Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-12-08

| menl VI lHe eAtTau1tlOn statute So as
to give the president authority to act
where a treaty negatives the obliga-
tion to surrender. Other Mexican ques-
tions are discussed. The message then
! says:
The Czar's Proposal.
The proposal Of the czar for a general
| reduction of the vast military estab-
lshments that weigh so heavily upon
many peoples in time of peace was
communicated to this government, with
an earnest invitation to be represented
in the conference which it is contem-
plated to assemble with a view to dis
cussinS the means of accomplishing so
desirable a result. His majesty was at
once Informed of the cordial sympathy
of this government with the principle
involved in his exalted proposal and of
the readiness of the United States to
take part in the conference. The active
military force of the United States as
measured by our population, territorial
area and taxable wealth is, and under
any conceivable prospective conditions
must continue to be, in time of peace so
conspicuously less than that of the
armed powers to whom the cars ap-
peal is especially addressed that the
question can have for us no practical
Importance save as marking an auspi-
cious step toward the betterment and
good will among them, but in this view
it behooves us as nation to lend coun-
tenance and aid to the beneficent prof.
ect.
The newly accredited envoy of the
United States to the Ottomon porte car
rles instructions looking to the disposal
of matters in controversy with Turkey
for a number of years He is especially
oh ia q ipc
of our claims for indemnity by reason
of the destruction of the property OF
American missionaries resident in that
country during the Armenian troubles
of 1885, as well as for the recognition
OF older claims of equal business.
He is also instructed to seek an ad
justment of the dispute growing out of
the refusal of Turkey to recognize the
acquired citizenship of Ottoman born
persons naturalized in the United States
since 1863 without prior imperial con
sent and in the same general relation
he is directed to endeaVor to bring
about solution of the question which
has more or less acutely existed since,
1869 concerning the jurisdictional rights
of the United States in matters of
criminal procedure and punishment un-
der article of the treaty of 1880. This
ldlleG ulillcuily grows out OF q verbal
difference, claimed by Turkey to be es-
genital, between the original Turkish
text and the promulgated translation.
After more than two years from the
appointment of consul of this coun-
try to Erzerum he has received his eX-
equatur.
l transmitted to the senate on the
10th of February last information touch
ing the prohibition against the importa-
tion of fresh fruits from this country,
which had then recently been decreed
by Germany, on the ground of danger
of disseminating the San Jose scale in
sect. This precautionary measure was
justified by Germany on the score of
the drastic steps taken in several states
of the Union against the spread of the
pest, the elaborate reports of the de-
partment of agriculture being put in
evidence to show the danger to Ger
man fruit growing interests should the
scale obtain a lodgment in that coun-
try.
Temporary relief was afforded in the
case of large consignments of fruit
then on the way by inspection and ad-
mission when found noninfected. Later
the prohibition was eXte nded to dried
fruits of every kind, but was relaxed so
as 10 apply only to unpeeled fruit and
fruit waste. AS was to be expected, the
alarm reached to other countries, and
Switzerland has adopted a similar inh;-
bition. Efforts are in progress to induce
the German and Swiss governments to
relax the prohibition in favor of dried
fruits shown to have been cured under
circumstances rendering the existence
of animal life impossible.
The government of Greece strongly
urges the onerousness of the duty here
imposed upon the currants of that
country, amounting to 100 per cent or
more of their market value. This fruit
Is stated to be exclusively a Greek
product, not coming into competition
with any domestic product. The ques-
tlon of reciprocal commercial relations
with Greece, including the restoration
of currants to the free list is under
consideration.
The long standing claim of Bernard
Campbell fer damages for injuries sus-
tained from violent assault committed
aganst him by military authorities in
the island of Haiti has been settled by
the agreement of that republic to pay
him $4,000 in American gold. OF this
sum $4,000 has already been paid. 1t is
hoped that other pending claims of
American citizens against that republic
may be amcably adjusted.
The arbitral tribunal appointed under
the treaty of Feb. 2. 1897. between Great
Britain and Venezuela to determine the
boundary line between the latter and
the colony of British Guiana is to con-
vene at Paris during the present month.
1t is a source of much qualification to
this government to see the friendly re-
sort of arbitration applied to the settle
nsent of this controversy not alone be-
cause of the earnest part we have had
in bringing about the result, but also
because the two members named on
behalf of Venezuela, Mr.. Chief Justice
Fuller and Mr.. Justice Brewer, chosen
from our highest court, appropriately
testify the continuing interest we feel
in the delintive adjustment of the ques-
tion according to the strictest rules of
justice. The British members, Lord
Herschell and Sir Richard Collins. are
jurists of no less exalted repute, while
the fifth member and president of the