The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-12-10

| ~SEASs'SAASsACASlAo Va
can Republics, as due from the Unit.
ed States on account of its relation tc
the Washington conventions, have
been at all times conservative and
have avoided, SO far as possible, any
semblance of interference, although
1T is very apparent that the considera.
lions OF the geographic proximity tc
the canal zone and of the very sub.
stantial American interests in Cen.
trail America give to the United
special position in the zone of these
republics and the Caribbean sea.
81 need-not rehearse here the pa.
tient efforts of this government to
promote peace and welfare among
these republics, efforts which are full
ly appreciated by the majority OF
them who are loyal to their true in
terests. 1t would be less unnecessary
to rehearse here the sad tale of un-
speakable barbarities and oppression
alleged to have been committed by
the Zelaya government. Recently
two Americans were reported put to
death by order of President Zelaya
himself. They were supposed to have
been regularly commissioned officers
in the organized forces of revolu-
tion which had continued many
weeks and was proceeding in an Or
denly fashion in control of about half
OF the republic, and as such according
to the modern enlightened practice
of civilized nations, they would be
entitled to be dealt with as prisoners
of war.
cat the date when this message is
printed this government is proceeding
with deliberate circumspection to de-
termine the exact truth in relation to
the reports and upon the course in
the premises most consistent with it's
dignity, its duty to American inter-
ests and its moral obligations to Cen
tral America and to civilization.
RELATION WITH JAPAN.
"Our traditional relations with the
Japanese Empire continue cordial as
usual. AS the present representative
of Japan, His Imperial Highness
Prince Kuni, visited the Hudson-Fu
ton celebration. The recent visit of
a delegation of prominent business
men as guests of the Chamber of COM
merce of the Pacific slope, whose rep
resentatives had been so agreeably re-
ceived in Japan, will doubtless con-
tribute to the growing trade across
the Pacific, as well as to that mutual
understanding which leads to mutual
appreciation.
TREASURY DEFICIT.
"The report of the secretary of the
treasury shows7that the ordinary ex-
penditures for the current fiscal year
ending June 30, 1910, will exceed the
estimated receipts by $3i, ,075, ,62o. If
to this deficit is added the sum to be
disbursed for the Panama canal,
amounting to s3s,oo0,ooo, and $780,
100000 to be paid on the public debt,
the deficit of ordinary receipts and
expenditures will be increased to a
total deficit of S73,O75,620. This de-
felt the secretary proposes to meet
by the proceeds of bonds issued to pay
the cost of constructing the Panama
canal. l approve this proposal.
CUSTOM FRAUDS.
II regret to refer to the fact of the
discovery of extensive frauds in the
collection of the customs revenue at
New York City, in which a number
of the subordinate employees in weigh
ing and other departments were di-
rectly concerned, and in which the
beneticiaries were the American Sug-
ar Refining company and others. The
frauds consisted of payment of duty
on underweights of sugar. The gov
ernment has recovered from the
American Sugar Refining company all
that it is shown to, have been de-
frauded Of. The sum was received in
full of the amount due, which might
have been recovered by civil suit
against the beneficiary of the fraud,
but there was an express reservation
in the contract of settlement bv
which the settlement should not in
terfere with, or prevent the criminal
prosecution of everyone who was
found to be subject to the same.
Criminal prosecutions are now pro-
ceeding against number of the gov
ernment officers. The treasury depart
ment and the department of Justice
are exerting every effort to, discover
all the wrongdoers, including the Of
ficers and employees Of the companies
who may have privy to the fraud. 1t
would seem to me that an inyestiga-
tion of the frauds by congress at pres
ent, pending the probing by the treas
uary department. and the department
of justice, as proposed, might by Civ
ing immunity and otherwise, prove
an embarrassment in securing the
conVlctlon OF the guilty parties
MAXIUM AND MINIMUM CLAUSE IN
TARIFF ACT.
'"Two features of the new tariff act
called for special reference. BY vir
tue of the clause known as the s'maxi
mum and minimum" clause, it is the
duty of the executive to consider th,
laws and practices of other countries
with reference to the irnnnrta atinn, in