COXGRESS. (Tin- PRKSIDKNT'S Mi 



151 



Vnitril States seized in Russian waters remain un- 

 adjusted. Our recent convention with Russia es- 

 tablishing a Hindi'* rtcr/tdi as to imperial jurisdic- 

 tion in such cases has prevented further difficulty 

 of this nature. 



The Russian Government has welcomed in prin- 

 oipld oar suggestion fora nnnlitx ciri n<li. to embrace 

 (ireat Britain and Japan, looking to the better pres- 

 ervation of seal life in the north Pacific and Bering 

 Sea. and the extension of the protected area defined 

 by the Paris Tribunal to all Pacific waters north of 

 the thirty-fifth parallel. It is especially noticeable 

 that Russia favors prohibition of the use of fire- 

 arms in seal hunting throughout the proposed area 

 and a longer closed season for pelagic sealing. 



In my last two annual messages I called the at- 

 tention of the Congress to the position we occupied 

 as one of the parties to a treaty or agreement by 

 which we became jointly bound with England and 

 (lei-many to so interfere with the government and 

 control of Samoa as in effect to assume the manage- 

 ment of its affairs. On the 9th day of May, 1894, 

 I transmitted to the Senate a special message with 

 accompanying documents giving information on 

 the subject and emphasizing the opinion I have at 

 all times entertained, that our situation in this 

 matter was inconsistent with the mission and tradi- 

 tions of our Government, in violation of the princi- 

 ples we profess, and in all its phases mischievous 

 and vexatious. 



I again press this subject upon the attention of 

 the Congress and ask for such legislative action or 

 expression as will lead the way to our relief from 

 obligations both irksome and unnatural. 



Cuba is again gravely disturbed. An insurrec- 

 tion, in some respects more active than the last 

 preceding revolt, which continued from 1868 to 

 1878, now exists in a large part of the eastern in- 

 terior of the island, menacing even some populations 

 on the coast. Besides deranging the commercial 

 exchanges of the island, of which our country takes 

 the predominant share, this flagrant condition of 

 hostilities, by arousing sentimental sympathy and 

 inciting adventurous support among our people, 

 has entailed earnest effort on the part of this Gov- 

 ernment to enforce obedience to our neutrality 

 laws and to prevent the territory of the United 

 States from being abused as a vantage ground 

 from which to aid those in arms against Spanish 

 sovereignty. 



Whatever may be the traditional sympathy of 

 our countrymen as individuals with a people who 

 seem to be struggling for larger autonomy and greater 

 freedom, deepened as such sympathy naturally must 

 be in behalf of our neighbors, yet the plain duty of 

 their Government is to observe in good faith the 

 recognized obligations of international relationship. 

 The performance of this duty should not be made 

 more difficult by a disregard on the part of our 

 citixens of the obligations growing out of their 

 allegiance to their country, which should restrain 

 them from violating as individuals the neutrality 

 which the nation of which they are members is 

 bound to observe in its relations to friendly sover- 

 eign states. Though neither the warmth "of our 

 pe..plc's sympathy with the Cuban insurgents, nor 

 our loss and material damage consequent upon the 

 futile endeavors thus far made to restore peace and 

 order, nor any shock our humane sensibilities may 

 have received from the cruelties which appear to 

 especially characterize this sanguinary and fiercely 

 conducted war. have in the least shaken the deter- 

 mination of the Government to honestly fulfill 

 every international obligation, yet it is to be ear- 

 nestly hoped, on every ground, that the devastation 

 of armed conflict may speedily be stayed and order 

 and quiet restored to the distracted island, bringing 



in their train the activity and thrift of peaceful 

 pursuits. 



One notable instance of interference by Spain 

 with passing ships has occurred. On March H last 

 the " Allianca," while bound from Colon to 

 York, and following the customary track for \- 

 near the Cuban shore, but outside the 3-mile limit, 

 was fired upon by a Spanish gunboat. Protest was 

 promptly made by the United States against this 

 act as not being justified by a state of war. nor per- 

 missible in respect of vessels on the usual paths 

 of commerce, nor tolerable in view of the wanton 

 peril occasioned to innocent life and property. The 

 act was disavowed, with full expression of regret, 

 and assurance of nonrecurrence of such just cause 

 of complaint, while the offending officer was re- 

 lieved of his command. 



Military arrests of citizens of the United States 

 in Cuba have occasioned frequent reclamations. 

 Where held on criminal charges their delivery to 

 the ordinary civil jurisdiction for trial has been" de- 

 manded and obtained in conformity with treaty 

 provisions, and where merely detained by way of 

 military precaution under a proclaimed state of 

 siege, without formulated accusation, their release 

 or trial has been insisted upon. The right of Amer- 

 ican consular officers in the island to prefer protests 

 and demands in such cases having been questioned 

 by the insular authority, their enjoyment of the 

 privilege stipulated by treaty for the consuls of 

 Germany was claimed under the most-favored-na- 

 tion provision of our own convention and was 

 promptly recognized. 



The long-standing demand of Antonio Maximo 

 Mora against Spain has at last been settled by the 

 payment, on Sept. 14 last, of the sum originally 

 agreed upon in liquidation of the claim. Its distri- 

 bution among the parties entitled to receive it has 

 proceeded as rapidly as the rights of those claiming 

 the fund could be safely determined. 



The enforcement of the differential duties against 

 products of this country exported to Cuba and Pu- 

 erto Rico prompted the immediate claim on our 

 part to the benefit of the minimum tariff of Spain 

 in return for the most favorable treatment per- 

 mitted by our laws as regards the production of 

 Spanish territories. A commercial arrangement 

 was concluded in January last securing the treat- 

 ment so claimed. 



Vigorous protests against excessive fines imposed 

 on our ships and merchandise by the customs offi- 

 cers of these islands for trivial errors have resulted 

 in the remission of such fines in instances where the 

 equity of the complaint was apparent, though the 

 vexatious practice has not been wholly discontinued. 



Occurrences in Turkey have continued to excite 

 concern. The reported massacres of Christians in 

 Armenia and the development there and in other 

 districts of a spirit of fanatic hostility to Christian 

 influences naturally excited apprehension for the 

 safety of the devoted men and women who. as de- 

 pendents of the foreign missionary societies in the 

 United States, reside "in Turkey under the guaran- 

 tee of law and usage and in the legitimate perform- 

 ance of their educational and religious mission. No 

 efforts have been spared in their behalf, and their 

 protection in person and property has been earnest- 

 ly and vigorously enforced by every means within 

 our power. 



I regret, however, that an attempt on our part to 

 obtain better information concerning the true con- 

 dition of affairs in the disturbed quarter of the Ot- 

 toman Empire, by sending thither the United States 

 consul at Sivas to make investigation and report, 

 was thwarted by the objections of the Turkish Gov- 

 ernment. This movement on our part was in no 

 sense meant as a gratuitous entanglement of the 



