News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-12-09

pean powers and Venezuela and the
reference of certain points of the con-
troversy to The Hague tribunal
thrc1gh the influence of the United
Etarrs. This he calls a victory for
An erican diplomacy and triumps for
international arbitration. He advo-
Gates an extension of international law
to exempt all private property at sea
from capture or destruction by forces
of belligerent powers)
Early i'll July, having received intel
lgence, which happily turned out to be
erroneous, of the assassination of our
vice consul at Beirut, | dispatched a
small squadron to that port for such
service as might be found necessary on
arrival. The arrival of the vessels had
the happiest result. A feeling of Sc
curity at once took tile place of the
former alarm and disquiet. The gov
eminent of the sultan gave a consider
ate hearing to the representations of
our minister; the official who was re-
garded as r4spoi sible for the disturbed
condition of affairs was removed. Our
relations with tile Turkish government
remain friendly.
The signing of a new commercial
treaty with China, W hich took place Mt
Shanghai on Oct S, is a cause for
satisfaction.
l 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 it unnecessary
to spend much time 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 its 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
1866 persons We're 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 effective use Of the National Guard
has been excellent, Great improve
ment has been made in the efficiency
of our army in recent years
l heartily congratulate the congress
upon the steady progress in building
up the American navy. We cannot
afford let-up in this great work. To
stand still means to 60 back. There
should be no cessation il adding TO the
effective units of the fighting strength
of the fleet. Meanwhile the navy de-
partment and the officers of the navy
are doing well their part by providing
constant service at sea under condi.
tons akin to those of actual warfare
BY the act Of June %, 1902, the con-
gress authorized the president to enter
into treaty with Colombia for the
building of the canal across the 18TH
mus of Panama. When the congress di-
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 be-
tween the representatives of the re-
public of Colombia and of our govern
ment was ratified b. the senate. This
treaty was entered into at the urgent
solicitation of the people of Colombia
and after body of experts appointed
by our government especially to go into
the matter of the routes across the
isthlnus had pronounced unanimously
in favor of the Panama route. In draw
ing up this treaty every concession was
made to the people and to the govern
ment of Colombia. We were more
than Just in dealing with them. Never
theless the government of Colombia not
merely repudiated the treaty, but re-
pudiated it in such manner S TO make if
evident by the time the Colombian con-
gress adjourned that not the scantiest
hope remained of ever getting a salts
factory treaty from them.
The people of Panama had long been
disconnected with the republic of Co.
lombia, and they had been kept quiet
only by the prospect of the conclusion
of the canal treaty, which was to them
matter of vital concern. When it be-
came evident that the treaty was hope
lessly lost the people of Panama rose
literally as one man. The Colombian
troops stationed on the isthmus. who had
long been unpaid, made common cause
with the people of Panama, and with
astonishing unanimity the new republic
was started. The duty of the United
States in the premises was clear and
the de facto government Of Panama
was recognized.
Every effort has been made by the
government of the United States to per-
suade Colombia to follow a course
which was essentially not only to our
interests and to the interests of the