The times., 1898-12-06

the consideration which Its Importance
| and time!iness merit ...
AMERICA READY TO ACT.
Meanwhile. there may be just ground
for disquietude in view of the unrest and
revival of the old sentiment of opposition
and prejudice to alien people which per-
vades certain of the Chinese provinces.
| AS in the case of the attacks upon our
citizens in Szechuan and at Kutien in
1895. the United States minister has been
| instructed to secure the fullest measure
1 of protection, both local and imperial, for
any -menaced American interests. and to
! demand, in case of lawless injury to per-
| son or property, instant reparation ap-
| propriate to the case. Warships have
been stationed ut Tientsin for more ready
observation of the disorders which have
| invaded even the Chinese capital, so as
to be in position to act should need
arise, while a guard of marines has been
sent to Picking to afford the minister the
same measure of authoritative protection
| as the representatives of other nations
have been constrained to employ.
The COLOMBIAN AWARD.
| Following close upon the rendition of
| the award of my predecessor as arbitra-
! tor of the claim of the Italian subject,
| Cerruti, against the Republic of Colombia,
differences arose between the parties to
the arbitration IN regard to the scope and
! extension of the award, of which certain
/ articles were contested by Colombia,
while Italy claimed their literal fulfill
ment. The award having been made by
the President of the United States as an
| act of friendly consideration, and with
the sole view to impartial composition
! of the matter in dispute, l could not but
/, feel deep concern at such a miscarriage,
| and. while unable to accept the Colom-
bian theory that /, in my official capacity.
possessed continuing functions as arbi-
| TRAITOR. with power to interpret or re-
wise the terms of the award. my best eff
forts were lent to bring the parties to u
harmonious agreement as to the execu-
tion of its provisions.
| A naval demonstration by Italy resulted
| in an engagement to pay the liabilities
claimed upon their ascertainment: but
this apparent disposition of the contro-
| versy was followed By rupture OF Dip
lomatic intercourse between Colombia and
Italy which still continues. although for
tunately without acute symptoms having
supervened Notwithstanding this, efforts
are reported 10 be continuing for the as
certanment of Colombia's contingent la
J bility on account of Cerrutfs debts, under
the fifth article of the award.
A claim of an American citizen against
the Dominican Republic for public
bridge over the OZama River. which has
been in diplomatic controversy for sever
al years. has been settled by expert ar
bitration and an award in favor of the
claimant amounting TO about $4,000. 1t
however remains unpaid despite urgent
demands for its settlement according to
the terms Of the compact,
THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
There is now every prospect that. the
participation OF the United States in the
Universal Exposition TO be held in Paris
In 1900 will be on scale commensurate
with the advanced position held by our
products and industries in the world S
chief marts
The preliminary report of Mr.. Moses p.
Handy. who, under the act approved July
10 1897. was appointed Special Commits
sioner. with a view to securing all at
tainable information necessary to a full
and complete understanding by Congress
in regard to the participation of this Gov
ernment in the Paris Exposition. was laid
before you BY my messn'> of December
g. 1897 and showed the large opportunities
opened to make known our national pro-
gress in arts science. and manufactures,
as well as the urgent need of immediate
vantage thereof to be taken Mr.. Han
dy's death soon afterwards rendered il
necessary for another to take up and
complete his unfinished work. and on JAM
uary II last Mr. Thomas W. cridler
Third Assistant Secretary OF State, was
designated to fulfill that task His report
was laid before you by my message OF
June IA. 1888. with the gratifying result of
awakening renewed interest in the pro.
jected display. By provision in the
! sundry civil appropriation act of July /
1898, sum not to exceed $500 was al
iotted for the organization of a COM
mission To care for the proper preparation
and installation of American exhibits
and for the display of suitable exhibits by
the several Executive Departments. par.
ticularly by the Department of Agricult-
ure, the Fish Commission. and the Smith.
sonian Institution, in representation oi
the Government of the United States.
Pursuant to that enactment l appoint
| ed Mr. Ferdinand W. Peck. of Chicago
Commissioner General. with an Assistan
| Commissioner-General and a Secretary
Mr.. Peck at once proceeded to Paris
| where his success in enlarging the scope
and variety of the United States exhlbi
has been most gratifying. Notwithstand
ing the comparatively limited area of tbs
| Exposition site-less than one-half thai
of the Worlds Fair at Chicago-the spact
assigned TO the United States has been in
creased from the absolute allotment Of
157, ,403 square feet reported by Mr.. Handy
to some 202. 600 square feet. with CORE
spending augmentation of the field for
truly characteristic representation of tn.
various important branches of our coun
try's development. Mr.. Pecks report viii
|, be laid before you. In my judgment 1t:
recommendations will call for your earl!
consideration. especially as regards an in
crease of the appropriation to at least ont
million dollars in ALL so that not only may
the assigned space be fully taken up by
the best possible exhibits in every class
but the preparation and installation b.
on S perfect a scale as to rank among th'
first in that unparalleled competition o.
artistic and inventive production, and thu
counterbalance the disadvantage witt
which we start as compared with othel
countries whose appropriations are on ;
more generous scale and whose prepara
tions are in state of much greater for
wardness than our own.
AMERICAN INVENTIVE GENIUS.
Where our artisans have the admitted
, capacity to excel, where our inventive
, genius has initiated many of the grand
, | est discoveries of these later days of tn
century, and where the native resources
: of our land are as limitless as they ar
valuable to supply the worlds needs, i
is our province, as 1t should be our earnes
S care to lead in the march of human prog
ress and not rest content with any second
airy place. Moreover. If this be due to our
: selves it is no less due to the grea
, | French ma ton whose guests we become
S and which has in so many ways testifie'
1 its wish and hope that our participation
shall befit the place the two peoples hav