Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-15

bers claim their stand, through the
prostitution OF the high 4 ght and calling
of citizenship. 1t should mean some
| dung to become citizen of the United
States; and in the process no loophole
whateN er should be left open to fraud
1 In my last annual message. in connec-
1 ton with the subject of the due regula-
ton of combinations of capital which are
or may become injurious to the public,
recommended special appropriation for
| the better enforcement of the antitrust
law as it now stands, to be expended un-
der the direction of the Attorney Gen
eral. Accordingly the Congress- appro-
pTidted the sum of five hundred thousand
dollars, TO be expended under the direc
ton of the Attorney General in the en-
ployment of special counsel and agents
in the Department of Justice to conduct
proceedings and prosecutions under said
laws in the courts of the United States
L now recommend, as matte. of the ut
most Importance and urgency, the extern
sion of the purposes of this ap2ropria-
ton, so that it may be available under
the direction of the Attorney General,
and until used, for the due enforcement
of the laws of the United States in gem
era and especially Of the civil and Grim
inal laws relating to public iands and.
the laws relating to postal crimes and
offenses and the subject of natuIaliza-
derinrable state of affairs in these
three matters of vital concern.
By various frauds and by forger.es
and periuries thousands Of acres of he
public domain, embracing lands of DIFF
ferent character and extending through
various sections of the country, have
been dishonesty acquired 1t is hardly
necessary to urge the Importance of re
covering these dishonest acquisitions,
stolen from the people, and of promptly |
and duly Furnishing the offenders.
Postal Frauds.
| speak in another part of this mes
sage of the widespread crimes by which |
the sacred right of citizenship is falsely |
asserted and that 'inestimable heritage" |
perverted to base ends. BY similar |
means-that is, through frauds, forgeries |
and perjuries, and by shameless briberies |
the laws relating to the proper conduct |
of the public service in general and to |
the due administration of the Postoffice |
Department have been VIGOROUSLY vio- |
lated, and many indictments have been |
found, and the consequent prosecutions |
are in course Of hearing or on the eve |
thereof. For the reasons thus indicated, |
and so that the government may be pre-
pared to enforce promptly and with |
the greatest effect the due penalties for |
such violations of law, and to this end |
may be furnished with sufficient In /
strumentalities and competent legal |
assistance for the Investigations and trials |
which will be necessary at many different |
points Of the country, urge upon the Con |
gress the necessity OF making the said ap- /
preparation available for immediate use for |
all such purposes, to be expended under the |
direction of the Acknowledgement
Steps have been taken by the State De- |
partment looking to the making of bribery |
an extraditable offense with foreign pow
ers. The need of more effective treaties I
covering this crime is manifest. The ex- |
posures and prosecutions of official cor
ruption in ST. Louis, Mo, and other cities |
and States have resulted in a number of |
givers and takers of brides becoming fugi-
tives In foreign lands. Bribery has not /
been included In extradition treaties here
tofore, as the necessity for 1t has not aris-
en-. While there may have been as much
Official corruption In former years, there
has been more developed and brought to light
In the immediate past than In the preceding
century of our country's history 1t should
be the policy of the United States to leave
no place on earth where a corrupt man
fleeing from this country can rest in peace.
There is no reason why bribery should not
be included In all treaties as extraditable.
Alaskan Boundary.
For several years past the rapid develop
ment of Alaska and the establishment of |
growing American interests in regions there
tofore unsurveyed and imperfectly known
brought into prominence the urgent neces- |
sity Of practical demarcation of the boun-
daries between the jurisdictions of the
United States and Great Britain. Although
the treaty of 1925 between Great Rrita1n |
and Russia, the provisions of which were
copied In the treaty of 1867, whereby Rus
STA conveyed Alaska to the United States |
was positive as to the control, first by Rus
STA and later by the United States of a
strip Of territory along the continental main
land from the western shore of Portland
Canal to Mount st Elias, following and
surrounding the lndentations of the coast
and including the islands to the westward
its description of tie landward margin of
the strip was indefinite, resting on the sup
posed existence OF a continuous ridge or
range of mountains skirting the coast as
Inquired In the charts of the early navigators |
II had at no time been possible for either
party In interest to lay down, under the
authority of the treaty, line so obviously |
exact according to its provisions as to com
mand the assent OF the other. For nearly
three-fourths of a century the absence of
tangible local interests demanding the ex-
ercise of positive jurisdiction on either side |
of the border left the question dormant. |
permanent disposition of the matter finally
became imperative
After unavailing attempts to reach an I'M
Outstanding through a Joint High Commits |
sion, followed by prolonged negotiations,
conducted in an amicable spirit, a conven-
ton between the United States and Great
Britain was signed, January "a, 1903, pro-
viding for an examination of the subject
by a mixed tribunal of six members, three
on a side, with a view to its final dispo-
sition. Ratiheations We're exchanged on
ments appointed their respective members
On the twentieth of October ma
jority of the tribunal reached and signed
an agreement on all the questions submitted
by the terms of the convention. BY this
award the right of the United States to the
control OF Il continuous strip or border of
the mainland shore, skirting all the tide
water inlets and sinuosities of the coast, is
confirmed.
The result is satisfactory In every way.
Ii is of great material advantage to cur
people in the Far Northwest. 1t has re-
moved from the field of discussion and
possible danger question liable to become !
more acutely accumulated with each passing
year. Finally, 1t has furnished signal
proof of the fairness and good will with
which two friendly nations can approach
and determine issues involving national SOW
ereignty.
Claims Against Venezuela.
1t will be remembered that during the
second session OF the last Congress Great
Britain. Germany, and Italy formed an ALI
ance for the purpose Of hlockading the
ports Of Venezuela and using such other
meaps Of pressure would secure a settle
ment Of claims due, as they alleged, to GER
tain Of their subjects. Their employment Of
force for the collection OF these claims was
terminated by an agreement brought about
through the offices of the diplomatic repre-
sentatives of the United States at Caracas
and the Government at Washington, there
by ending a situation which was bound to
cause increasing friction, and which Jeopar-
died the peace of the continent. Under
this agreement Venezuela agreed TO set
apart a certain percentage Of the customs
receipts OF two OF her ports to be applied
TO the payment of whatever obligations
might be ascertained by mixed commits
sions appointed for that purpose to be due
from her, not only to the three powers al
ready mentioned. whose proceedings against
her had resulted in a state Of war, but also
to the United States. France, Spain, Bel
gIum. the Netherlt nds. Sweden and Norway,
and Mexico. who had not employed force
for the collection OF the claims alleged to be
due to certain OF their citizens.
A demand was then made by tho so-called
hlockading powers that the sums ascertain
ed to be due to their cftizeEs by such
mixed commissions snoGld be accorded pay
ment in full before anything was paid
upon the claims OF any Of the so-called
peace powers. Venezuela, the other
hand. Insisted that all her creditors should
be paid upeE Saets OF exact e.asisty.
During the enfCsts g Vast this dispute II