Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-12-07

Aoh III TN Niestu py proposing the emBofl-
ment IN formal protocol of the terms
in which tie negotiations for peace we're
to be undertaken. The vague and mex
plicit suggestions of the spanish note
could not be accepted, 'ne only reply be-
ing to present as :. Firtual ultimatllm a
draft OF the protocol embodying the pre-
else terms rendered to Spain in our note
OF July 90 with added stipulations of
detail as to the appointment of commits
sloners to arrange for the evacuation of
the Spanish Antilles. On the afternoon
of Aug. II Nj. Cambon, as the plenipoten-
tlary of Spain, and the Secretary of
State, as the plenipotentiary of the Uni
ted States, signed a protocol
Immediately upon the conclusion of the
protocol | issued a proclamation on Aug
II, suspending hostilities on the part of
the United States Aug. IS the muster
out of 100000 volunteers, or as near that
number as was found to be practicable.
was ordered. Dec. /, 101, ,165 officers and
men had been mustered out and discharg-
ed from the service: 9.002 more will he
mustered out by the 10Th of the month.
The military committees to suparintend
he evacuation of Cuba, Porto Rico and
the adjacent islands were forthwith an
pointed. For Cuba, Major General las
T. Wade, Rear Admiral William II.
Sampson and Major General Mattl ew C.
Butler; for Porto Rico, Major General
John G. Brooke, Rear Admiral Whitfield
5. Schley and Brigadier General George
w. Gordon, who soon afterward met the
Spanish commissioners at Havana and
San Juan respectively. The Porto Rican
joint commission speedily accomplished
lis task, and by Oct. Is the evacuation
of the island was completed. The United
States flag was raised over the island at
noon on that day. The administration
of its affairs has been proviSionally in
trusted TO military governor until the
Congress shall otherwise provide. The
Cuban joint high commission has not vet
terminated its labors. Owing to the diff
culties in the way of removing the large
numbers of Spanish troops still in Cuba,
the evacuation cannot be completed be-
fore the 1st of January.
Pursuant TO the fifth article of the pro-
tocol, | appointed William X. Day, lately
Secretary of State; Cushman X. Davis,
William +. Frye and George Gray. Sena-
tors of the United States, and Whtelaw
Reid to be the peace commissioners on
the part of the United States. -. roceeding
in due season to Paris, they there met
on the 1st of October five commissioners
similarly appointed by Spain. The nego-
tiations have made hopeful progress, so
that l trust soon to be able to lay def
mite treaty of peace before the Senate,
with review of the steps leading to its
signature.
| do not discuss at this time the govern
ment or the future of the new posses
sions which will come TO us as the result
of the war with Spain. Until the Con-
gress has legislated otherwise, it will be
my duty to continue the military govern
ments which have existed since our occu-
patton and government of the people, Sc
curity in life and property, and encour-
agement under just and benehcent rule.
AS soon as we are in possession of
Cuba and have pacihed the island, it will
be necessary to give aid and direction to
its people to form a government for them
selves. This should be undertaken at the
earliest moment consistent with safety
and assured success. Until there is com
plete tranquility in the island and a sta
BILE government inaugurated military oc-
cupation will be continued.
Relations with Other Countries.
With the exception of the rupture with
Spain, the intercourse of the United
States with the great family of nations
has been marked with cordiality and the
close of the eventful year finds most of
the issues that necessarily arise in the
complex relations of sovereign states ad-
justed or presenting no serious obstacle
to just and honorable solution by ami
cable agreement
A long unsettled dispute as to the ex-
tended boundary between the Argentine
Republic and Chill assumed an acute
stage in the early part of the year, and
afforded to this government occasion TO
express the hope that the resort to arbi-
tration, already contemplated by existing
conventions between the parties, might
prevail despite the grave difficulties aris-
ing in its application. | am happy to say
that arrangements to this end have been
perfected
have found occasion to approach the
Argentine Government with view to
removing differences of rate charges i'm
posed upon the cables of an American
corporation in the transmission between
Buenos Ayres and the cities of Uruguay
and Brazil OF through messages passingg
from and to the United States. Although
the matter is complicated by exclusive
concessions by Uruguay and Brazil to
foreign companies, there Is strong hope
that good understanding will be reached
In this relation | may be permitted to
express my sense of the fitness of an in
ternatiOnal agreement whereby the inter
change of messages over connecting ca
bles may be regulated on a fair basis of
uniformity.
The sympathy of the American people
has justly been offered to the ruler and
the people of Austria Hungary by reason
VI tDt uuilCtlOu tlidl hts ldltly
them in the assassination of the En-
prefis-Queen of that historic realm.
The La attimer Affair.
On the 10th of September, 1897, con-
fict took place at Lattimer, Pa, between
a body of striking miners and the sheriff
of LuZerne County and his deputies, in
which twenty-five miners were killed and
forty-four wounded, of whom ten of the
filed ard twelve Of the wounded were
Austrian and Hungarian subjects. This
depl6rable event naturally aroused the So
licitude of the AuStro Hungarian Govern
ment. which, on the assumption that the
killing and wounding involved the unius-
tifiable misuse of authority, claimed rep
aration for the sufferers. Apart from the
searching investigation and the peremp-
tory action of the authorities of Pennsyl-
vania, the Federal Executive took appro-
pirate steps to learn the merits of the
case, in order to. be in a position to meet
the urgent complaint of a friendly pow
err The sheriff and his deputies. having
been indicted for murder, were tried and
acquitted after protracted proceedings.
A representative of the department of
Justice attended the trials and reported
its course fully With all the facts in its
possession this Government expects to
reach harmonious understanding on the
subject with that of Austria Hungary.
United States of Central America.
In my last annual message the situation
was presented with respect to the diplo-
matte representation of this Government In
Central America. created by the association
of Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador under
the title of the Greater Republic of Central
America, and the delegation of their inter
nal functions to the diet thereof. While the
representative character of the diet was
recognized by my predecessor and has been
confirmed during my administration by re-
ceiying its accredited envoy and granting
exequaturs to consuls commissioned under
it's authority. that recognition was qualified
by the distinct understanding that the re-
spensibility of each of the competent sover-
eirn republics toward the United States re-
maiued wholly unaffected. convention of
delegates framed for them federal consti-
tuition under the name of the United States
of Central America and provided for cen
tra federal government and legislature.
IJpon ratification by the constituent States,
the 1st Of November last was fixed for the
ne~- system to go into operation Within
few weeks thereafter the plan was severely
tested by revolutionary movements arising
with a consequent demand for unity of ac
tion on the part Of the military power of
the Federal States to suppress them. Under
this strain he new union Sc ms to have been
weakened through the withdrawal OF Its
more important members
Nicaragua Canal Com sion.
The Nicaragua Canal Commission, under
the championship Of Rear Admiral John g.
Walker, has nearly completed its lahors, and
the results of It's exhaustive inquiry into the
pfoper route, the feasibility and the cost
Of construction Of an inteToceanie canal by
a Nicaraguan route will be laid before you
The Government Of Nicaragua rs one Of |
lis last sovereign acts before merging Its
p0wers in those of the newly formed United
States of Central America has granie1 n n /
optional concession TO another association
=, ha.cnrna effective on the expira tIon Of the