The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-06
CARS PEACE PROPOSAL.
Our Government In Full Sympathy
With the Movement.

His majesty, the car, having an
nounced his purpose to raise the i'm
perial Russian mission at this capital
to the rank of an embassy, 1 responded
under the authority conferred by the
act of March 3, 1898, by commissioning
and accrediting the actual representa-
tive at St. Petersburg in the capacity
of ambassador extraordinary and plen-
ipOtentiary. The Russian ambassador
to this country has since presented his
credentials.
The proposal of the car for a gen
eral reduction of the vast military es-
adjustments that weigh so heavily
upon many peoples in time of peace
was communicated to this government,
with an earnest invitation to be repre-
| scented in the conference which it is
contemplated to assemble, with view
to discussing the means of accomplish
ing so desirable a result.
His majesty was at once informed of
the cordial sympathy of this govern
ment 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 in the United States, as measured
! by our population, territorial area and
/ taxable wealth, is and under any con-
/ ceivable prospective conditions must
continue to be in time of peace so con-
/ SDlCuOuSIy less IIdlI lIlcL VI Tic ill.,
/ powers to whom the cars appeal is es-
pecially addressed that the question can
| have for US no practical Importance,
| save as marking an suspicious step to-
ward the betterment Of the condition
/ Of the modern peoples and the cultiva-
| ton of peace and good will among
/ them, but in this view it behooves US
/ as a nation to lend countenance and
| aid to the benefcent project.
The claims of owners of American
! sailing vessels for seizure by Russian
/ cruisers in Bering sea, are being pressed
for settlement. The equities of the
cases Justify the expectation that a
measure of reDaration will eventually
| be accorded in harmony with precedent
and in the light of the provision of the
acts
The resolution made in my special
message of April q. last, is renewed,
that appropriation be made to reim-
burse the master and owners of the
Russian bark Hans for wrongful ar
rest of the master and detention of the
vessel in February, 1896, by officers Of
the United States district court for the
southern district of Mississippi. The
papers accompanying my message
make out a most meritorious claim and
justify the urgency with which it has
been presented by the government of
Russia.
SAMOAN COMPLICATIONS.
Malietoa Laupepa, King of Samoa,
died on Aug. %, last. According to ar
ticle 1 of the general act of Berlin, his
successor shall be duly elected accord
ing to the laws and customs of Samoa"
Arrangements had been agreed upon
between the signatories of the general
act for the return of Mataafa and the
other exiled Samoan chiefs, and they
were brought from Jaluit by German
war vessel and landed at Apia on Sept.
IS. last.
Whether the death of Malietoa and
the return of his old-time rival, Ma
taafa, will add to the undesirable COM
plications which the execution of the
tripartite general act has heretofore
developed remains to be seen. The eff
forts of this government will, as here
tofore, be addressed towards a har-
monious and exact fulfillment of the
terms of the International engagement
to which the United States became a
party in 1882
CLAIM AGAINST SIAM.
The Cheek claim against Siam, after
some five years of controversy, has
been adjusted by arbitration, under an
agreement signed July g. 1897. An
award of 706, 721 ticals (about S1S7,9SO,
with the release of the Cheek estate
from mortgage claims, had been rem
dered March q, 1885, in favor of the
claimant by the arbitrator, Sir Nicholas
John Hannah, British chief justice for
China and Japan.
An envoy from Siam has been ac-
credited to this government and has
presented his credentials.