The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-13

aimed to dt for regenerated existence
by enforcing the supremacy Of law and
justice; by placing wherever practicable
tho machinery Of administration In the
hands Of the inhabitants; by instituting
needed sanitary reforms; by spreading
education; BY fostering industry and
trade; by inculcating public mSrality,
and, in short, by taking every r1lonal
step to aid the Cuban people to attain
to that plane of self conscious respect
and self reliant unity which fits an en-.
lightensd community for self govern.
ment within its own sphere, while en-.
abling it to fulfill all outward obliga-
tions. ...
Claims Against Turkey.
The United States minister to Tur.
key continues under instructions to
press for q money payment in satisfsc.
ton of the just claims for injuries sui.
fersd by American citizsns in the dis.
orders of several years past, and Tor
wrongs done to them BY tho Ottoman
authorities. Some Of those claims are
Of many years standing. This govern.
nsnt is hopeful Of general agreements
in this regard. .
In tho Turkish empire the situation
Of our citizens remains unsatisfsctory.
Our efforts during nearly forty years to
bring about o convention Of naturali-
zation, seems on the brink of national
failure through the announced policy OF
the Ottoman porte to refuse recognition
Of the alien statutes Of native Turkish
subjects naturalizsd abroad since 1887.
The arbitrary treatment, in some in.
stances, of American productions in
Turkey has attracted attention OF late,
notably in regard to our flour. In
those, % in ell instances, wherever oc.
curing, when American products may
be subjected in foreign country, upon
spscious prsssxts, to discrimination
com pared TO the. like products OF another
country, this government will use It:
earnest Efforts TO secure fair and squsl
treatment for it's citizens and their
goods. Failing this, it will not hesitate
to apply whatever corrective may be
provided by tho statutes. ...
Recent Peace Conferences. :
In response to the invitation Of his
majesty, the emperor Of Russia, dele
gates from 26 countries were assem- blsd
at The Hague on May 18 % members OF
. conference in the interest Of peace.
The occasion seemed to- b. opportuns
for the serious consideration of plan
for the pacific adjustment Of interna.
tionsl difficulties; subject in which
the American people have been deeply
interested for many years, and dsfi-
mite project for permanent intsrna-
tional tribunal was included in the in.
structions to the delegates of the United
Statsa ....
Tho final act Of the conference in
cludes oonventiopA upon the amsliora-
ton of the laws and customs OF war on
land, the adaptation to maritime war.
fare of the principles of the Geneva
convention OF 1864 and the extension Of
judicial methods to international cases.
The convention for the pacific settle
ment Of international conflicts embodies
the leading features OF the American
plan with such notifications as were
rendered necessary by the great diver
sity of views and interests represented
by tho delegates
The four titles of the convention pro.
vide for the maintsnsncs Of the general
peace; the exercise Of good Offices and
mediation; the formation Of commits
sions of inquiry and International arbi-
tration.
Army Statistics.
Since my last annual message and in
obedience to acts of congress Of April %
and %, 1875, the remaining volunteer
force enlisted for the Spanish war. con.
1ors
volunteers, with over 5000 volunteer
officers, have been discharged from the
military ssrvics recommend that the
congress provide . special medal Of
honor for the volunteers, regulars. sail.
ors and marines on duty n the Philip.
pines who yolun tarily remained in the
service after their terms of enlistment
had expired.
BY the act of March %, 1897, congress
gave authority to increase tho regular
army TO maximum not exosediag g..
600 enlisted mon and to enlist force Of
80, 900 volunteers, to be recruited from
the country as large. By virtue OF this
suthority the regular army has bssn in
creased to the number Of 81, 900 enlisted
mon and 2,248 officers, and new
volunteer regiments have been or.
| sanized aggrs eating SO, ,e5o enlisted nsn
and 1924 officers. The new troops to
take the places of those returning frem
the Philippines have been transperted
to Manila TO the number Of 5e1 officers
and 26, 322 enlisted men OF the regular
army and 5s4 officers and 10, SSe enlisted
men Of the new volunteer force, while
604 officers and IA. lS9 mon Of che volun-
tser force ara on the ocean snrouts to
Manila.
The force now in Manila consists Of
9O5 officers and 81, 678 regulars and 694
officers and 1888 Of the volunteers,
making an aggregate Of 1,4o9 officers
and 49, 966 men. Whom the troops now
under orders shall reach Manila the
force in tho archipelago will comprise
2,05l officers and So, 4SS men.
During tho past year We have reduced
our force in Cubs and Porto Rloo. In
Cubs We now have S34 officers and TO-.
796 enlisted men; in Porto Rico 81 on.
,srs and 2, S55 enlisted men and q bat
talon Of 40 men composed Of native
Porto Ricans, while stationed through.
put the United States are 9l0 officers
and 1877 men, and in Hawaii l22
officers and 46S men.
Philippines Problem.
On the 10th of December, 1889, the
treaty Of psaoe between the United
States and Spain was signed. 1t pre-
vidsd, among other things, that Spain
should csds to the United States the
archipelago known as the Philippine
islands; that the United States should
pay to Spain the sum Of twenty millions
of dollars, and that the civil rights and
political status of the native inhabitants
of the territories thus coded to the
United States should be determined BY
49,. oonor,,u Ths trsafv was ratifed