Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-12-13
THE NICARAGUAN CANAL
Progress Being Made In the Effort to
Construct Great Waterway.

Construct Great Waterway.
The all-important matter of an inter
oceanic canal has assumed a new phase.
Adhering to its refusal to reopen the
question of the forfeiture of the contract
of the Maritime Canal Company, which
was terminated for alleged non-execution
in October, 1899, the government Of Mica
ragua has since supplemented that action
by declaring the so-styled Eyre-Cragin
option void for non-payment OF the stip-
ulated advance. Protests in relation to
these acts have been filed in the State
Department and are under consideration.
Deeming itself relieved from existing en-
gagements, the Nicaraguan government
shows disposition to deal freely with
the canal question either in the way of
negotiations with the United States or
by taking measures to promote the wat
erway.
Overtures for a convention to effect the
building of canal under the auspices of
the United States are under consideration.
In the meantime the views of the con-
gress upon the general subject, in the
light of the report of the commission
appointed to examine the comparative
merits OF the various transisthmian ship
canal projects, may be awaited.
commend to the early attention of
the senate the convention with Great
Britain to facilitate the construction of
such a canal and to remove any objec-
ton which might arise out of the con-
vention commonly called the Clayton
Bulwer treaty.
The long standing contention with Por-
tugal growing out of the seizure of the
Delagoa Bay Railway has been at last
determined by favorable award Of the
tribunal of arbitration at Berne. to which
it was submitted. The amount of the
award. which was deposited in London
awaiting arrangements by the govern
ments of the United States and Great
Britain for its disposal. has recently been
paid over to the two governments.
A lately signed convention of extradi-
ton with Peru as amended. by the senate
has been ratified by the Peruvian con-
gress.
Another illustration of the policy of this
government to refer international dis
putes to impartial arbitration Is seen in
submit the claims on behalf OF the
American scaling vessels seized In Bering
Sea to determination by T. M. c. Asser,
a distinguished statesman and jurist OF
the Netherlands.
Thanks are due to the imperial Russia n
government for kindly aid rendered by
is authorities in eastern Siberia to
American missionaries fleeing from Man
churia.
NEW RELATIONS WITH SPAIN
Satisfactory progress has been made to-
ward the conclusion of a general treaty
of friendship and intercourse with Spain,
In replacement of the old treaty. which
passed into allegiance by reason OF the
late war. A new convention of extradi-
ton Is, approaching completion, and
should be much pleased were a CONNER
ClaI arrangement 10 1OllOW. 1eel tnat
we should not suffer to pass any oppor-
tunity to reaffirm the cordial ties that
existed between us and Spain from the
time of our earliest Independence and to
enhance the mutual bnetits of that COM
mercial intercourse which is natural be-
tween the two countries.
BY the terms of the treaty OF peace the
line bounding the ceded Philippine group
in the southwest failed TO include several
small islands lying west of the Sulus,
which have always been recognized as
under Spanish control The occupation
Of Sibutu and Cagayan Sulu by our nav
al forces elected a claim on the part OF
Spain, the essential equity OF which
could not be gainsaid.
In order to cure the defect OF the
treaty by removing all possible ground Of
future misunderstanding respecting the
Interpretation of it's third aTr.cie. / d.
rected the negotiation of a supplement
tary treaty, which will be forthwith laid
before the senate, whereby Spain quits
all title and claim of title to the islands
| named as well as to any and all Islands
belonging to the Philippine archipelago
third article, and agrees that all such
| islands shall be comprehended in the
cessicn Of the archipelago as fully as II
they had been expressly included within
cession the United States Is to pay to
Spain the sum of 100000.
A bill Is now pending to effect the rec
ommendation made in my. last annual
had to carry into execution article OF
the treaty of peace with Spain, by which
the United States assumed the paymen,
| of certain claims for ind 0mnity of its
| citizens against Spain. ! ask that action
be taken to fulfill this obligation.
| The King of Sweden and Norway has
accepted the joint invitation of the Unit
ed States. Germany and Great Britain tC
arbitrate claims growing out of losses
sustained in the Samoan Islands in the
course Of military operations made nee
| esSary by the disturbances in 1899.
LARGE REVENUE SURPLUS.
1t is gratifying to be able to state thai
the surplus revenues for the fiscal yeal
ended June 30, 1900. were s19, 527 060.lS. Fol
the six preceding years we had only de
icits, the aggregate of which from lS9
to 1899 inclusive amounted to s2S3,os2.
s91.4. The receipts for the year from al
sources, exclusive of postal revenues, ag
for all purposes, except for the adm S
tration of the postal department, aggre
gated $iS7, 713, 1911. The receipts from
customs were $233, Ellis. an increas
The receipts from internal revenue wer,
1926, S27 ,926.76. an increase of s2l $3.50, 1852
over 1899. The receipts from rscellane
1884 1852 for the previous year.
REDUCTION OF REVENUE.
] recommend that the congress at It
present session reduce the internal rev
enue taxes imposed to meet the expense
| Va the war Win SpdIu III tue sum OIL INK
ty millions of dollars. This reduction
should be secured by the remission o
those taxes which experience has show
to be the most burdensome to the indus
| tries Of the people.
| i specially urge that there by include
in whatever reduction Is made the legac
tax, requests for public uses of a liter
airy, educational or charitable character
AID FOR MERCHANT MARINE.
American vessels during the past thre
years have carried about per cent Of gu
exports and imports. Foreign sh p
should carry the least, not the creates
part of American trade. The rema bl
growth Of our steel industries. the prog
trade, and our steadily maintained ex
penditures for the navy have created a
opportunity to place the United State
In the first rank of commercial martini
powers
REGULATION OF TRUSTS.
In my last annual message to the con
gress / called attention to the necessit
for early action to remedy such evils a
might be found to exist In connectio
with combinations Of capital organize
into trusts, and again invite attention I
my discussion of the subject at that time
The whole question Is so-far-reachin
: that ] am sure no part OF II will be light
ly considered. but every phase Of It wi
have the studied deliberate OF the cor
gress. resulting In wise and judicious az
I as are injurious, and which are With
federal Jurisdiction should be prompt
} applied by the congress.
THE PHILIPPINE IsLANDS