The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-12-16

| gotiation, to indemnify the relatives OF
the American officers and sailors who
were brutally treated. one of them
| having indeed, been killed by the
Panaman police this year.
This government was obliged to in
tervene automatically to bring about
arbitration or settlement Of the claim
Of the Emery company against Mica
ragua. which 1t had long before been
agreed should be arbitrated. A settle
ment of this troublesome case was
reached by the sigma ture of a protocol
on Sept. IS. 1909.
Many years ago diplomatic fnterven-
ton became necessary To the protec-
ton Of the interests In the American
claim Of AIsop & Co. against the
government of Chile. The govern
rnent Of Chile had frequently admitted
obligation IN the case and had prom
ised this government to settle 1t. There
had been two abortiye attempts to do
so through arbitraI 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 cordial
and friendly relations upon which both
set such store, have agreed by proto-
col to submit the controversy to delhi
tive settlement by his Britannia males
ty Edward VII
The Nicaraguan Trouble.
Since the Washington conventions OF
1907 were communicated to the gov
eminent Of the United States as con-
sulting and advising party this gov
eminent has been almost continuously
called upon by one or another and ID
turn By al OF the five Central Amer
lean republics TO exert itself for the
maintenance Of the conventions. Near
ly 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 conyen-
lions have been at all times conserva-
i've anu nave dFOiOcu, 81 ldI 40 poSoi-
Bile. any semblance of Interference. al
though it is very apparent that the
considerations of geographic proximity
to the canal zone and of the very sub
stantial American interests in Central
America give to the United States
special 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-
publics, efforts which are fully appre-
ciated by the majority Of them who
are loyal to their true interests. 1t
would he 10 less unnecessary to re-
hearse here the sad tale Of unspeak-
able barbarities and oppression alleged
to have been committed by the Zelaya
government Recently two Americans
were put to death by order Of Presi-
dent Zeaya himself. They were Off
GERS i'll the organized forces of rev
olution which had continued many
weeks and was In control Of about
half Of the republic, and as such, &C
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 termi-
mated diplomatic relations with the
Zelaya government for reasons made
public in communication to the for
mer Nicaraguan charge d'affaires and
Is intending to take such future steps
as may be found most consistent with
it's dignity. its duty to American in
terests and its moral obligations to
Central America and to civilization. 1t
may later be necessary for me to bring
this subject to the attention Of the
congress in 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 un-
dertaken the abolition of lillin with q
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 endeavOriIg to facili
tate these measures and the ncedful
acguiescence of the treaty powers.
When it appeared that Chinese lilin
revenues We're to be hypOthecated to
hoy in wit
great railway project It was obvious
that the governments whose nationals
held this loan would have Il certain
direct interest In the question Of the
carrying out by China Of the reforms
in question. The administration deem
ed American participation to be Of
great national interest. Happily. when
1t was as matter Of broad policy ur-
gent that this opportunity should not
be lost. the Indispensable instrumental
ity presented itself when group Of
American bankers of international
reputation and great resources agreed
at once to share in the loan upon pre-
| cisey 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 n provision which caused consid-
cradle public apprehension in that
upon its face it was believed In some
quarters to seek to establish Il monop-
oily Of mining privileges along the
South Manchurian and Antung- Muk-
den railroads and thus to exclude
| Americans from wide field of enter
prise. to take part in which they were
by treaty with China entitled After
thorough examination Of the conven-
tons and Of the several contextual
documents the secretary of state reach