Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-12-07

Spain ana the assurance InaL the rights
of Americans in the islands would be
observed.
A chapter on the boundary contro-
versy between this country and Cam
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 permanent boundary" The mes
sage proceeds:
The government has maintained an
attitude of neutrality in the unfortu-
nate contest between Great Britain and
the Boer states of Africa. we have re-
manned faithful to the precept of avoid
ing entangling alliances as to affairs
not Of direct concern. Had circum-
stances suggested that the parties to
the quarrel would have welcomed any
kindly expression of the hope of the
American people that war might be
ayerted, good offices would have
been gladly rendered The United
States representative at Pretoria was
early instructed to see that all neutral
American interests be respected by the
combatants
Neutrality In the TransvaaI.
Upon the withdrawal of the British
agent from Pretoria the United States
consul was authorized, upon the re-
quest of the British government and
with the assent Of the South African
and Orange Free State governments to
exercise the customary good offices of
neutral for the care of British interests.
In the charge of this function I am
happy to say that abundant opportuni-
ty has been afforded to show the i'm
partiality of this government toward
both the combatants.
The president deals at length with
the Iynching of Italians at Tallulah,
La, and urgently recommends action
by the present congress.
The treaty of commerce and naviga-
tion between the United States and
Japan on Nov. %. 1894. took effect
in accordance with the terms of its
sixth article on the 18th of July last,
simultaneously with, the enforcement
of like treaties with the other powers.
except France. whose convention did
not go into operation until Aug. 4, the
United States being, however. granted
up to that date all the privileges and
rights accorded to French citizens
under the old French treaty By this
notable convention reform Japan's po-
sition as fully independent sover-
eign power is assured.
Without repeating the observations
of my special message of Feb. 10, 1899,
concerning the necessity of a cable to
Manila, l respectfully invite attention
TO it. / recommend that, in case the
congress should not take measures to
bring about this result by direct action
of the government, the postmaster
general be authorized to invite COM
petitive bids for the establishment of
cable.
chapter on our relations with
Mexico is followed by reference to the
claims growing out of the seizure of
American sealing vessels in Bering
sea by Russia, with the recent happy
result of an agreement to submit them
to the decision of single arbitrator"
Then comes reference to Samoa. Af-
ter referring to the abolition of the
kingship and the appointment of the
joint commission and the new partition
of the Samoan Islands the president
proceeds:
Claims have been preferred by white
residents of Samoa on account of in
juries alleged to have been suffered
through the acts of the treaty govern
ments in putting down the late dis
turbances. A convention has been
made between the three powers for the
investigation and settlement of these
claims by neutral arbitrator. to
which the attention of the senate will
be invited.
Must Keep Faith with Cuba.
The withdrawal of the authority Of
Spain from the Island of Cuba was
effected by the first of January, so
that the full establishment of peace
found the re1inquished territory held
by us in trust for the inhabitants.
maintaining, under the direction of the
executive, such government and con-
troll therein as should conserve public
order, restore the productive condi-
tions of peace so long disturbed and
build up that tranquil development of
the domestic state whereby alone can
be realized the high purpose as pro-
claimed in the joint resolution adopted
by congress, by which the United
States discIaimed any disposition OF
intention to exercise sovereignty,
jurisdiction or control over Cuba, ex-
cept for the paeification thereof, and
asserted it's determination when that
was accomplished to leave the govern
ment and control of the island to its
people. The pledge contained in this
resolution is of the highest honorable
obligation and must be saeredly kept.
l believe that substantial progress has
been made in this direction.
This nation has assumed before the
world grave responsibility for the fu-
ture good government of Cuba. We
have accepted a trust the fulfillment
of which calls for the steRaest integ-
rity of purpose and the exeGcise of the
highest wisdom. The new Cuba yet to
arise from the ashes of the past must
needs be bound to us by ties of sin
gular intimacy and strength if its en-
during welfare is to be assured.
Whether those ties shall be organic or
conventional the destinies of Cuba are
in some rightful form and manner
irreyocably linked with our own, but
how and how far is for the future to
determine in. the ripeness of events.
Whatever be the outcome we must see
to it that free Cuba be a reality, not a
name. a perfect entity, not hasty
experiment bearing within itself the
elements of failure. Our mission, to
accomplish which we took up the
wager of battle. is not to be fulfilled
by turning adrift any loosely framed
commonwealth to face the vicissitudes
which too often attend weaker states
whose natural wealth and abundant
resources are offset by the incon-
gruities of their political organization
and the recurring occasions for in
ternal rivalries to sap their strength
and dissipate their energies. The
greatest blessing which can come to
Cuba is the restoration of her agri-
cultural and industrial prosperity.
which will give employment to idle
men and re-estahlish the pursuits of
peace. This is her chief and immedi-
ate need
Urging an Appropriation.
A reference to the treaty Of peace
with Spain, the resumption of diplo-
matte relations is followed by recon-
mendation for an appropriation to pro-
vide for the payment OF certain claims
of our citizens against Spain which
our government guaranteed in the
treaty of peace.
Then follows a chapter on the ar
bitrary treatment of American pro-
duetions in Turkey, the Anglo-Vene-
zuelan arbitration controversy, the re-
cent Venezuelan revolution and the
assured maintenance for ten years to
come of the bureau of American re-
publics. Another international con-