The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-12-05
Great Britain, Japan. Russia and the
United States provided for the sus-

Great Britain, Japan, Russia and the
United States provided for the sus
pension of all land killing of seals on
| the PribilOf islands for a period Of
| five years, and an objection has now
| been presented to tbs provision by tie
| other parties in interest, which raises
| the issue as to whether or not this
! prohibition of land killing is inconsist
ent with the spirit if not the letter of
| the treaty s:ipuiations. The justifica-
| ton for establishing this close season
| depends, under the terms of the con-
ventiOn, upon how far if at all it is
necessary for protecting and preserv
| ing the American fur seal herd and for
j increasing its number. This is a queS-
! ton requiring examination of the pres
| ent condition of the herd and the treat
ment which it needs in the light of
| actual experience and scientific inves-
| tigation.
! Final Settlement of North Atlantic
Fisheries Dispute.
! On the Goth Of July last an agree
ment was concluded between the Unit
ed States and Great Britain adopting.
with certain notifications, the rules
| and method of procedure recommend
ed in the award rendered by the North
Atlantic coast fisheries arbitration tri-
bunal on Sept. Z, 1910. for the settle
! ment hereafter. in accordance with
the principles laid down in the award.
of questions arising with reference to
the exercise of the American fishing
| liberties under Article l Of the treaty
of Oct 20, 1918, between the United
| States ana Great Britain. This agree
ment received the approval of the SEN
fed by the two governments on Nov. 10
! last.
Opium Fail
| ure of Our Government.
| In my message on foreign relations
communicated to the two houses of
congress Dec. Z. 1911, called special
attention t2 the assembling Of the
opium conference at The Hague, to the
fact that that conference was to review
all pertinent municipal laws relating to
the opium and allied evils and certain
ly all international rules regarding these
evils, and to the fact that it seemed to
me most essential that the congress
should take immediate action on the
anti-narcotic legislation before the con-
gress, to which had previously called
attention by special message.
! The congress at its present session
should enact into law those bills now
before it which have been so carefully
drawn up in collaboration between the
department of state and the other ex-
ecutive departments and which have
behind them not only the moral Senti-
ment of the country, but the practical
support Of all the legitimate trade in
terests likely to be affected. Since the
, international convention was signed
adherence to it has been made'by sew
eral European states not represented
at the conference of The Hague and
also by seventeen Latin-American re-
publics.
Europe and the Near East.
The war between Italy and Turkey
came to close in October last by the
signature vi Il treaty OF peace, suisse
Guently to which the Ottoman empire
! renowned sovereignty over Cyrenaica
and Tripolitania in favor of Italy. Dur
| ing the past year the near east has I'M
! fortunately been the theater of con-
slant hOstilities. Almost simultaneous
| ly with the conclusion of peace be-
tween Italy and Turkey and their ar
rival at an adjustment Of the complex
questions at issue between them, war
broke out between Turkey on the one
hand and Bulgaria, Greece, MOntene-
gro and Servia on the other.
In the exercise of my duty in the
matter l have dispatched to Turkish
waters a special service squadron, con-
siSting of two armOred cruisers, in or
der that this government may if need
be bear it's part in such measures as it
may be necessary for the interested ma
tons to adopt for the safeguarding of
foreign lives and property in the Otto
man empire in the event that danger
Gus situation should develop.
Liberia.
| AS result or the ef1OrtS or this gov
eminent to place the government of
Liberia in position to pay its outstand-
ing Indebtedness and to maintain a
stable and efficient government, nego-
tiations for a loan of $1,7OO,O0O have
been successfully concluded, and it is
anticipated that the payment of the
old loan and the issuance of the bonds
of the 1912 loan for the rehabilitation of
the finances of Liberia will follow at
an early date, when the new receiver
ship will go into active operation. The
new receivership will consist of gen.
eral receiver of customs designated by
the government of the United States
and three receivers of customs desig-
mated by the governments of Germany.
France and Great Britain, which coun-
| tries have commercial interests in the
republic of Liberia.
| The Far East.
The political disturbances in China
in the autumn and winter Of 1911-12
resulted in the abdication of the Man
chu rulers on Feb. II, followed by the
| formation of provisional republican