The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-05
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
READ in CONGRESS-


monopolies was passed by congress on
/ the I'd OF July, 1890. The provisions
of this statute are comprehensive and
stringent. II declares every contract
or combination, in the form of a trust
or otherwise. of conspiracy in the re-
straint of trade or commerce among
the several states or with foreign ma
tions to be unlawful. It denominates
as criminal every person who makes
any such contract or engages in any
such combination or conspiracy. and
provides a punishment by fine or i'm
prisonment II further confers upon
any person who shall be injured in his
business or property by any other per-
son or corporation by reason of any
thing forbidden or declared to be un-
lawful by the act the power to sue
therefor in any circuit court OF the
United States without respect to the
amount in controversy. and to recover
threefold the damages by him sus-
tained and the costs Of the suit, includ-
ing reasonable attorney fees. It will
be perceived that the act Is aimed at
every kind OF combination in the ma
ture of a trust or monopoly in re-
straint of interstate or international
commerce.
The chapter on trusts closes with a
quotation from the message of Pres
ident Cleveland of Dec Z, 1896, declar-
ing the laws passed for their suppress
sion ineffective. President Mckinley
then urges uniformity of legislation on
the part of the several states The
message proceeds:
Our Foreign Relations.
review of our relations with for
eign states is presented with such rec
concentrations as are deemed appropri-
ate.
The long pending boundary dispute
between the Argentine Republic and
Chile was settled in March last by the
award of an arbitral commission, on
which the United States minister at
Buenos Ayres served as umpire.
Progress has been made toward the
conclusion of a convention Of extradi-
tion with the Argentine Republic. Hav-
ing been advised and consented to by
the United States senate and ratified by
Argentina, 1t only awaits the adjust
ment of some slight changes in the
text before exchange.
1t is gratifying to be able to an
nounce that the Belgian government
has mitigated the restrictions on the
Importation Of cattle from the United
States, to which / referred in my last
annual message.
Having been invited by Belgium to
participate in congress held at Brus-
sells to revise the provisions of the gen.
eral act of July 2, 1890, for the repres-
sion of the African slave trade, to
which the United States was a sigma
tory party, this government preferred
not to be represented by plenipoten-
tiary, but reserved the right of access
sion to the result. Notable changes
were made, those especially concern
ing this country being in the line of
the increased restriction of the dele
terious trade in spirituous liquors with
the native tribes, which this govern
ment has from the outset urgently ad-
vocated. The amended general act
will be laid before the senate, with a
view to its advice and consent.
Early in the year the peace of Bolivia
was disturbed by a successful insur-
rection. The United States minister
remained at his post, attending to the
American interests in that quarter and
using besides his good offices for the
protection of the interests Of British
subjects in the absence OF their ma
tional representatives.
| OuT representative mas D66u lHSITuCL-
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 nom
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
harmony with the general practice Of
modern states.
Extradition Treaty with Brazil.
A convention of extradition with
Brazil, signed May IA, 1897, has been
ratified by the Brazilian legislature.
The claim growing out of the seiz-
ure of the American owned newspa-
per, the Panama Star and Herald, by
the authorities of Colombia has been
settled, after controversy Of several
years, by an agreement assessing at
$4,000 the indemnity to be paid by the
Colombian government. The good
will of Colombia toward our country
has been testified anew by the cordial
extension of facilities to the Mica
raguan enRal commission.
Discussion of the questions raised
by the action of Denmark in imposing
restrictions on the importation of
American meats has continued with
out substantial result in our favor.
President Mckinley then refers to
the assassination of President Heure-
aux and the establishment of new
government in Santo Domingo under
President Jiminez, the feature of the
Greater Republic of Central America
Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador)
the Bluefields outbreak of February
last, the declared forfeiture of the
contract of the Maritime Canal COM
pany of Nicaragua and the protest Of
the company against the action OF the
Nicaragua government. The dissolu-
tion 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 a year ago
1 expressed my views of the necessity
of canal which would link the two
great oceans to which I 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