The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-12-21

the company against the action of the
| Nicaragua government. The dissolu
| ton of the Nicaragua canal commits
| sion and the organization of the
Isthmian canal commission under the
presidency of Rear Admiral Walker
is then referred to. and on this sub
| ject the president says:
The great Importance of this work
cannot be too often or too strongly
pressed upon the attention of the con-
| gress. In my message of year ago
l expressed my views of the necessity
of a canal which would link the two
great oceans to which 1 again invite
your consideration. The reasons then
| presented for early action are even
| stronger now.
| Our Interests in China.
After a short chapter on our cor
dial relations with the government Of
Chile the message proceeds to g dis
cussion of our interests in China, as
| follows:
In view of disturbances in the popu-
| lous provinces of northern China,
where are many of our citizens, and of
the imminence of disorder near the
capital and toward the seaboard, a
| guard of marines was landed from the
| Boston and stationed during last win
ter in the legation compound at Pc
| king. With the restoration Of order
this protection was withdrawn.
Adequate protection has been Sc
cured for our missionaries and some
injuries to their property have been
redressed.
American capital has sought and
| found NJ
peting to carry out the internal i'm
provements which the imperial gov
eminent is wisely encourag, and our
trade with China has continued to
grow.
The extension of the area open to
international foreign settlement at
| Shanghai and the opening Of the ports
| of Marking, Tsing-Tao (Kiao Chao)
and TaLien-Wan to foreign trade and
settlement will doubtless afford any
enterprise additional facilities and new
fields, of which it will not be slow
to take advantage.
In my message to congress of Dec.
5, 1898, l urged that the recommended
lions which had been made to the
speaker of the house Of representatives
by the secretary of the treasury on the
18th of June, 1898, for an appropriation
for commission to study the COM
mercial and Industrial conditions in
the Chinese empire and report as to
the opportunities for, and obstacles to,
| the enlargement of markets in China
for the raw products and manufac-
lures of the United States, receive at
| your hands the consideration which
its Importance and timeliness merited,
but the congress failed to take &C
ton
l now renew this recommendation,
as the Importance of the subject
has steadily grown since it was first
submitted to you, and no time should
be lost in studying for ourselves the
resources Of this great field for Amer
| lean trade and enterprise.
The Paris Exposition.
Preparations for the representation
of the industries, arts and products of
the United States at the Worlds ex-
position to be held in Paris next year
continue on an elaborate and compre-
hensive scale. thanks to the generous
appropriation provided by congress
and to the friendly interest the French
government has shown in furthering
J. typical exhibit of American prog
| ress
There has been allotted to the Uni
ted States a considerable addition of
space, which, while placing our coun-
try in the first rank among exhibitors,
dOeS1not suffice to meet the increas-
fngly urgent demands of our manu-
features.
The American exhibit at Paris
should, and / am confident will, be an
open volume, whose lesson of skill
fully directed endeavor, unfaltering en-
ergy and consummate performance
may be read by all on every page, thus
| spreading abroad a clearer knowledge
of the worth Of our productions and
the Justice of our claim to an import
ant place in the markets of the world.
| am informed by our commissioner
general that we shall have in the
American sections at Paris over 1000
exhibitors from every state in our
| country, a number ten times as great
as those which were represented at
Vienna in 1873, six times as many as
those in Paris in 1878, and four times
as many as those who exhibited in
Paris in 1889. This statement does
not include the exhibits from either
Cuba, Porto Rico or Hawaii, for which
| arrangements have been made
Our relations with Germany continue
|
timacy Of direct association has been
marked during the year by the grant
ing permission in April for the land
ing on our shores Of a cable from Bor
kun Emdem, on the North sea, by way
of the Azores. and also by the conclu
sion on Sept. 2 Of a parcels post con-
Vention with the German empire. In
all that promises closer relations of in
tercOurSe and commerce and better
understanding between two races hav-
| ing SO many traits in common, Ger
many can be assured of the most cor
dial cooperation Of this government
and people. We may be rivals in many
material paths, but our rivalry should
| be generous and open, ever aiming to-
ward the attainment of larger results
and the mutually beneficial advance
ment of each in the line of it's special
adaptabilities.
Food Controversy With Germany.
The several governments of the en-
pire seems reluctant to admit the nat
ural excellence Of our food produc-
lions and to accept the evidence we
constantly tender of the care with
which their purity is guarded by rigid
inspection. Our system of control
over food staples invites examination
from any quarter.
1t is to hoped that in time the two
governments will act in common to-
ward the realization Of their common
purpose to safeguard the public health
and to insure the purity and whole
someness of all food products imported
by either country from the other.
Then follows reference to- reciprO-
cal arrangements between Germany
and the United States regarding insur-
ance companies. the purchase Of the
Caroline islands by Germany from
Spain and the assurance that the rights
of Americans in the islands would be
observed.
A chapter on the boundary contro-
versy between this country and Can
ada follows. and the president declares:
1T is hoped that the negotiations now
in progress will end in an agreement
for the establishment and elimination
of a permanent boundary" The mes