might prevail. despite the grave diffi-
culties arising In It's application. l am
happy to say that arrangements to TINS
end have been perfected. the questions 81
fact upon which the respective commits
sloners were unable to agree being In
course of reference to her Britannia ma
Jesty for determination. A residual diff
ference, touching the northern boundary
line across the Atacama desert. for which
existing treaties provided no adequate ad-
tustment. bids fair to be settled In like
manner by a Joint commission, upon which
the United States minister at Buenos
Ayres has been invited to serve as UNI
pire In the last resort.
International Cable Agreement.
have found occasion to approach the
Argentine government with view to re-
moving differences of rate charges Inn
posed upon the cables OF an American
corporation In the transmission between
Buenos Ayres and, the cities of Uruguay
and Brazil OF through messages passing
from and to the United States. Although
concessions by Uruguay and Brazil to
foreign companies. there Is a strong hope
that good understanding will be reached
and that the important channels of COM
mercial communication between the
United States and the Atlantic cities Of
South America may be freed from an al
most prohibitory discrimination.
Foreign Exhibitions.
Despite the brief time allotted for prep
hn oe
the universal exposition at Brussels in
1897 enjoyed the singular distinction of a
larger proportion of awards, having re-
gard to the number and classes of articles
entered. than those of other countries The
worth of such result In making known
our national capacity to supply the worlds
markets Is obvious
The Nicaragua Canal.
The Nicaragua canal commission, under
Rear-Admiral John G. Walker, appointed
July "a, 1897, under the authority of q
provision In the sundry civil act of June 4,
of that year, has nearly completed its
labors, and the results Of Its exhaustive
inquiry into the proper route. the feasible
ity and the cost of construction of an In
teroceanic canal by the Nicaragua route,
will be laid before you. In the perform
ance of It's work the commission received
all possible courtesy and assistance from
the governments of Nicaragua and Costa
RIGA, which thus testified their apprecia-
ton of the Importance of giving a speedy
and practical outcome of the project that
has for so many years engrossed the at
tention of the respective countries.
AS the scope of recent inquiry embraced
the whole subject with the aim of making
plans and surveys for canal by the most
convenient route. 1t necessarily included
a review Of the results of previous sur
veys and plans. and in particular those
M nv no Mar I'm
under its existing concessions from Mica
ragua and Costa Rica, so that to this ex-
tent these grants necessarily held an es-
sential part In the deliberations and con-
illusions of the canal commission as they
have held and must needs hold In the dis
cussion of the matter by congress. I'm
der these circumstances. and in view Of
overtures made to the governments Of
Nicaragua and Costa Rica by other par
ties for a new canal concession predicated
on the assumed approaching lapse of the
contracts of the Maritime Canal Company
with those states, have not hesitated to
express my convictions that considerations
OF expediency and international policy. as
between the several governments inter-
ested In the construction and control Of
an interoceanic canal by this route re-
Quire the maintenance of the status quo
until the canal commission shall have re-
ported and the United States congress
finally upon the whole matter during the
present session without prejudice by rea-
son of any change in the existing condi-
lions.
Nevertheless, It appears that the gov
eminent of Nicaragua, as one of its last
sovereign acts before merging its pow
ers in those of the newly formed United
States of Central America, has granted an
optional concession to another association
to become effective on the expiration Of
the present grant. 1t does not appear
that surveys have been made or what
route is proposed under this concession,
so that an examination of the feasibility
of its plans Is necessarily not embraced
In the report of the canal commission.
All these circumstances suggest the ur-
gency of some definite action by congress
at this session If the labors of the past
are to be utilized and the linking of the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans by q practical
waterway is to be realized. That the
construction of such a maritime highway
Is now more than ever Indispensable to
that intimate and ready intercommuni-
cation between our eastern and western
seaboards demanded by the annexation
of the Hawaiian islands and the prospec-
tive expansion of our influence and COM
merce to the Pacific, and that our national
policy now more imperatively than ever
calls for Its control by this government,
are propositions which 1 doubt not con-
gress will duly appreciate and wisely act
upon.
Trade Relations With France and
Germany.
The commercial arrangements made
with France on May Is. 1893, under the
provisions of section 3. of the tariff act
of 1897. went into effect on June follow
ing. 1t has relieved a portion of our sex-
port trade from serious embarrassment
Further negotiations are now pending
under section of the same act, with a
view to the increase of trade between
the two countries to their mutual adj
vantage. Negotiations with other govern