UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



749 



was elected- to the State Senate in 1874, and was ap- 

 pointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of 

 Louisiana in 1878. In 1891 he was elected a United 

 States Senator, and was recognized by his colleagues 

 us a constitutional jurist of superior ability. His 

 most noted speech was one condemning the anti- 

 option bill. 



Foreign Relations. The United States 

 Chilian claims commission expired by limitation 

 of time on April 9, after awarding damages to 

 the amount of $240,000 against Chili, but leav- 

 ing a number of claims not yet adjudicated. 

 The United States minister at Brussels endeav- 

 ored to convince the Belgian Government that 

 the supervision and inspection under the laws 

 were sufficient to prevent the exportation of dis- 

 eased cattle and unwholesome meat, and that the 

 restrictions upon importations into Belgium were 

 needless and harmful. In October Secretary 

 Gresham protested against recent regulations of 

 the German Government by which the importa- 

 tion of American cattle and dressed meat into 

 Germany was prohibited on the ground that 

 tuberculosis and pleuro-pneumonia were preva- 

 lent in the United States, and that there was no 

 adequate system of Government inspection to 

 prevent the sale of diseased animals or carcasses. 

 The French, Austrian, and Spanish governments 

 later adopted similar regulations justified by the 

 supposed existence of Texas fever or pleuro- 

 pneumonia in American herds, and the diplo- 

 matic representatives of the United States offered 

 proofs to show that this was a groundless sus- 

 picion. The German Government protested 

 against the provision of the customs tariff act 

 which imposes a discriminating duty of one 

 tenth of 1 per cent, a pound upon sugars com- 

 ing from countries thai pay an export bounty, 

 claiming that it contravenes the treaty of 1828 

 with Prussia. 



A new treaty with China was concluded at 

 Washington, on March 17, 1894, regularizing the 

 later acts of Congress restricting Chinese im- 

 migration. The treaty, which runs ten years, 

 absolutely prohibits the immigration of Chinese 

 laborers, while allowing the return of any regis- 

 tered Chinese laborer who has a lawful wife, 

 child, or parent in the United States, or prop- 

 erty or debts due him to the amount of $1,000, 

 provided he has deposited with the collector of 

 customs, before leaving the United States, a de- 

 scription of his family, property, or debts, and 

 received a certificate of his right to return. His 

 right to return is limited to one year, but may 

 be extended for one year more by reason of 

 sickness or other cause of disability, if such fact 

 is certified by the Chinese consul. Chinese offi- 

 cials, teachers, students, merchants, or travelers 

 for curiosity or pleasure are allowed to enter the 

 United States on producing a certificate from 

 their Government or the Government under 

 which they have last resided, viseed by the dip- 

 lomatic or consular representative of the United 

 States. Chinese laborers continue to enjoy the 

 right of transit across the territory of the United 

 States. Chinese laborers or Chine'se of any class, 

 residing permanently or temporarily in the 

 United States, shall have the protection of life 

 and property, and all rights given to citizens of 

 the most favored nation, excepting the right of 

 naturalization. 



The Chinese Government will not object to 

 the enforcement of the acts of Congress requir- 

 ing Chinese laborers to be registered, and recip- 

 rocally the United States Government recognizes 

 the right of the Government of China to enact 

 and enforce similar laws for the registration of 

 American laborers residing in China. The Gov- 

 ernment of the United States further agrees to 

 furnish annually to the Government of China 

 registers or reports showing the full name, age, 

 occupation, and place of residence of all other 

 citizens of the United States, including mis- 

 sionaries, residing both within and without the 

 treaty ports of China, not including diplomatic 

 or other officers of the United States residing or 

 traveling in China upon official business, to- 

 gether with their body and household servants. 



A commercial and reciprocity treaty was made 

 with Japan, abandoning the right of extraterri- 

 torial jurisdiction, and releasing that country 

 from irksome engagements limiting its right to 

 levy import duties. 



An agreement with Great Britain concerning 

 the enforcement by United States and British 

 naval commanders of the regulations approved 

 by the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration for the 

 protection of seal life in Bering Sea was reached 

 early in the year. In settlement of all damages 

 due to Canadian sealers that, according to the 

 decision of the Paris Arbitration Commission, 

 were illegally seized by Government vessels in 

 Bering Sea, the Secretary of State offered the 

 lump sum of $425,000, subject to the sanction 

 of Congress, and the offer was accepted by the 

 Government of Great Britain, subject to the 

 approval of Parliament. A treaty was con- 

 cluded with Russia by which the Russian Gov- 

 ernment accepts the arrangements made at 

 Paris regarding a close season, and the United 

 States and Russia agree that there shall be no 

 sealing within 10 miles of the Russian coast or 

 within 30 miles of Commandery and Robbins 

 islands, the Russian rookeries. Besides Russia, 

 only France and Portugal have signified their 

 adherence to the regulations of the Paris tri- 

 bunal. 



Surveyors were employed in 1894 in a prelim- 

 inary survey of the boundary between British 

 Columbia and Alaska. Under the boundary 

 treaty made by Russia and Great Britain in 

 1825 the line begins at the southernmost point 

 of Prince of Wales island, in 54 40' of north 

 latitude, between 131 and 133 of west longitude, 

 runs north along Portland Channel to 56 of 

 north latitude, thence follows the summit of 

 the mountains parallel to the coast as far as 

 their intersection with 141 of west longitude, 

 and then runs along that meridian up to the 

 Frozen Ocean. Whenever the summit of the 

 mountains that extend in a direct parallel to 

 the coast from 56 of north latitude to the point 

 of intersection of 141 of west longitude, shall 

 prove to be at the distance of more than 10 

 marine leagues from the ocean, the line is to 

 follow the windings of the coast at a distance of 

 10 marine leagues therefrom. A preparatory 

 examination of the question of the protection of 

 the food fish in the contiguous waters of the 

 United States and Canada has been begun. 



During the tension that arose between Brazil 

 and Portugal in consequence of the escape of 



