Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-12-05

able to lay defuitive treaty of peace
before the Senate. The discussion OF
the government or the future of the
new possessions will be appropriate al
ter the treaty of peace shall be ratified.
In the meantime and until Congress has
/ legislated otherwise, the President says
it will be his duty to continue the lnili.
tary government which has existed
since our occupation.
With regard to Cuba, the message
says: AS soon as we are 10 possession OF
Cuba and have paciied the island it will
be necessary to give aid and direction to
its people to form government for
| themselves. This should be under
| taken at the earliest moment consistent
with safety and assured success. Span
ish rule must be replaced by just, be.
| nevolent, and humane government,
created by the people OF Cuba. Neither
revenge nor passion should have @
place in the new government. Until
there is complete tranquility in the ISL
land and stable government inauga-
rated, military occupation will be con-
tinued.
| Three-fftbs of the message is devoted
to the relations of the United States
with the nations of the world other
than Spain. The President expresses
qualification with the arrangements
that have been made to settle the long
existing dispute between the Argentine
Republic and Chilli by joint commits
sion upon which the American Minister
at Buenos Ayres is to serve as umpire.
The Argentine government has been
approached to remove differences OF
rate charges imposed upon messages
over American corporation cables
and ia this connection the suggestion OF
al international agreement regarding
cablegrams similar to that of the worlds
postal union is developed.
| The years. events in Central Ameri-
ca merit more than passing mention.
A menaci1g rupture between Costa
RIGA and Nicaragua was happily avert
ed through treaty signed on board
the United States ship Alert through
the good offices of her commander and
the American minister. While the rep
resentative of the Greater Central
American republic was recognized IN
Washington it was not with the dis
tinct understanding that the RESPONSE
bility of each of the component sover-
eign republics toward the United States
remsined whollyun effected though no
official notice has been received of the in
stalla,ion of the new federation recently
formed and which already seems weak
ened through the withdrawal of its
more important members.
The Nicaraguan Canal Commission
has nearly completed its labors and the
results will be laid before Congress.
In view Of the overtures made to Mica
ragua and Costa Rica by other parties
for new canal concession predicated on
the assumed approaching lapse of the
, Maritime Company's contracts, the
President has not besitated TO express
conviction that considerations o. ex-
pedioncy and international policy be-
tween the several governments inter
ested in the canal require the mainte-
G nance of the status quo until Congress
j shall pass finally upon the whole mat
ter during the present session. Never
theless, Nicaragua, as one of its last
= acts before merging into the United
/ States of Central America, was to grant
an optional concession to become ef
3 fective on expiration of the present
2 | grant.
D All these circumstances suggest the
| urgency of some definite action by Con-
= gress at this session, if the labors of the
i past are to be utilized and the linking
, of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by 9
: practical waterway is to be realized.
That the construction of such maritime
highway is now more than ever indis-
| pensable to that intimate and ready
, REORGANIZATION between our east
\ ern and western seaboards demanded
: by the annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands and the prospective expansion
4 | of our influence and commerce in the
f Pacific and that our national policy
| now more imperatively than ever calls
for it's control by this government, are
: propositions which do not doubt the
5 Congress will duly appreciate aad act
upon
: The United States has not been an
: Indifferent spectator of the extraordi-
f nary events transporting in the Chinese
t Empire whereby portions OF the mari
f time provinces are passing under the
control of various European powers,
r but the prospect that our vast com
q merce may not be prejudiced through
any exclusive treatment by the new oc-
r cupants has obviated the need of our
! country becoming an actor in the
. scene. The territories leased to Ger
many, Great Britain and Russia will be
! open to international commerce. A
, commission to study commercial condi-
! tons in China is urged.
a Our relations with Great Britain
a have continued on the most friendly
footing. AS enting to our request, the
protection of Americs ms aud their in
, terests in Spanish jurisdiction was as
: sumed by the diplomatic and consular
representatives of Great Britain who
, fulfilled their delicate and arduous trust
with tact and zeal. It will give me
especial satisfaction if l shall be au-
thorized to communicate favora-
BILE conclusion of the pending negotia.
tions with Great Britain respecting
Canada. 1t is the earnest wish of this
government to remove all sources of
discord and irritation in our relations
with the neighboring Dominion: 1t is
important to both countries that all
reasonable facilities should be granted
for trade development.
Of the Cars proposal for general
reduction of the vast military estab-
r U,r.oDa tho Prasidant GQva.