Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-12-06

States and Great Britain. This agree
ment received the approval Of the sen
ate on Aug. 1 and was formally rau-
fed by the two governments on Nov 10
last
Opium Conferenee--Unfortunate Fail
ure Of Our Government.
In my message on foreign relations
communicated to the two houses Of
congress Dec. 7. 1911. l called special
attention to the assembling of the
opium conference at The Hague to the
fact that that conference was to review
an uertmeut municipal laws relating to
the op,um and allied evils and certain
.IvgHiuuuat'onal rules regarding these
evils and 90 the fact that it seemed to
me most essential that the congress
should take immediate action on the
anti-narou. legislation before the con
gress. TO which had previously called
attention bv special message.
The congress mt i,s present session
should enact into law those bills now
before it which have been so carefully
drawn up i'm collaboration between the
dep9rtment of state and the other ex-
ecutive departments and which have
behind them not only the moral sent-
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 20 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 ard the Near East.
The war between Italy and Turkey
came to a close in October last by the
signature of treaty Of peace, subse-
ouently to which the Ottoman empire
renounced sovereignty over Cyrenaica
and rripolitnia in favor Of Italy Dur
ing the past year the near east has un-
fortunately been the theater of con-
start hosuliias. Almost Simultaneous
ly with the conclusion Of peace be-
tween Italy and Turkey and their ar
rival at an adjustment of the complex
questions ar issue between them, war
broke out between Turkey on the one
hand and Bulgaria Greece, Montene-
gro and Seryia on the other.
In the exercise of my duty in the
matter | 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 its part in such measures as it
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 a 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 a
stable and efficient government, nego-
tiationS for a loan of $1700,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 20 into active operation. The
new receiyership 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 abdcation of the Man
chu rulers on Feb -, followed by the
formation of a provisional republican
government empowered to conduct the
affairs Of the nation until a permanent
government might be regularly estab
liShed. The natural sympathy of the
American people with the assumption
of republican principles by the Chinese
people was appropriately expressed in
a concurrent resolution Of congress on
April II, 1912.
a constituent assembly. composed Of
representatives duly chosen by the
people Of China in the elections that
are now being held. has been called
to meet in January next to adopt a
permanent constitution and organize
the government of the nascent rennb-
lie. During the formative constitutional
stage and pending definite action nv
the assembly, aS expressive Of the
popular will, and the hoped for estab-
iShment Of a stable republican form
OF government capable Of fulfilling its
international obligations. the United
States Is, according to precedent, main.
tanning full and friendly de facto re-
IauonS with the provisional govern.
ment.
The new condition OF affairs thus
created has presented many serious
and complicated problems. both of IN.
ternal rehabilitation and Of interua.
uonal relations. whose solution it was
realized would nagaSSorilv ro,,,ir,