The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-12-08

nation ana survey Tor snip canal route !
lcross Nicaragua. having completed its la
bors and made It's report. was dissolved on
May 81. and on June 10 q new commission.
known ms the lsthmian Canal Commission.
was organized under the terms Of the act |
approved March g. 1900 for the purpose or /
the American lsthmus. with |
view TO determining the most practicable |
md feasible ronte for ship canal across |
the isthmus; with Is probable cost and |
other essential details.
The commission. under the presidency OF |
Rear Admiral John q. Walker. Il. s. n.
lretired). entered promptly upon the work
intrusted to II. and Is now carving on ex.
aminatiOnS In Nicaragua along the route OF ,
the Panama Canal. and IN Darlen from the
Atlantic. in the nclghhorhood OF the Atrato
River. to the Bay Of Panama. on the Pacific
side Good progress has been made. but
under the law comprehensive and com
plete investigation Is called for. which will
require much labor and considerable time
for Its accomplishment. The work Will be
prosecuted as expeditousy as possible and
report made at the earliest practicable
date
The great Importance Of this work can
not he too often or too strongly pressed
upon the attention OF the Congress. In my
message of a year ago | expressed my Views
OF the necessity of a canal which would
link the two great oceans to which again
invite your consideration. The reasons
then presented for early action are even
stronger now.
THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
Preparations for the representation Of the
Industries, arts and products Of the United
States at the Worlds Exposition to he held
in Paris ext wear continue on an elaborate
and comprehensive scale thanks to the gen
erouS appropriation provided by Congress
aud to the friendly interest the French gov
ernment has shown in furtherlng a typical
exhibit Of American progress.
PROGRESS IN ADJUSTING THE CANA
DIAN BOUNDARY DISPUTE.
In my last annual MESSAGE referred to
the pending negotiations with Great Britain
in respect to the Dominion Of Canada. BY
means Of an executive agreement Il joint
high commission has been created for the
purpose Of adjusting all unsettled questions
between the United States and Canada, em-
hracing twelve subjects. among which were
the Questions of the fur seals. the fisheries
OF the coast and contiguous inland waters
the Alaskan boundary. the transit of mer-
cnanGisc IN bond, the alien labor laws,
mining rights, reciprocity in trade, revision
Of the agreement respecting nrvnl vessels in
the Great Lakes more colno'etc marking
Of parts Of the boundary. proy ions for the
conveyance of criminals and for wrecking
and salvage.
Much progress has been made by the com
mission toward the adjustment ot many of
these questions When 1t became apparent
that an rrrcopciAhle difference Z views
was entertained respecting the dc'imltation
Of the Alaskan boundary In the failure OF
| an agreement HS 10 tnc ln''lIlNG OF Articles
| 3 ana of the trcutN OF l'2A between Rus
| Sia and Great HritHIu. a9 "H H1'Umcut was
! taken until the boundary shnUA bn adiuSted
! by the governments. The subject has been
! receiving the rta cful 3itcntion which its
| Importance domrnds. Witi thr result That a
| modus viVcndi for provisional demarkati0nS
| In the region about the head of Lynn Canal
! has been agreed upon; and it is hoped that
| tho negotiations now in progress between
! the tWO governments will end in an agree
mcnt for the establishment and delimita-
| tion of permanent boundary.
| Apart from these questions. growing ont
of our relationship with our northern neigh
Dor, the most friendly disposition aud ready
| agreement have marked the discussion OF
| numerous matters arising in he vast and
| intimate Intercourse of the United States
with Great Britain
! OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BOERS
This Government has maintained an at
! titude Of neutrality in the unfortunate con
test between Great Britain ana the Boel
states Of Africa. We have remained faith
ful to the prCcppt of avoiding entanglinG
| alliances as to affairs not of our direct con
| ccIn. Had circumstances suggested tha
the parties to the quarrel would have wei
"amod Hrv kindly expression of the hope o
the American people that war might bt
!. rriuu. our good oniccs would have beer
gladly rendered The United States repre-
sentative at Pretoria was early instructed
to see that all neutral American Interest,"
! be respected by the cOmbatantS. This ha
been an easy task in view of the positive
declarations of both British and Boer au
thOriticg that the personal and prOpeft,
rights of our citizens should be observed.
RUSSIA PROVES HER ADHERENCE T(
ARBITRATION PRINCIPLE.
Claims growing out Of the seizure o
have been under discussion with the gov
crnment of Russia for several years, wit
; the recent happy result of an agreement t
submit them 70 the decision Of single al
. / IttH - lie n1f q
Of her adherence to the bcnefcent prir
ciplc Of arbitration which her plcnipoter
tiarieS cOnSpicuOuSly favored at The Hagu
= disarmament conference, when 1t was advC
Gated 10y the representatives of the Unite
! States.
AS TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF CUBA
My annual message last year was nece'
: sariy devoted in great part to cOnsideri
ton of the Spanish war and of the results
wrought and the conditions ii imposed fo
Z the future. am gratiied to announce tha
i the treaty of peace has restored friendl
. relations between the two powers. EHeC
+ has been given to its most important prov
Y sions. the evacuation of Puerto Rico hayin
=. been accomplished on October Is. 1898.
The withdrawal from Cuba was clrecte
by the first of January. so that the full r.
establi shment of peace foGnd the reiil
n | uuiShcd territory held 10y us in trust for III
q Inhabitants. maintaining. under the dire
/ tion Of the Executive. such government an
s control therein as should conserve publ
| Ofuef, res, orc the Ufhuut(lNt foHulliollS =
, peace so long disturbed by the instablit
q and disorder which prevailed for the grea
or part of the preceding three decades. an
l. build up that tranquil development of Il
Y domestic state whereby alone can be r
~ allied the high purpose. as proclaimed
/. the Joint resolution adopted by the Co
r gress on the 19th of April. 1893. by whlC
n the United States disclaimed any dispOS
1. tiOn or intention to exercise sovereign
jurisdiction or control over Cuba, exec
\, for the pacifcatiOn thereof. and assertt
n | it's determination, when that was nccoT
NJ pliShed, TO leave the government and co
, troll Of the island to its people The pledj
/ contained In this resolution Is of the hig
n est honorable obligation, and must be S
~ SEETIEMENT OF THE VENEZUELA
70 BOUNDARY.
~ The International Commission Of Arbitr
N- tion rendered an award ON October 3 la
X whereby the boundary line between Ven
20 Zuela and British Guiana is determine
iC thus ending q controversy which has CXi'
r ed for the greater part of the century. Il
'd award. as 10 which the arhitratOrs we
unanimous. appears 10 he equally satisfa
NJ tory tp both parties.
c- DISPOSITION or THE NOLUNTEE
3. REGIMENTS
r. Stree my last annual message, and
~ obedience % the acts uf Congress % Ap
De- - aud 2G 1Ng~. the remaining yoluutc
'i force enlisted for The Spanish war. cousi
I ing uf ASA TCEu'urs and ll0.2l2 volu
u tperS with over 900 volunteer officers. D
lli been discharged from the military servi,
~ OF the volunteers. GiI officers aud las
he men were serving IN the Philippines. a
Us fs-o of the regulars vino were entitled
De mustered uuf after the ratification
the treaty ~ peace. They voluntarily
-, malncd 20 The front untii their places COZ