The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-07

hardly be overestimated-
The valuable aid and kindly courtesies
extended by the Japanese governments
and naval officers TO the battleship
Oregon are gratefully appreciated.
Complaint was made last summer of
h discriminatory enforcement OF n bu-
bonic quarantine against japanese on
the Pacific coast and OF interference
with their ravel in California and Colo
RADIO under the health laws of those
states. The latter restrictions have
been adjudged by a federal court 10 be
unconstitutional. No recurrence OF
either cause Of complaint is apprehenc-
ed.
Friendly Intercourse With MexIco.
No noteworthy incident has occurred
in our relations with our important
southern neighbor. Commercial inter
ourSe with Mexico continues to thrive.
and the two governments neglect no on
p~ortunity to foster their mutual inter
ests in all practicable ways.
Pursuant to the declaration OF -
supreme court that the awards OF
Joint commission in the La Abra and y
We'll claims were obtained through
fraud. the sum awarded in the first
case. $403, 030.0 s. has been returned IN
Mexico, and the amount OF the Well
award will be returned in like manner
A convention indefinitely extending
the time for the labors OF the United
States and Mexican international IVA
teri boundary commission has been
signed.
The Hague Conference
1t IL with satisfaction that / am able
to announce the formal notification at
The Hague. on September 4th. Of the
deposit of Publications Of the
ton for the pacific settlement OF inter
national disputes by sixteen powers.
namely. the United States. Austria.
Belgium. Denmark. England. France.
Germany. Italy. Persia. Portugal. Rou-
mania. Russia, Siam Spain. weden
and Norway. and the Netherlands.
Japan also has since ratified the con-
vention.
The administrative council of the per
manent court of arbitration has been
organized and has adopted rules of or
der and a constitution for the internal
tional arbitration bureau In accord
ance with Article XIII of the conven-
ton providing for the appointment by
each signatory power of persons of
known competency in questions OF in
te~rnational law as arbitratorS have
appointed as members Of this court.
Hon. Benjamin Harrison. of Indiana.
ex-president of the United States: Hon.
John w. Griggs. Of New Jersey. attor-
ney genera of the United States: and
Hon. George Gray, of Delaware. a Judge
Of the circuit court of the United
States.
Central America Affairs.
AS an incident OF the brief revolution
in the Mosquito district of Nicaragua
early in 1899 the insurgents fOrciblv
collected from American merchants 4
duties upon imports. On the restora-S
ton Of order the Nfcaraguan autho-i- J
ties a second aymen 90
such duties or the ground that they
were due to the tituIar government and
! tho fhafr- had add 81
volt.
This position was not accepted by US.
After prolonged a compro-
mise was effected under which the
amount of the second was
deposited with the British consul at San
Juan del Norte in trust until the two
governments should determine whether
the first payments had been made un-
der compulsion to de facto authority.
Agreement as to this was not reached.
and the point was waived by the act
of the N~icaraguan government in re-
questing the British consul to return
the deposits To the merchants.
Menacing differences between several
of the Central American states have
been accommodated. our ministers rem
dering good offices toward an UNDER
standing.
The Nicaragua Canal.
The all-imDortant matter OF an inter-
oceanic canal has assumed a new phase.
Adhering to its refusal to reopen the
question OF the forfeiture of the on
tract of The Maritime Canal Company.
which was terminated for alleged non-
execution in October. 1899. the govern
ment of Nicaragua has since supple
mented that action by declaring the
so-styled Eyre-CIagin option void for
non-payment of the stipulated advance.
Protests in relation to these acts have
been filed in the state department and
are under consideration Deeming it
se4f relieved from existing engagements,
the NfcaraRuan government shows q
disposition to deal freely with the ca
nal question either in the way Of nego-
tons with the United States or by tax
ing measures to PROMPTS the waterway.
OVertues for a convention 20 effect th~>
building of a canal under the ausptcesF
Of the United States are under corsid-
Grafton In the meantime. the views
of the mgr upon the general sub
ject, in the light OF the report of the
commission appointed TO examine the
comparative merits OF the various
trans-isthmian s~hip-canal projects, may
be awaited.
/ to the early Of
the senate the convention with Great
Britain to facilitate the construction Of
such a canal and TO remove any OBJ
lection which might arise out OF the
ooiifiiolly CdlIeQ the Cav
ton-Bulwer treaty.
The UNDERSTANDING contention with
Portugal. growing out OF the seizure
Of the Delagoa Bay railway, has been
at last determined by a favorable
award OF the bun of arbitration at
Berne. 10 which IL was submitted. The
amount OF the award. which was de-
posted in London awaiting arrange
tments by the governments Of the United
States and Great Britain for its dis
posal. has recently been paid over to
the two governmental
A lately signed convention of extra
dition with Peru as amended by the
senate has been ratified by the Peruvi-
ar congress.
Another illustration OF the policy OF
this government to refer nternational
disputes 10 impartial arbitration Is seen
In the agreement reached with Russia
10 submit the claims on behalf
III