The Monticellonian., 1899-12-15

N ippines, a branch competitor with the coast of Japan. It would be a gratifying consummation were the utility of the Ccn- templated scheme enhanced by bringing Japan and the United States into direct telegraph relation. 'I recommend, in case the congress should not take meas ures to bring about this result by direct acton Of the government, the postmaster general be authorized to invite compc'i- tive bids for the establishment of cable to Manila" the president says the con- paDy making the best responsible bid to be Warded the contract; the success ful company to give ample bonds to insure the completion of the work within q ren- sOnable time"
 Claims growing out of the seizure of American sealing vessels in Behring sea have been under discussion with the gov ernment of Russia for several years. with tue recent happy result of an agreement to submit them to the decision of single arbitrator
 The Samoan Islands.
 The arrangement under which samoa Was administered proved impractcabI4 and unacceptable. To withdraw and abaa- don the islands to Germany and Great Britain would not be compatible with our interests in the archipelago. To relinuaish our rights ill the harbor of Pago Paga. the best anchorage in the Pacific the oc- cupancy of which had been leased to the United States in ISIS by the first foreign treaty ever concluded by Samoa. was not to be thought We could not have con sidered any proposition for the abfogation of the tripartite control which did not confirm us in all our rights and safeguard all our national interests in the islands. A satisfactory arrangement was con cluded between the governments of Ger many and of England by virtue of which England retired from Satmoa in view of CompenSauonS in other directions, ard both powers renouneed in favor of tho United States all their rights and claims over and in respect ta that portion of the group lying east of the Hist degree of west longitude, embracing the islands of Tutuila. Ofoo. Olesenga and Manua. Claims have been referred by white resi- dents of Samoa on account of injuries al legged to have been suffered through the acts of the treaty governments in pat ting down the late disturbances. A eon- Vention has been made between the three powers for the investigation and settle- ment of these claims by d neutral arbi- trator.
 The Cars Peace Conference.
 definite project for a permanent inter- national peace tribunal was included in the instructions to the peace delegates of the United States. The convention for tho pacific settlement of international con fiets embodfes the leading features of the American plan with such modification as were rendered necessary by the great d. VefSity of views and interests represented by the delegates. The mediation provided for by the convention is purely voluntary and advisory. The delegation of the Unit ed States was not unmindful of the in convenience which must arise from an obstructive exercise of mediation, and in signing the convention carefully guarded
 
 by the following declaration: Nothing in this convention shall be so construed as to require the United States of Ameri- ca to depart from it's traditional policy of not intrudng upon, interfering with or entangling itself in the political ques- ttons or policy of internal administration of foreign states, nor shall anything cOn- tained in said convention be construed to imply q reinquishment by the United States of America of it's traditional atti- tude towards purely American questions.
 The Pension Question.
 On the Both of June, 1S99 the pension roll of the United States numbered 99i .1l4. These include the pensioners of the army and navy in all our wars. The number added to the rolls during the year WAS 10, 99l The number dropped by reason of death. remarriage. minors by tnsal limitation. failure to claim within three years, and other causes. was 43 1S6. and the number of claims disallowed was I07.. 9la- During the year S9, 0of pension Certili- Cates were issued, of which 32, or were for new or original pensions. The amount disbursed for army and navy pensions during the year was Sl5s, ,355 052.95, which Was Sl.6al tGl .6l less than the sum of tho appropriations. With the approval of tho secretary of the interior the commission CT of pensions recommends that, in order to make the practice at all times uniform and do justice to the dependent widow the amount of income allowed, inGepend- ent of the proceeds of her daily lahors should not be less than S250 per anuuIn. and he urges that the congress shall sj amend the act as 10 permit the pension office to grant pensionable status to widows under the terms of the third sec tion of the act of June D. 1Sa0 whose in- come, aside from the proceeds of daily labor. is not in excess of S230 per anuusu, "l believe this to be simple act of IuS- tce, and heartily recommend il, says Mr. Mckinley
 The Domestic Postal Service
 The domestic postal service continues to grow with extraordinary rapidity. The expenditures and the revenues will each exceed $lt9 9W1,0f8 during the current year. Since the revival of prosperous times, the revenues have grown much faster than the expenditures. Some classes of mail matter wrongly exercise the privilege of the pound rate which 1t should have paid, instead of a postal deficit for the last tis- cal year of $6,6l0Qo0, there would have been on one basis q surplus of Sl1.637570, and on another of s. I33 S36. The ref0fm thus suggested, in the opinion of the post postal service at once on a self-sustaiuinE basis, but would permit great and valtid4 ble Improvements.
 The Navy.
 The navy has maintained the spirit and high efficiency which have always char acterized that service, and has lost none has sgnalZcd its brilliant and glorious past The officers have shown peculiar adaptation for the performance of uew and delicate duties which our recent War has imposed. It can not be doubted tt&t congress will at once make necessary pro vision for the armOr plate for the vessels
 
 vision of the act of March 9, 1899 limiting the price of armor to $500 per ton shOulI be removed.
 Echo of the Louisiana EynchinEs
 The rccurrent manifestations of blind mob fury directed at dependents or na- tives of foreign country suggests that the contingency has arisen for action by congress in the direction of conferring up OH the federal courts Jurisdiction in this class of international cases where the ultimate responsibility of the federal gov ernment may be involved.
 Echoes From the Message.
 The Dawes commission reports that 1t has enrolled four of the nations m the Indian territory. Liberal appropriation for educational purposes i'll the Indian terri The postal system of Cuba. though re- mainng under the general guidance of the poStmaSte CT general, was made essentially Though Porto Rico and the Philippines hold a different relation to the United States yet for convenience of administrd.- ton the same principle of an autonomous system has been extended to them.
 Conventions of reciprocity have been signed during the congressional recess with Great Britain for the respective col onies of British Guiana, Barbadoes Ser muda, Jamaica and Turks and CaiCos is lands, and with the Republic of Nicara- qua. Important reciprocity conventions have also been concluded with Trance and with the Argentine Republic.
 Preparations for the representations of lHe lnQuSlIltSt dIlS anu pFouutlS or th6 United States a the Worlds Exposition, to be held in Paris next year. continue on an elaborate and comprehensive scale.
 A retired linen draper went into putting the scholars through an exam ination it geography.
 What is the capital of 'olland?" he asked
 Capital IT." was the crushing re- joinder from the smart boy of the Companion.