The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-12-04

| Tue fTiDilol Islands Tor period OF
i've years, and an objection has now
been presented to this provision by the
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 stipulatiOns. 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
increasing its number. This is a uues-
ton requiring examination ot 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. 7, 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 | Of the treaty
! OF Oct. 20, 1918, between the United
States and Great Britain. This agree
ment received the approval of the SEN
ate on Aug. / and was formally rati-
fed by the two governments on Nov. Is
last.
Opium onference-Unfortunat Fail
ure Of Our Government.
In my message on foreign relations
communicated to the two houses of
congress Dec. Z, 1911, I called special
! attention to 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 a special message
The congress ut its present session
should enact into law those bills now
before 1T which have been so carefully
drawn up in collabora ton between the
department of state and the other eX-
ecutve departments and which have
behind them net 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 tho Near East.
The war between Italy and Turkey
came to close in October last by the
signature Of treaty Of peace, subse-
quently to which the Ottoman empire
renounced sovereignty over Cyrenaica
and Tripolitania In favor Of Italy. Dur
ing the past year the near east has un-
fortunately been the theater of con-
slant hostiliries. Almost simultane neous-
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 tc Turkish
waters a special service squadron, con.
sisting of two armored cruisers, in or
der that this government may If need
be bear its part In such measures as II
may be necessary for the interested ma
tions 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 OF the efforts Of this gov
ernment to place the government OF
Liberia in position to pay its outstand-
ing Indebtedness and to maintain
stable and efficient government, nego-
iatiOns for loan Of $1.700,OOO 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 reha bilitation 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.