The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-05-04
ALL CIVILIZED COUNTRIES SEND
WORDS OF COINCIDENCE ON
CALIFORNIA DISASTER.
SPECIAL MESSAGE 10 CONGRESS-.
PRESIDENT EXPLAINS ATTITUDE
REGARDING OFFERS OF FOR.
ElGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

Washington, May IA special mes
sage was sent to congress during. the
day by President Roosevelt in which
he explained the attitude of this gov
ernment regarding the offer of contri-
buttons to the San Francisco fire and
earthquake sufferers from foreign
countries. The president says that
where the contributions were made to
this government he did not feel war
ranted in accepting them, but where
they were made to the citizens relief
committee of San Francisco no official
action was or could be taken in regard
to them
The message indicates that the gov
ernments of the entire civilized world
promptly responded in messages Of
sympathy and many of them with con-
tributions or offers of contributions.
The text of the message follows:
Immediately after the disaster at
San Francisco many offers Of assist
ance in the shape of contributions
were rendered by foreign individuals,
corporations, governments and munic-
ipalities. The Canadian government,
with an instant generosity peculiarly
pleasant as a proof of the close and
friendly ties which knit us to our
neighbors Of the North, offered to pass
a resolution appropriating 100000
for the relief of the sufferers by earth,
quake and fire. With a generosity
equally marked and equally appre-
ciated the republic Of Mexico, our near
est neighbor to the South, voted to
appropriate $4,000 and the republic
of Guatemala voted to appropriate
$4,000 for the same purpose =
Offers From China and Japan.
"The empress Of China, in addition to
sending money to- be used for the Chi
nese who suffered in San Francisco:
offered to send more than double as
much to- be used for the inhabitants
generally. The Japanese government
Immediately offered to send across the
ocean one of their beautiful hospital
ships to be used in any way for the
sufferers and also offered 100000 yen
to the relief committee, in addition to
more than 100000 yen sent by Japa.
nese subjects. The government of far
distant New Zealand voted $4,000,
the government of Martinique voted
1000 francs, the municipality of Ed
monton, Can, $1,000. Many munic-
ipalities, corporations and individuals
in England, Germany, France, Japan,
Cuba and other countries Immediately
proffered aid. Where these offers OF
aid are made to the private relief COM
mittees organized to deal with the dis
tress in San Francisco l. have, of
course, no official action to take con-
corning them. Where. they were ten
dered to ME in my official capacity
did not feel warranted in accepting
them. But | AM certain l give utter
tance to the feelings of all our coun.
trymen when l express my very lively
appreciation of the warm hearted gen
erOsity and eagerness to help us in the
time of our Affections shown by the
governments, the municipalities, the
corporations and the individuals men
toned above. We are deeply grateful
to them and we are deeply grateful
for the way in which they. showed in
such practical fashion the growth of
the spirit of brotherhood among the
nations.
Welcome Messages of Sympathy.
Most kind and welcome messages
to us by the emperor of Austria, the
king of Belgium, the president of Bo-
livia, the Prince of Bulgaria, the pres
ident of Brazil, the president Of Chile,
the president of Cuba, the king Of
Denmark, the president of the
Dominican Republic, the khedive of
Egypt, the president of France, the
German emperor, the king of Great
Britain, the king of Greece, the presi-
dent of Guatemala, the king of Italy,
the emperor of Japan, the emperor OF
Korea, the president of Mexico, the
Prince of Monaco, the queen of The
Netherlands, the president of Mic.
aragua;" the king of Norway, the pres
ident of Peru, the king of Portugal,
the czar of Russia, the king of Servia.
the king of Spain, the president of the
Swiss confederation, the king Of Swe-
den, the sultan Of Turkey and the pres
ident of Venezuela. official messages
also were received from practically all
the civilized governments of the world
and from authorities of scores of nlu-
inequalities.
appropriate expressions of graft
tude to all these friends have been
returned by the state department or
by myself, but it seems to me that the
real debt of grateful feeling awakened
in our people by all these evidences of
genuine sympathy and friendship
should be expressed also by formal
action of the supreme legislative
power of the nation
Il recommend the passage by the
congress of an appropriate resolution
to that end"
WAVES EXAMINATION.