The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-05

J tory party, this government preferred
! not to be represented by a plenipOten-
| tiary, but reserved the right of Access
sion to the result. Notable changes
/ were made, those especially concerning
this country being in the line or the
increased restriction OF the deieIerlOuS
trade in spirituOus liquors with the ma
! tive trloes. which this government has
from the outset urgently advocated.
The amended general act viii be laid
before the senate. with view to its
advise and consent.
Early in the year the peace of Boil
via was disturbed by a successful in
surrection. The United States minis
ter remained at his post, attending to
the American interests in that quar-
ter and using besides his good office
Tor the pro lection of the interests or
British subjects in the absence of their
national representative. On the estab-
Iishment of the new government our
! lations Herewith.
Gen. Pando was elected president of
Bolivia on October %.
BOLIVIAN MARRIAGE LAWS.
Our representative has been instruct
ed to use all permissible friendly en-
deavors to induce the government of
Bolivia to amend its marriage laws so
as to give legal status to the non
Catholic and civil marriages of aliens
within its jurisdiction, and strong
hopes are entertained that the Bolivian
law in this regard will be brought, as
was that of Peru some years ago into
modern states
A convention of extradition with Bra
zil signed May IA, 1897, has been rati-
fed by the Brazilian legislature.
During the past summer two national
ships of the United States have visited
Brazilian ports on friendly mission
and been cordially received.
The voyage of the Wilmington up the
Amazon river gave rise to a passing
misunderstanding, owing to confusion
in obtaining permission to visit the
"a L no
erai interest of navigation, but the in
cident found a ready adjustment in
harmony with the close relations of
amity which this government has al
ways sedulOusly sought to cultivate
with the commOnwealths of the west
ern continent.
The claim growing out of the seizure
of the American-owned newspaper, the
Panama Star and Herald by the auth
critics of Colombia has been settled,
after a controversy of several years, by
an agreement assessing at $50, 900 the
indemnity to be paid by the Colombian
government, in three installments of
$4,000 each
The good will of Colombia. towards
our country has been testified anew by
the cordial extension of facilities to the
Nicaraguan canal commission in their
approaching investigation of the Pana-
ma canal and other projected routes
across the isthmus of Darien.
Toward the end of October an insur-
recdonary disturbance developed in the
Colombian republic. This movement
has thus far not attained any decisive
result and is still in progress.
DISCUSSION WITH DENMARK.
Discussion of the questions raised by
the action of Denmark in imposing re-
strictiOns on the importation of Amer
lean meats has continued without sub
stantial result in our favor.
The neighboring island republic of
SantO Domingo has lately been the
scene of revolution, following a long
period of tranquility. 1t began with
the killing of President Heureaux in
July last and eliminated in the relin-
quishment by the succeeding vice pres
ident of the reins of government to the
insurgents. The first act of the prOVi-
sional government was the calling of a
presidential and constitutional election.
Juan IsidrO Jiminez having been elect
ed president, was inaugUra ted on the
14th of November. Relations have been
entered into with the newly established
government.
The experimental association of Mic
aragua, Honduras and Salvador, under
the title of the Greater Republic of
Central America, when apparently on
the threshold of a complete federal or
ganizatiOn by the adoption of a con-
sttutiOn and the formation of a ma
tiOnal legislature, was disrupted in the
last days of November, 1898, by the
withdrawal of Salvador. Thereupon
Nicaragua and Honduras abandoned
the joint compact, each reSuming it's
former independent sovereignty. This
lister Merry by the republics of Mica
ragua and Salvador while Minister
Hunter in turn presented his creden-
tiaIs to the government of Honduras,
thus reverung to the old distribution
of the diplomatic agencies of the I'm
tied States in Central America, for
which our existing statutes provide. A
Nicaraguan envoy has been accredited
to the United States.
An insurrectionary movement under
General Reyes, broke out at Bluefelds
in February last, and for a time exer-
clsed actual control in the Mosquito
territory. The Detroit was promptly
sent thither for the protection of Amer
lean interests. After a few weeks the
Reyes government renounced the con-
flict, giving place to the restored su-
premacy of Nicaragua. During the in
teTregnum, certain public dues accru-
ing under Nicaraguan law were col
lected from American merchants by the
authorities for the time being in eff
fective administrative control. Upon
the titular government regaining pow
er. second payment of these dues was
demanded. Controversy arose touch
ing the validity of the original pay
ment of the debt to the de factO regent
effected in April last by the United
States minister and foreign secretary
of Nicaragua whereby the amounts of
the duplicate payments were deposited
justment of the matter by direct agree
ment between the governments of the
United States and Nicaragua. The
controversy is still unsettled.
NICARAGUA CANAL.
The contract of the Maritime Canal
company of Nicaragua, was declared
forfeited by the Nicaraguan govern
ment on the 10th of October, on the
ground of non-fulfllment within the
ten years term stipulated in the con
tract. The Maritime Canal company
has lodged a protest against this ac-
ton. alleging rights in the premises
which appear worthy of consideration.