Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-12-07

government of Chile. The govern
ment of Chile bad frequently admitted
obligation In the case and had prom
ised this government to settle 1t. There
had been two abortive attempts to do
so through arbitral commissions, which
failed through lack Of jurisdiction.
Now, happily, as the result OF the re-
cent diplomatic negotiations, the gov
ernments of the United States and OF
! Chile. actuated by the sincere desire
to free from any strain those cordlal
and friendly relations upon which DOM
SET such store, have agreed by proto-
col TO submit the controversy to DEM
five settlement by his Britannia maJes-
ty Edward VII.
The Niearaeuan Trouble.
Since the washington conventions OF
1907 were communicated to the gov
eminent of the United States as a con-
suting and advising party TINS gov
ernment has been almost continuously
called upon by one or another ana IN
turn by all Of the five Central Amer
lean republics to exert itself for the
maintenance of the conventions. Near
" every complaint has been against
the Zelaya government Of Nicaragua,
which has kept Central America IN
constant tension or turmoil. The re-
sponses made to the representations OF
Central American republics as due
from the United States on account OF
its relation to the Washington conVen-
tions have been at all times conserva-
tive and have avoided, SO far as posi-
| hIe. anv semblance Of interference, al
though 1t is very apparent that the
considerations of geographic proximity
TO the canal zone and Of the very SUD
stantial American interests in Central
America give to the United States a
sDecial position in the zone of these
republics and the Caribbean sea-
need not rehearse here the patient
efforts of this government to promote
peace and welfare among these re-
nublics. efforts which are fully appre-
ciated by the majority Of them who
are LOYAL to their true interests. IL
would be no less unnecessary TO re-
bearse here the sad tale Of unspeak-
able barbarities and oppression alleged
to have been committed by the Zelaya
Government. Recently two Americans
were nut TO death by order Of Presi-
dent Zelaya himself. They were OIL
GERS in the organized forces Of a rev
olution which had continued many
weeks and was in control of about
half Of the republic and as SUCH ac-
cording TO the modern enlightened
practice of civilized nations, they were
entitled TO be dealt with as prisoners
Of war.
At the date when this message Is
printed this government has terml-
mated diplomatic relations with the
Zelava government for reasons made
nublic i'm n communication TO the for
mer Nicaraguan charge d'affaires ana
is intending tc take such future steps
as NAV be found most consistent with
its dignity, it's duty to American In
terests and its moral obligations to
Central America and to civilization. IL
NAV later be necessary for me to bring
this subject to the attention OF the
congress in II special message.
In the Far East.
In the far east this government pre-
serves unchanged its policy Of support
ing the principle Of equality OF oppor-
tunity and scrupulous respect for the
integrity Of the Chinese empire, to
which policy are pledged the interest
ed powers Of both east and west.
By the treaty of 1903 China has I'M
dertaken the abolition Of likin with a
moderate and propOrtiOnate raising OF
the customs tariff along with currency
reform. These reforms being a mani
fest advantage to foreign commerce as
well as to the interests of China, this
government is endeavOring to facill-
tate these measures and the needful
acouiescence OF the treaty powers.
When it appeared that Chinese hkln
revenues were to be hypOthecated to
foreign bankers I'm connection with a
great railway project 1t was obvious
that the governments whose nationals
held this loan would have a certain
direct interest In the question of the
carving out by China Of the reforms
In question. The administration deem
ed American participation to be OF
great national interest Happily, when
It was as a matter Of broad policy ur-
gent that this opportunity should not
be lost, the indispensable instrumental
ity presented itself when a group OF
American bankers Of international
reputation and great resources agreed
at once to share in the loan upon pre-
cisely such terms as this government
should approve. The chief of those
terms was that American railway ma
terial should be upon an exact equality
with that Of the other nationals join
ing in the loan in the placing Of or
ders for this whole railroad system.
After months of negotiation the equal
participation of Americans seems at
last assured.
In one of the Chinese-Japanese con-
ventions of Sept. of this year there
was a provision which caused consid-
cradle public apprehension in that
upon its face it was believed in some
quarters to seek to establish monOp-
oily Of mining privileges along the
South Manchurian and Antung-Muk-
den railroads and thus to exclude
Americans from a wide field Of enter
prise, to take part in which they were
by treaty with China entitled. After
a thorough examination Of the conven-
tons and of the several contextual
documents the secretary of state reach
ed the conclusion that no such monop-