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

SOnstruct NhtefWAys
Tho all-important matter of an inter-
oceanic canal has assumed new phase.
Adhering to LIS 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 sup-
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
negotiations with the United States or
by taking measures to promote the wat
erway.
Overtures for a convention to effect the
building of q 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
The Icing 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
ii 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
he. hAa not al hU fhn to
Another illustration of the policy Of this
government to refer international dis
putes to impartial arbitration is seen in
the agreement reached with Russia to
submit the claims on behalf of the
American sealing vessels seized In Bering
Sea to determination by I. NJ. c. Asser,
a distinguished statesman and jurist OF
the Netherlands.
Thanks are due to the imperial Russian
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 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 CONNER
cial arrangement to follow. l feel that
we should not suffer to pass any oppor-
tunity 10 reaffirm the cordial ties that
existed between us and Spain from the
time OF our earliest Independence and to
enhance the mutual bneflts 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 coded 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
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 its third article. l d.
rected the negotiation of supplement
tary treaty. which viii be forthwith laid
before the senate. whereby Spain quits
all title and claim OF title to the Islands
named, as well as 10 any and all islands
belonging to the Philippine archipelago
lying outside the lines described in said
third article, and agrees that all such
Islands shall be comprehended in the
cession of the archipelago as fully as II
they had been expressly included within
those lines. In consideration OF this
eession the United States Is to pay to
bill is now pending to effect the rec
ommendation made In my last annual
message that appropriate legislation be
had to carry into execution article Z of
the treaty Of peace with Spain, by which
the United States assumed the payment
of certain claims for inc Hmnity of its
citizens against Spain. i ask that action
be taken to fulfll this obligation.
The King OF Sweden and Norway has
accepted the joint invitation OF the Unit
ed States, Germany and Great Britain to
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.
II Is gratifying to be able to state that
the surplus revenues for the fiscal year
the six preceding years we had only de-
ficits, the aggregate of which from 1891
to 1899 inclusive amounted to S2S30-2. :
ssl.14. The receipts for the year from all
sources, exclusive Of postal revenues, ag-
gregated 1851, 240. S5l.s9. and expenditures
for.all purposes. except for the admir- s.
tration of the postal department, aggre-
customs were s2ss Lis. s7i.is. an increass
over the preceding year of s27036, 3s9, Al.
The receipts from Internal revenue were
1895, s27 ,926.76. an increase Of 81, $50 I65 "a
Gus sources were sss7ls. 0s3.s7, as against
80, 1894 80 for the previous year.
REDUCTION OF REVENUE.
I recommend that the congress at It's
present session reduce the internal rev.
Suue laAes Hhpossu W meet tiic eAPehSo
OF the war with Spain In the sum Of thir-
ty millions of dollars This reduction
should be secured by the remission OF
those taxes which experience has shown
to be the most burdensome to the indus
tries OF the people
] specially urge that there by included
In whatever reduction is made the legacy
tax. requests for public uses Of Her
airy. educational or charitable character.
AID FOR MERCHANT MARINE.
American vessels during the past three
years have carried about per cent Of our
exports and imports. Foreign sh. %
should carry the least, not the greatest
part of American trade. The remarkable
ress OF shipbuilding for the domestic
trade. and our steadily maintained ex-
penditures for the navy have created an
opportunity to place the United States
In the first rank of commercial maritime
powers.
REGULATION OF TRUSTS.
In my last annual message to the con-
gress called attention to the necessity
| for early action to remedy such evils as
might be found to exist In connection
with combinations OF capital organized
into trusts, and again invite attention 70
my discussion of the subject at that time
The whole question IL so-far-reaehina
| that am sure no part Of II will be light'
ly considered, but every phase OF II viii
have the studied elaboration OF the con
gress' resulting In wise and judictous &C.
| ton. Restraint upon such combfnati
as are Injurious, and which are within
federal Jurisdiction should be promptly
applied by the congress.
TuF puUfIpDfNc rar xNna