Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-06

no ports, shipping or direct trade, but
tory of a neutral. Nexa tious questions
arose through Great Bri, aims action in
respect to neutral cargoes, not contraband
in their own nature, shipped to Portu-
guese South Africa. on the score OF prob
able or suspected ultimate destination &c
the Boer states.
Such consignments in British ships, by
which alone direct trade is kept up be-
tween our, ports and Southern Africa,
law prohibiting British vessels from trad
ing with the enemy without regard to any
contra band character CT the goods, while
trail bottoms We're arrested on the ground
of alleged destination to enemy's country.
Appropriate representations on our part
resulted in the British government agree
ing TO purchase outright all such goods
shown to be actual property of American
| citizens, thus closing the incident to the
ed parties. although, unfortunately, with
out a broad settlement Of the question
of neutrars right to send goods not
contra band per Sc to a neutral port ad-
jacent to belligerent area.
Tie Alaskan boundary.
The work of marking certain provisional
boundary points, for convenience of adj
| ministra ton, around the head of Lynn
canal, in accordance with the temporary
arrangement of October, 1889. was complet-
| ed by a joint survey in July last. The
| modus vivendi has so far worked without
| friction, and the dominion government has
! provided rules and regulations for securing
| to our citizens the benefit of the reciprocal
| stipulation that the citizens or subjects of
eithsr power found by that arrangement
| within the temporary jurisdiction OF the
other shall suffer 10 diminution of the rights
| and privileges they have hitherto enjoyed.
But however necessary such an edient
may have been to tide over the grave emer-
gencies of the situation, it is at best but
| an unsatisfactory makeshift, which should
not be suffered to delay the speedy and
| complete establishment of the frontier line
| to which we are entitled under the Russo
American treaty for the cession of Alaska.
| In this relation l may refer again TO the
need of definitely marking the Alaskan
! boundary where it follows the one hundred
and forty-firSt meridian. A convention to
| that end has been before the senate for
| some two years, but as no action has been
taken contemplate negotiating new con-
| vention for a joint determination of the
meridian by telegraphic observations.
| These, it is believed, will give more ac
| curate and unquestionable results than the
| sidereal methods heretofore Independently
| followed, which, as is known, proved dis
crepart at several points On the line, al
though not varying at any place more than
| ECO feet.
American Indemnity Claims.
| The pending claim of R. H. May against
| the Guatemalan government has been set
| tied by arbitrati ton, Mr.. George f. Is. Jen
ner, British minister at Guatemala, who
was chosen as sole arbitrator, having
| awarded $143,750.73 in gold to the claimant.
| Various American claims against Hayti
j have been or are being advanced to the re-
sort of arbitration.
I AS the result of negotiations with the
| government of Honduras in regard to the
| indemnity demanded for the murder Of
! Frank II. Pears in Honduras, that govern
ment has paid SO 600 in settlement of the
| claim Of the heirs.
The assassination of King Humbert
called forth sincere expressions of sorrow
| from this government and people, and oc-
caSion was fifty taken to testify to the
Italian nation the high regard here felt
! for the memory of the lamented ruler.
Relations with Italy.
! In my last message l referred at cOnsid-
| cradle length to the lynching of five Ital-
| ians at TaIlulah. Notwithstanding the
! production OF evidence tending to incul
pate the authors of this grieVous offense
| against our civilization, and the repeated
! inquests set on foot by the authorities
/ of the state of Louisiana, no puniShmentS
have followed. Successive grand juries
have failed to indict. The representations
! of the Italian government in the face of
| this miscarriage have been most temper
| Setting the principle at issue high above
all consideration OF merely pecuniary in
| identification, such as this government
made in the three previous cases, Italy
| has solemnly invoked the pledges of ex-
! isting treaty and asked that the justice
| to which she is entitled shall be melted
| in regard to her unfortunate countrymen
! in our territory with the same full meas
ure she herself would give to any Amer
| lean were his reciprocal treaty rights con-
| temned.
| made last year that the congress appro-
! priately confer upon she federal courts
! jurisdiction in this class of international
cases where the ultimate responsibility of
i the federal government may be involved,
! and invite action upon the bills to accom-
plish this which We're introduced in the
| Senate and house. 1t is incumbent upon US
| to remedy the statutory omission which
has led, and may again lead, to such IN
! toward results. l have pointed out the
| nr6pe0ent
| of this character. It's enactment is a SIM
! pie measure OF previsory justice toward the
! nations with which we as a sovereign equal
| make treaties requiring reciprocal observ-
! ance.
! While the Italian government naturally
! regards such action the primary, and
| indeed, the most essential element in the
| disposal of the Tallulah incident, I ad-
| wise that, in. accordance with precedent,
! and in view of the imprObabiitY of that
particular case being reached by the bill
| now pending, congress make gracious
! provision for indemnity to the Italian
sufferers in the same form and proper
| ton as heretofore.
Lynching.
In my inaugural address l referred tL
! the general subject of lynching in these
| words:
| 'Lyuching must rot be tolerated n
great and civilized country like 90
United States; courts, not mobs, must
execute the penalties of tn, law. the
preservation of public order, the right Of
discussion, the int ;rity of courts, ard
the orderly admin lraton of justice
must continue forever the rock of safety
upon which our government securely
rests
This I most urgently reiterate, and
tSetIi iHVite Ire attention Oh my cOUu-
ton.
Japnn's Advancement.
| The closing year has witnessed de-
clded streng thening OF Japan's relations
independent judicial and acmlnlstratlve
functions unQer the treaties which took
enect July II, 1899, has proceeded Wlta-
out international friction, showing the
competence OF the Japanese to hold
foremost place among the modern peo-
pes.
! In the treatment of the difficult Chinese
! problems, Japan has acted in harmonious
concert with the other powers, and her
generous cooperation materially aided IN
the JOINT rellef of the De4eaguered Legal
| tons in PekIIg and III bringing about an
! understanding preliminary to a settle-
/ ment OF the issues between the powers
and China.
Japan's declarations in favor of the in-
teSrlty OF the Chinese emperor and the
conservation Of open word trade there
| with have been frank and positive. As
| factor for promoting the General in
/ terests of peace. order and fair commerce
! in the far east, the influence of Japan
/ can hard4y be overesumated.
! The valuable aid and kindly courtesies
! extended by the japanese government and
naval officers to the battleship Oregon
| are gratefully appreciated
Complaint was mace last summer OF
the discriminatory enforcement OF bu-
bonic quarantine against japanese on the
! Pacihc coast, and # interference with
I their travel in California and ColoTaco
under the health laws of those states.
The latter restrictions have been adjudGed
! by federal court to be Unconstitutional.
No recurrence of ether cause of com-
plant is apprehen0ed.
Our Southern Neighbors.
, No noteworthy incident has occurred in
our relations with our important south
ern ne.gAborS. Commercial intercourse
with Mexico continues to thrive and the
two governments neglect no opportunity