The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-08

ment. has lust returned to Washington
from Ottawa, where he went, at the IN
stance of the committee of citizens or
Chicago in charge of the ceremonies of
the laying 0f the corner stone of that
city's great postoffice building next
October by President Mckinley, to ar
range for the formal invitation and ex-
pected acceptance of an invitation from
C~hicago's citizens to the governor gen.
eral and cabinet of Canada to partici-
pate in the festivities.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick is the assistant Unit
ed States architect, under Architect
ing.
To an Associated Press representative
he admitted that his official reception
was slightly chilly, Sir Wilifred Laur-
Ter very .candidly telling him that I'M
der the present conditions it would be
impossible for him to accept or even
consider any social invitations to this
side of the border.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick says that in substance
Wilfrid's voluntary statements and
answer to queries were as follows:
LAS a friend in whom l am deeply in
terested 1 am very glad to see you, but,
frankly, as a representative of the fed
eral or any local government in the
United States you visit could not have
been more untimely. When | received
your first letter, l took up the matter
with his eXcellency, the governor gen.
era1, and he expressed a sincere desire
to visit Chicago and seemed as anxious
tn ocppnt the invitation as was We
would have been delighted to go and
were looking forWard to the day with
much anticipation. But since then the
tone of your press has become SO harsh
in dealing with the Alaskan boundary
question:; such misrepresentation have
been made about our OVernmen and
particularly about me that it would be
undignified for us to visit you, and |
cannot advise his excellency to go"
Mr.. Fitzpatrick said that Sir Wilfrid
animated that in the present state Of
public feeling in the United States, as
indicated in the press, it would not be
entirely safe for the governor general
and himself ITO visit Chicago, as he fear
ed that they might, in a great gather
ing of such a character as the Chicago
ceremony, be subjected to some I'M
pleasantness or indignity by thought
less persons.
Sir WiHfrid expressed himself as
strongly in favor of arbitrating the
Alaskan boundary dispute and conclud-
ed the interview as follows:
80 much as 1 regret it, 1 could not
go to Chicago under present conditions,
and must, however painful a duty it
may be, advise his excellency to de-
cline the invitation that 1 know and
feel has so kindly been extended ito us
by the city of Chicago"
Mr.. Fitzpatrick secured Sir Wilfrid's
promise, however, to reconsider the
matter.
NEW COMPLICATIONS IN SAMOA
FEARED.
The non-arrival of the Samoan COM
mission is beginning to attract comment
in official quarters, as it is thought
some new complication may have arisen
in Samoa to keep the commission there.
The last report was that the party
would leave Apia on July 18th, and if
this had been carried out, the commits
sion would have been due in San Fran
cisco before the present time. Baron
Sternberg, the German commissioner,
wrote under date of July 14th that he
expected to sail in a day or two, and
Mr.. Trip sent similar notification to
the state department. AS the bulk Of
the natives was disarmed, there is
little prospect that they could create
serious disorder, yet, in case of renew
ed troubles between the factions, it is
believed that the commission would
wait until quiet had been restored.
THE TALLULAH LYNCHING.
Count Vinci, the Italian charge, call
ed at the state department today to
compare notes with Acting Secretary
Au2e respecting the inquiry into the
killing of the five Italians at Tallulah,
La.
The governor has stated that the
grand jury of the parish in which Tai
lulah is situated will meet next week
and it is expected that the killing will
be taken up by that body Immediately,
prepared by the sheriff sufficient to
make out a prima facie case against
the perpetrators of the killing.
count Vlnci has not yet received the
report Of Marquis Romano, who was
sent to louisiana to make a personal
inquiry into the lynchings, blu the mar
quis has sent a brief dispatch saving
he has completed his inquiry at Vicks-
burg, near the scene of the lynching,
and has secured convincing proof that
the five victims were italian citizens.
Beyond securing information on the
Facts, neither government has thUS far
taken any action, except in the express
sion OF sincere regret over the affair by
the United States, and a return of as
surance by Italy that every confidence
was felt that his country would employ
all possible means required by the case.
GOLD PRODUCTION OF THE
WORLD.
The director of the mint has nearly
completed his estimate of the worlds
gold production for the year 1898. The
data at hand seems to warrant the con-
clusion that the production will amount
to at least 1924, 000, 900 and possibly $685.
100000. Africa leads all other countries
with $685. 800, 900, with Australia second
with $67, 800, 900 and the United States
third with $64, 463, 900. Russia is credit
ed with $25, OOO, 900, Mexico with $40, 0OO,-
600 n Canada, including the Klondike,
with s14. 900, 900.
In 1897 Africa produced $685. SOC, 900,
with the United States second. with
$57, 1863, 900, and Australia third. with
$50, 6S4, 900; Russia fourth, with $23, PAS,
900; Mexico fifth, with 50, 436, 900, and
Canada, including the Klondike, with
$6,027, 900. The total for that year was
1927. sos, 900. OF the $14, 900, 900 credited
to Canada in 1898 about $40, 900, 900 came
out of the Klondike and in the estimate
of the production of the United States