The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-12-21

the lynching of Italians at Tallulah,
La, and urgently recommends action
by the present congress.
The treaty of commerce and naviga-
ton between the United States ard
Japan on Nov %. 1894. took effect
in accordance with the terms OF it's
sixth article on the 18th of July last,
simultaneously with the enforc ement
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 Japans po-
sition as a fully Independent sover-
eign power is assured.
Without repeating the observations
of my special message Of Feb. 10. 1899,
concerning the necessity of cable to
Manila, 1 respectfully invite attention
to it. l recommend that, in case the
congress should not take measures to
bring about this result by direct action
of the government, the postma ster
general be authorized to invite COM
petitive bids for the establishment of
a cable.
A chapter on our relations with
Mexico is followed by reference to the
claims growing out of the seizure Of
American sealing vessels in Boring
sea by Russia, with the recent happy
result of an agreement to submit them
to the decision of a single arbitrator"
Then comes reference to Samoa. At
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
iuries 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 a 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 re-esta blishment of peace
found the relinquished 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-
lions of peace so long disturbed and
build up that tranquil development of
the domestic state whereby alone can
no h i0h
claimed in the joint resolution adopted
by congress, by which the United
States disclaimed any disposition or
intention to u----- 49, ,lry.
jurisdiction or control over Cuba, ex-
cept for the pacification thereof, and
asserted it's determination when that
was accomplished to leave the govern
ment and control of the island to it's
people. The pledge contained in this
resolution is of the highest honorable
obligation and must be sacTediy kept.
I believe that substantial progress has
been made in this direction.
This nation has assumed before the
world a grave responsibility for the flu
tu,e good government of CUBE. We
have accepted a trust the fui1i!lment
of which calls for the sternest integ-
lity of purpose and the exercise 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 destinie5 of Cuba are
in some rightful form and manner
irrevocably linked with our own, bat
10
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-establish 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-
auctions 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-
ference of the republics interested is
recommended.
Then comes reference to Buffalo's
Pan-American exposition and Phila-
delphia's recent export exposition,
both of which are heartily mmended.
The Hague peace conference is dwelt
upon at length, and a permanent ar
bitration tribunal is urged.
The increase in our army and the
reduction of our forces in Cuba and
Porto Rico, together with the extern
sion of our postal facilities to those
islands is dealt with at length.
The president unites in Secretary
Longs recommendation that the act
of congress limiting the price of armor
plate for the warships to $500 a ton
be rescinded, and joins the commits
sioner of pensions in urging congress
to amend the pension laws as to permit
the pension office to grant pensionable
status to widows whose income aside
from the proceeds of daily labor is not
in excess of $3.50 per annum
On Dec. 10. 1898, the treaty of peace
between the United States and Spain
was signed. 1t provided, among other
things, that Spain should cede to the
United States the archipelago known
as the Philippine Islands, that the
United States should pay to Spain the
sum Of $20,000,O00, and that the civil
rights and political status of the ma
tive inhabitants of the territories thus