The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-07

to the canal zone and Of the very sub.
stantial American interests in Central
America give to the United States a
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 be no less unnecessary to re-
hCarse 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 Zelaya himself. They were off,
GERS in the organized forces of a rev
olCtion which had continued many
weeks and was in control Of I about
half Of the republic, and as such, ac-
cording to ne modern enlightened
practice of civilized nations, they were
entitled to be dealt with as prisoners
of war.
At the uate when this message Is
printed this government has termi-
mated diplomatic relations with the
Ielaya govern ment for reasons made
public in a communication to the for
mer Nicaraguan charge d'affaires and
is intending tn take such future steps
a. may be found most consistent with
It's dignity, its 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 a special message.
The international bureau of Amer
lean republics has carried on an impor-
tant and increasing work during the
last year. ~
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 likin with a
moderate and proportionate raising of
the customs tariff along with currency
reform. These reforms being mani
fest advantage to foreign commerce as
well as to the interests of China, this
government is endeavoring to facili-
tate these measures and the needful
acquiescence of the treaty powers
When 1t appeared that Chinese lilSin
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
it was as 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.
The results of the opium conference
held at Shanghai last spring at the
invitation Of the United States have
been laid before the government. The
report shows that China is making re-
markable progress and admirable eff
forts toward the eradication OF the
opium evil and that the governments
concerned have not allowed their COM
mercial interests to interfere with a
helpful cooperation in this reform.
Collateral Investigations of the opium
question in this country lead me to
recommend that the manufacture, sale
and use of opium and its derivatives in
the United States should be so far as
possible more vigorously controlled by
legislation.
In one of the Chinese-Japanese con-
ventions of Sept. / 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
a thorough examination of the conyen-
tons and of the several contextual
documents the secretary of state reach
ed the conclusion that no such monop-
oily was intended or accomplished.
This government made inquiry of the
imperial Chinese and Japanese gov
ernments and received from each OFF,
cial assurance that the provision had
no purpose inconsistent with the poll
cy of equality of opportunity to which
the signatories, in common with the
United States. are pledged.
Our traditional relations with the
Japanese empire continue cordial. as
usual. The arrangements of 1908 for
a cooperative control OF the coming
OF laborers to the United States has
proved to work satisfactorily. The
matter OF revision of the existing
treaty between the United States and
japan which is terminable in 1912 is
already receiving the study OF both