The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-12-14

unbroken. pp''
Samoan affairs are briefly revieu,ea h,
the president He says a satisfactory ar
arrangement was concluded between the
| governments or Germany and of Eng
land, by virtue of which England retired
I'm samoa In view or compensations in
| other directions, and both parties re.
| nounced In favor Of the United States ALI
their rights and claims over and in re-
spect 10 that portion uf the group EN-.
bracing the islands of Tutuila. Ofoo. Ole
senga and Mauna. The convention is re-
action thereon
The president reviews Cuban affairs
since the close of the Spanish war He
declares that our pledges to restore or
der ana establish stable government I'm
the island must be sacredly kept. He
says the greatest blessingl which can
come to Cuba is the restoration of her
asricuituTal and Industrial prosperity.
"nlch VIII give employment to idle men
and re-establish the pursuits of peace
RMS Is her chief and immediate need
Ine resumption OF diplomatic relations
with the government Of Spain is referred
TO with satisfaction.
The United States minister to Turkey
continues, under instructions, to press
Tor money payment in satisfaction of
the Just claims for injuries suffered by
American citizens in the disorders of sew
CT al years past ana Tor wrongs done TO
them by the Ottoman authorities. Some
OF these claims are of many years stand
ing. This government is hopeful of gen.
eral agreement in this regard.
me dispute between Great Britain and
venezuela regarding the boundary line
between venezuela and British Guiana
has been adjusted thus endig a contro-
Versy which has existed for the greater
part of the century.
Conventions of reciprocity have been
signed during the congressional recess
with Great Britain for the respective
colonies of British Guiana, Barbados,
Bermuda, Jamaica and Turks and Caicos
Islands, and with the republic of Mica
raSua. Important reciprocal conventions
ave also been concluded with France
and with the Argentine republic.
OF the work of the peace conference
the president says:
The final act of the conference includes
| convictions upon the amelioration of the
laws and customs of war on land, the
| adaptation to maritime warfare OF the
| principles Of the Geneva convention of
| 1864. and the extension of judicial meth
| DDS to international cases. The conven-
| ton for the pacific settlement of interna-
| tional conflicts embodies the leading
| features Of the American plan with such
| notifications as were rendered necessary
| by the great diversity of views and inter-
| ests represented by the delegates. The
the maintenance Of general peace; the
| exercise OF good offices and mediation;
| the formation of committees of inquiry
| and international arbitration.
The media ton provided for by the con-
| vention Is purely voluntary and advisory
| and Is intended to avoid any invasion or
| limitation of the sovereign rights Of the
| adhering states. The commissions Of in
| quiry proposed consist of delegations TO
be specifically constituted for particular
| purposes by means, of conventions be-
! tween the contesting parties. having for
| their object the clear understanding of
| international differences before rcsorting
| to the of force. Theprovision for ar
| bitration coatemplates the formation of
| permanent tribunal before which dis
| puted cases may be brought for settle
\ ment by the mutual consent of the liti
| gInts in each case.
The president speaks in terms of the
| highest praises of the work of the volun-
| teers and regulars engaged in war in the
| Philippines, and recommends that con-
! gress grant medal of honor to those
| w.-o voluntarily remained In the service.
| The operations of the army are fully
| presented In the report Of the secretary of
| war. ! cannot withhold from officers and
| men, the highest commentator for their
| soldierly conduct in trying situations,
! their willing sacrifices for their country
and the integrity and ability with which
they have performed unusual and difficult
| duties in our island possessions.
The president says the navy has main
| tanned the spirit and high efficiency which
have always characterized that service,
and has lost none of the gallantry in
| heroic action which has signalized its
| brilliant and glorious past. The nation
| has equal pride in its early and later
achievements. Its habitual readiness for
every emergency has won the confidence
| and admiration of the country. The peo-
MIA int Stnd In hn a n
| prestige of the navy and will Justify lib
eral appropriations for its maintenance
and improvement.
Pension affairs are considered briefly by
| the president, and some changes In the
| laws and regulations are recommended.
The situation in the Philippines is dealt
with at considerable length by the presi-
| dent. He says:
| On the 10th OF December, 1893. the
| treaty of peace between the United States
and Spain was signed. 1t provided, among
| other things. that Spain should cede to
| the United States the archipelago known
as the Philippine islands; that the United
| States should Day to Spain the sum Of
| $50, O00,0 O0 and that the civil rights and
the population of the native inhabitants
| of the territories thus coded to the United
States should be determined by the con-
gress. The treaty was ratified by the
| senate on the 9Th Of February, 1890, and
| by the government of Spain on the 10Th
| of March following. The notifications
| were exchanged on the 18th of April and
| the treaty publicly proclaimed. On the
| I'd Of March the congress voted the sum
| contemplated by the treaty and the
| amount was paid over to the Spanish gov
eminent on the first Of May.
In this manner the Philippines came to
! the United States. The islands were coded
! by the government of SPAIN WHICH had
| been in the undisputed possession OF
| them for centuries.
They were accepted, not merelj by our
| authorized commissioners in Paris under
| the direction of the executive, but by the
| constitutional and well considered action
| of the representatives of the people OF
| the United States in both houses OF con-
| gress