Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-12-07
THE NICARAGUAN CANAL
Progress Bein. Made in the Effort to
Construct Great Waterway.

The all-important matter of an inter-
oceanic canal has assumed new phase.
Adhering to its refusal TO reopen the
question of the forfeiture of the contract
of the Maritime Canal Company, winch
was terminated for alleged non-execution
in October, 1899, the government or Mica
ragua has since supplemented that action
by declaring the so-styled Eyre-Crag1n
option void for non-payment of the stlp-
ulated advance. Protests in relation to
these acts have been filed IN the STATE
Department and are under consideration.
Decming itself relieved from existing en-
ga gements, the Nicaraguan government
shows Il 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
crWay.
Overtures for a convention to effect the
building of canal under the auspices or
the United States are under consideration.
In the meantime the views of the con-
grcss 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: -.
the senate the convention with Great
Britain to facilitate the construction Of
such canal and to remove any ob1ec-
ton which might arise out 90, OF the the con
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 ern.
| 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
| 1,,,, ind hNy Peruvian
| grcss.
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 Boring
Sea to determination by T. M: c. Asser,
a Distinguishing 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 extradl,
ton is approaching completion, and
| should be much pleased were a CONNER
cial arrangement to follow. l feel tina,
we should not suffer to pass any oppor.
tunity to reatfirm the cordial ties that
existed between us and Spain from the
time of our earliest independence and tt
enhance the mutual bnefits 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 grouI
in the southwest failed to include severa
small islands lying west Of the Sulus
which have always been recognized as
under Spanish control. The. occupation
al forces elected 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 thu
Interpretation of its third article, d.
rected the negotiation of supplement
tary treaty, which will be forthwith laic
all title and claim Of title to the island:
| named as we'll as to any and all islands
belonging to the Philippine archipelago
lying outside the lines described in sait
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
cession the United States Is to pay tt
Spain the sum Of 100000.
a bill is now pending to effect the rec
or1mendation made in my last annua
message that appropriate legislation be
the treaty Of peace with Spain, by which
the United States assumed the payment
Of certain claims for indemnity Of Its
citizens against Spain. ! ask that actor
be taken to fulfill this obligation.
4 The King of Sweden and Norway ha:
accepted the joint invitation of the Unit.
1 cd States. Germany and Great Britain tt
arbitrate claims growing out Of losses
sustained in the Samoan Islands In the
course Of military opera tons made nee.
essary by the disturbances In 1899.
LARGE REVENUE SURPLUS.
! IT is gratifying to be able to state thai
the surplus revenues for the fiscal veal
ended June 30, 1900. were SIS. zO60.R Eol