The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-12-07

nninHtons In Nic,rsxun aIon, ,hn E r,,,,, -. ea
the Panama Canal ard In paricu frnm tho
n,rn". ~ the neIghborhood Of the Airato
I uV' 20 ,he my or Panama. on the Pacific
.iue. Good progress has been made. hui
onutr the law comprehensive and com.
p,s.v lhsesilsation is called for. which will
~ sru",re huch labor aud considerable time
UT ts accomplishment. The work will bc
prosecuted as e1prdhiously Ms possible and
date '"e '"'"eS' p'"o'ica"e
IN" great Importance of this work can
not hc too often or too strongly nressed
npon tnc attention Of the Congress in my
'ueSsaGc of year ago ] expressed my views
,,n,u VIC necessity OF canal which would
/ s.S. S ,"e TWO great oceans. to which 7 again
invite your consideration The reasons
.nch presented for early action are even
stronger now.
TIE PARIS EXPOSITION.
Preparations for the representatio ION of the
sumuustrlcs. arts and products of tho United
| St"ues NJ inc Worlds Exposition 70 bc held
IN iaris next year continue on an elaborate
and comprehensive scale thanks to the gen.
sn~ sr"u, air,reprihi,on provided by Congress
"hu 10 tne friendly Interest the French pov-
efnmcnt has shown IN furtherlng A typical
exhibit Of American progress.
! subject 10 the exchange Of our pence
treaty with spain. Germany ACQUIRED the
"a, ar".,nc ~ co Islands 10y purchase, paying there
'"I shWpbu. Assurances haze bceu rc.
| ccived from the German government that
! me rights OF American missionaries and
| traders there viii ne considerably oh.
served.
PROGRESS ~ ADJUSTING THE CANA
DIAN BOUNDARY DISPUTE.
In my last annual message referred 70
,he pending ncyotintions with Great Britain
, IN respect Ia the Dominion OF Canada By
mems or m executive agreement ioint
high commission has been created for the
purpose OF adjusting all unsettled questions
! between the United States and Canada cm.
braclnR twelve subjects, among which were
the questions of the fur seals the fisheries
NJ the coast and contiguous inland waters
I ihe Alaskan boundary the transit Of mer-
| chandisc In bond. the allen labor laws.
mining rights. reciprocity In trade. revision
! NJ the agreement respecting naval vessels in
thc trent Lakes. more complete marking
/ or parts or the boundary. provisions for the
conveyance OF criminals and for wreckIng
/ and salvage.
Much progress has been made by the com.
mission toward the adjustment Of many Of
these questions. When II became apparent
thnt an irrcconcilnblc difference nf views
was entertained respecting tho dcImltntion
or the Alaskan boundary. In the failure Of
nm agreement ms 10 the meaning Of Articles
3 and Of the treaty OF 1925 between Rus
sia and Great Britain. an adjournment was
tnkcn until the boundary SHOULD he adjusted
bv the governments The subject has been
receiving The careful attention which its
Importance demands. with the result that q
| inOdus vivcndi for provisional dcmArkations
In the region about thc head Of Lynn Canal
mas DceU uETPPu upon. anu VI " nOnru tIldt
the negotiations now In progress between
the two governments will end In IN agree &
ment for the establishment and delimita-
tion Of permanent boundary.
Apart from these questions growing ont
Of our relationship with our northern neigh
bor. the most friendly disposition and ready
agreement have marked the discussion OF
numerous matters arising In the vast and |
intimate intercourse OF the United States |
with Great Britain.
or-u srTtrI.Dr- ,rOyADD THE poCpc
This Government has maintained an Mt |
ttude Of neutrality In tho unfortunate con |
test between Great Britain and the Boer !
states OF Africa. We have remained faith |
ful To the prccept OF avoiding entangling |
alliances az TO affairs not OF our direct con |
Germ. Had circumstances suggested that |
the parties To tn" quarrel would hnve wei |
coined anv kindly expression Of the hone OF |
the American people that war might be
nvprtrd. our good offices would have been |
gladly rendered The United States repre-
sentative Mt Pretoria was carly instructed |
to see that nll neutral American Interests
he respected by the comhatnntS This has
been nm easy task In view OF tho positive
declarations OF both British and Boer au-
thorltes TINT the personal and property !
rights OF our citizens should be observed.
The japanese Government has shown n
lively interest in the proposition Of the Pa
ciic Cable Company 10 add TO Its projected
cable lines TO Hawaii. Guam and the Phil
ippines branch connection with the coast
nation were the utility OF the contemplated
scheme enhanced by bringing Japan and
the United States into direct telcgraphic
relation. Without repeating the Obserya-
tlons OF my special message OF February 10,
1904. concerning the necessity OF Il cable 90
Manila. respectfully Invite attention to II.
! recommend that. In case the CONGRESS
should not tnkc measures to bring about
this result by direction of the Government
the Postmaster General he authorized 10
Invite competitive bids for tho establish
mcnt Of n cable: the company making the
best responsible bid To be awarded the con
tract: the successful company 10 give ample
bonds Ia secure the completion OF the work
within n reasonable time.
RUSSIA PROVES HER ADHERENCE TO
ARBITRATION PRINCIPLE.
Claims growing ont Of the seizure Of
American sealing vessels In Bcring Sea
have been under discussion with the gov
crument Of Russia for several years. with
the recent happy result OF an agreement to
submit them to the decision or q single ar.
btrator. by this act Russia affords PROOF
OF her adherence to the benehcent prln-
cipe OF arbitration which her nlcninoten-
tlares consplcuously favored nj The Hague
disarmament conference. when II was a1vo,
Gated by the representatives. or the Cnited
States.
THE SETTLEMENT OF THE SAMOAN
QUESTION.
A satisfactory arrangement was concluded
bet twccn the governments Of Germany and
of England by virtue OF which England re-
tired from Samoa In view OF the cOmpensa-
tions In other directions. and both mowers
renounced In favor Of the United States all
their rights and claims over and In respect
Ia that portion OF the group lying TO the
rast OF the 17lst degree Of west Longitude, /
the Islands OF Tutuila. Ofoo. Oio-
senga aud Manua.
AS TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF CUBA. {
My annual message last year was neces-
,arily devoted In great part 10 consldera-
Ion OF the Spanish war and or the results u
wrought and the conditions IL imposed Tor
he future ! am gratifed TO announce that
The treaty OF peace has restored friendly
.elations between the two powers. Enect
las been given to Its most important provi-
lions the evacuation OF Puerto Rico having l
,een accomplished on October Is. 1s:S p,
The withdrawal from Cuba was erected i
~ the first Of January. so that the full re- '
,sta bllshment OF peace found the relin' Y
luished territory held by us In trust Tor the :
inhabitants, maintaining. under the direc-
ion Of the Executive. such government ana I
control therein as should conserve puoilc
rider, restore the productive conditions OF
,eace so long disturbed by the instability
nd disorder which prevailed for the great
n part OF the preceding three decades. and o
mild up that tranquil development or tne :
Domestic state whereby alone can DE re-
lized the high purpose. as proclaimeu III
he Joint resolution adopted ny the Ion
ress on the 10th Of April. 1S0S. 10y when =
he United States disclalmed any dlsposl- :, =
ion or intention to exercise sovereignty. !
urisdIction or control over Cuba. except
or the Modification thereof. and asserted y
fs determination. when that was accom- N
lisbed. 10 leave the government sud con- =
rol OF the island 10 its people. The pledge !,
ontssned In this resolution Is of the high =
AZ honorable obligation, and must be sa- !" "
redIy kept. -, | ~