The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-12-10

tons submitted by the terms Of TIE
convention. by this award the right
of the United States to the control Of
continuous strip or border Of the main.
land shore, skirting all the tdev alter In
lets and sinUosities of the coast, is CON
firmed.
fThe president recapitulates the de-
tails of the imbroglio between Euro
pean powers aud Venezuela and the
reference of certain points of the con
troyersy tc The Hague tribunal
through tht influence of the United
States lis he calls a victory for
American diplomacy and triumpS f4r
international arbitration. He adv0-
Gates an extension Of international law
to exempt all private property at sea
from capture or destruction by forces
of belligerent powersl
Early i'll July having received intel
ligcnce, which happily turned out to be
erroneous. of the assassination of our
vice consul at Beirut. | dispatched
small squadron To that port for such
service rs might be found necessary on
arrival. Tie arrival of the vessels had
the happiest result. \ feeling of So
curity at once took the place of the
former alarm and disquiet The gov
ernment of the sultan gave consider
ate hearing to the Representations OF
our minister; the official who was re
garded rs rAspo, sible for the disturbed
condition of aftairswas removed. Our
relations with the Turkish government
remain friendly.
The signing of Il new commercial
treaty with China, W hich took place Mt
Shanghai on Oct. S, is cause for
satisfaction.
| trust that the congress will con
tinue to favor in all proper ways the
Louisiana Purchase exposition.
OF our insular possessions, the Philip.
pines and Porto Rico, it is gratifying
to say that their steady progress has
been such as to make 1t unnecessary
TO spend much tine in discussing them.
The Philippines should be knit closer to
us by tariff arrangements
The work of reclamation of the arid
lands of the west is progressing steadily
and satisfactorily under the terms of
the law setting aside the proceeds
from the disposal of public lands
No other class OF our citizens de
serves so we'll Of the nation as those
to whom the nation owes It's very be
ing. the veterans OF the Civil war. Spe-
citl attention is asked to the excellent
work of the pension bureau in expedit-
ing and disposing OF pension claims.
During the year ended June 80 last
25,566 persons were appointed through
competitive examinations under the
civil service rules. This was 1862
more than during the preceding year
and 40 percent of those who passed
the examinations.
The effect of the laws providing a
general staff for the army and for the
more eff ectlye use of the National Guard
has been excellent. Great improve
ment has been made in the efficiency
of our army In recent years.
/ heartily congratulate the congress
upon the steady progress in building
up the American navy. We cannot
afford u letup in this great DIRK. To
stand still means to go back There
should be no cessation IN adding 10 the
effective units of the fighting strength
of the fleet. Meanwhile the navy de
partment and tie officers of the navy
are doing well their part by providing
constant service at sea under condl
tons akin to those of actual warfare.
BY the act of June %, 1902, the con
gross authorized the president to enter
into treaty with Colombia for the
building of the canal across the 18TH
mus of Panama. When the congress dl-
rected that we should take the Pana-
ma route Under treaty with Colombia
the essence Of the condition referred not
to the government which controlled
that route. but to the route itself: to
the territory across which the route lay.
Last spring n treaty concluded he
tween the representatives of the re-
public of Colombia and of our govern
ment was ratified b. the senate. This