Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-12-08

/
! Our foreign relations are treated ex-
haustively, and general state or tran
! guilty is shown with all countries In
! this connection he notes that the contract
| between the Maritime Canal company ana
! the Nicaraguan government has been de-
views the work Of the United States canal
/ commission and dwells on the Importance
| Of the undertaking to this country, and
! .enews his recommendations OF year ago,
| OF which he says the reasons then present
ed for early action are even stronger now.
The showing this country will make az
Of at length. and says that we will have
1000 exhibitors from this country.
Attention is called to the fact that Ger
many declines to recognize the excellence
! OF our food products, but predicts sat
isfactory settlement of the question. OF
The several governments of the empire
seem reluctant to admit the natural eX-
cellence Of our food products and to acs
cept the evidence we constantly tender OF
the care with which their purity is guard
ed by rigid inspection from the farm,
through the slaughter house and the pack
ment. our system of control over eN-
ported food staples invites examination
from any quarter and challenges respect
by it's efficient thoroughness.
Efforts to obtain for American life insur-
ance companies full hearing as to their
business operations in Prussia have. after
several years of patient representation,
happily succeeded and one Of the most inn
portant American companies has been
!
in that kingdom.
am also glad to announce that the Ger
man insurance compaL;ce have been read
mitted by the superintendent Of insurance
to do business in the state of New York.
Satisfactory progress is reported In the
work of the Alaskan boundary commits
sion and hopes that the negotiations now in
progress Will end in satisfactory agree
ment.
Is alluded to, and he recommends that in
case congress fails 10 provide for such COM
munication the postmaste general be EN-
powered to call for competitive bids for the
establishment Of the cable.
Wants Commission to China.
4 commission to China is urged In the
following words
In my message TO congress Of December
3 1898. | urged that the recommendation
which had been made to the speaker of the
house of representatives by the secretary
OF the treasury on the 14th Of June, 1898, for
an appropriation for a commission to study
the commercial and industrial conditions In
the Chinese empire and report a $ to the OPP
portunities for, and obstacles to, the en-
iargement of markets In China for the raw
products and manufactures Of the United
States. should receive at your hands the
consideration which it's importance and
timeliress merited, but the congress failed
TO take action.
| now renew this recommendation. as the
Importance OF the subject has steadily
grown since IL was first submitted to you
and no time should be lost in studying for
ourselves the resources of this great field
for American trade and enterprise.
The samoan Question.
The entire history Of the Samoan question
is gone over eXhaustiVely, a Id Of the recent
conference between Great Britain and Ger
many he says:
The arrangement under which Samoa
was administered had proved imprac-
ticable and unacceptable to all the pow
ers concerned. To withdraw from the
agreement and abandon the islands to Ger
many and Great Britain would not be
compatible with our interests in the archi-
ne
harbor Of Pago Pago, the best anchorage
in the Pacific, the occupancy of which had
been leased TO the United States in 1875
by the first foreign treaty ever concluded
by Samoa, was not TO be thought of either
as regards the needs OF our navy or the
interests OF our growing commerce with
the east. We could not have considered
any proposition for the. abrogation of the
trlpartite control which did not confirm
US in all our rights and safeguard all our
national interests In the islands
our views commended themselves to the
other powers. satisfactory arrangement
was concluded between the governments
OF Germany and of England, by virtue OF
which England retired from Samoa. in
view OF comp9nsat1ns in other directions,
and both powers renowned in favor of the
United states all their rights and claims
over and IN respect 10 that portion of the
group lying to the east Of the ore hun
dred ard seventy-first degree OF west
longitude, embracing the Islands OF Tu-
tuila, Ofoo. Olosenga and Manua
transmit 70 the senate, for its constitutional
action thereon, a convention which, be-
SIDES the provisions above mentioned, also
guarantees us the same privileges and con-
ditons in respect 10 commerce ard COM
mercial vessels in all OF the islands of
Samoa as those possessed by Germany.
Relations to Cuba.
OF our relations to Cuba during the year
he recalls the WITHDRAW wal of the Spanish
garrisons and the establishment Of Ameri-
can military government until such time
a the people were capable Of caring for
and maintaining government of their
own; He says that our pledge TO Cuba to
e es b h an indepen,dent government is Of
be sacredly kept. OF the progress being
made in the island he says
| believe that substantial progress has
been made in this direction. All the admin
istrative measures adopted in Cuba have
aimed TO fit it for regenerated existence
justice; by placing wherever practicable
Che machinery OF administration in the
hands of the inhabitants; by instituting
needed sanitary reforms; by spreading ed
ucation, by fostering Industry and trade;
by intoxicating public morality, and. i'm
short, by taking every rational step to aid
the Cuban people to attain TO that plane of
self-conscious respect and self-reliant
unity which fits an enlightened community |
for self government within its own !
sphere, while enabling IL TO fulfll all out
ward obligations
This nation has assumed before the world
a grave responsibility for the future good /
government of Cuba. We have accepted a /
sternest integriiy, Of purpose and the ex-
Cuba yet to arise from the ashes of the /
past, must needs be bound 10 us by ties Of /
singular 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 rightfui |
form and manner irrevocably linked with |
our own, but how and how far is for The fu-
ture TO determine in the ripeness Of events
Whatever be the outcome, we must see TO
IL that free Cuba be a reality, not name
a perfect entity, not hasty experiment
bearing within itself the elements Of fail
ure. Our mission, to accomplish which we
took up the wages of battle is not to be
fulfilled by turning adrift any loosely
framed commonwealth to face the vicissi-
tudes which too often attend weaker states
whose natural wealth and abundant re-
sources are offset by the incongruities OF
their political organization and the re-
curing occasions for internal rivalries TO
sap their strength and dssipate their en-
ergies. The greatest blessing which can
come TO Cuba is the restoration OF her agri-
cultural and industrial prosperity, which
will give employment 10 idle men and re-
es tablish the pursuits OF peace. This is her
chief and immediate need.
Census of Cub, Being Taken.
On the 18th Of August last an order was
made for the taking of the census in the
island, TO be completed on the 3Oth of No
vember. BY the treaty Of peace the Span
~.