The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-12-10

ment of Chile had frequently admitted
obligation in the case and had prom
1sed this government to settle it. 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 cordial
and friendly relations upon which both
set such store, have agreed by proto-
col to submit the controversy to defin-
tive settlement by his Britannia majeS-
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 in
turn by all 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
it's relation to the Washington conven-
tons have been at all times cOnserva-
tive and have avoided, so far as posi-
bic, 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 no less unnecessary to re-
hearse here the sad tale of unSpeak-
able barbarities and oppression alleged
government Recently two Americans
were put to death by order of Presi-
dent Zelaya himself. They were Off
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 termi-
mated diplomatic relations with the
Zelaya government for reasons made
public in communication to the for
mer Nicaragua charge d'affaires and
is intending to take such future steps
as may be found most consistent with
it's dignity, it's duty to American in
terests and it's 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 it's 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 1908 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
we'll as to the interests of China, this
government is endeavoring to facili-
| tate these measures and the needful
acquiescence of the treaty powers.
| When it appeared that Chinese lillin
revenues were to be hypothecated to
foreign bankers in connection with a
great railway project it was obvious
| that the governments whose nationals
! held this loan would have a 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 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. l Of this year there
was provision which caused consid-
cradle public apprehension in that
upon its face it was believed in some
quarters to seek to establish a 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
thorough examination of the conven-
fionS and of the several cOnteytI1al