142 



CONGRESS. (THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



can be assured of the most cordial co-operation of 

 this Government and people. \Ye may be rivals 

 in many material paths, but our rivalry should 

 be generous and open, ever aiming toward the 

 attainment of larger results and the mutually 

 beneficial advancement of each in the line of its 

 e-|>ccial adaptabilities. 



The several governments of the empire seem re- 

 luctant to admit the natural excellence of our 

 food productions and to accept the evidence we 

 oiiiMantly tender of the care with which their 

 purity is guarded by rigid inspection from the 

 farm, through the slaughterhouse and the pack- 

 ing establishments, to the port of shipment. Our 

 ->-tem of control over exported food staples in- 

 \'ites examination from any quarter and chal- 

 lenges respect by its efficient thoroughness. 



It i- to be hoped that in time the two govern- 

 ments will act in common accord toward the 

 realization. of their common purpose to safeguard 

 tin- public health and to insure the purity and 

 \\holesoineness of all food products imported by 

 either country from the other. Were the Congress 

 to authorize an invitation to Germany, in con- 

 nection with the pending reciprocity negotiations, 

 for the constitution of a joint commission of sci- 

 entific experts and practical men of affairs to con- 

 el net a searching investigation of food production 

 and exportation in both countries and report to 

 their respective legislatures for the adoption of 

 such remedial measures as they might recommend 

 for either, the way might be opened for the de- 

 sirable result indicated. 



Efforts to obtain for American life insurance 

 companies a full hearing as to their business op- 

 erations in Prussia have, after several years of 

 patient representation, happily succeeded, and one 

 of the most important American companies has 

 been granted a concession to continue business in 

 that kingdom. 



1 am also glad to announce that the German in- 

 surance companies have been readmitted by the 

 superintendent of insurance to do business in the 

 Mate of New York. 



Subsequent to the exchange of our peace treaty 

 with Spain Germany acquired the Caroline 

 Island* by purchase, paying therefor $5,000,000. 

 Assurances nave been received from the German 

 Government that the rights of American mission- 

 aries and traders there will be considerately ob- 

 served. 



In my last annual message I referred to the 

 jiending negotiations with Great Britain in re- 

 spect to the Dominion of Canada. By means of 

 an executive agreement a joint high commission 

 had been created for the purpose o? adjusting all 

 unsettled questions l>etween the United States 

 and C'anada, embracing twelve subjects, among 

 which were the questions of the fur seals, the 

 fisheries of the coast and contiguous inland 

 waters, the Alaskan boundary, the transit of mer- 

 chandise in bond, the alien labor laws, mining 

 rights, reciprocity in trade, revision of the agree- 

 ment respecting naval vessels in the Great Lakes, 

 a more complete marking of parts of the bound- 

 ary, provision for the conveyance of criminals, 

 and for wrecking and salvage. 



Much progress had been made by the commis- 

 -ic.n toward the adjustment of many of these 

 <l notions, when it became apparent that an ir- 

 reconcilable difference of views was entertained 

 respecting the delimitation of the Alaskan bound- 

 ary. In the failure of an agreement as to the 

 in. aning of Articles III and IV of the treaty of 

 1H2T> between Hn ia mid Great Britain, which de- 

 fined the boundary between Alaska and Canada. 

 the American commissioners proposed that the 



subject of the boundary be laid aside and that 

 the remaining questions of difference be proceeded 

 with, some of which were so far advanced as to 

 assure the probability of a settlement. This be- 

 ing declined by the British commissioners, an ad- 

 journment was taken xintil the boundary should 

 be adjusted by the two governments. The sub- 

 ject has been receiving the careful attention which 

 its importance demands, with the result that a 

 modus civendi for provisional demarcations in the 

 region about the head of Lynn Canal has been 

 agreed upon; and it is hoped that the negotiations 

 now in progress between the two governments 

 will end in an agreement for the establishment 

 and delimitation of a permanent boundary. 



Apart from these questions growing out of our 

 relationship with our northern neighbor, the most 

 friendly disposition and ready agreement have 

 marked the discussion of numerous matters aris- 

 ing in the vast and intimate intercourse of the 

 United States with Great Britain. 



This Government has maintained an attitude of 

 neutrality iu the unfortunate contest between 

 Great Britain and the Boer states of Africa. We 

 have remained faithful to the precept of avoiding 

 entangling alliances as to affairs not of our direct 

 concern. Had circumstances suggested that the 

 parties to the quarrel would have welcomed any 

 kindly expression of the hope of the American 

 people that war might be averted, good offices 

 would have been gladly tendered. The United 

 States representative at Pretoria was early in- 

 structed to see that all neutral American interests 

 be respected by the combatants. This has been 

 an easy task in view of the positive declarations 

 of both British and Boer authorities that the per- 

 sonal and property rights of our citizens should 

 be observed. 



Upon the withdrawal of the British agent from 

 Pretoria the United States consul was author- 

 ized, upon the request of the British Government 

 and with the assent of the South African and 

 Orange Free State governments, to exercise the 

 customary good offices of a neutral for the care of 

 British interests. In the discharge of this func- 

 tion I am happy to say that abundant opportu- 

 nity has been afforded to show the impartiality 

 of this Government toward both the combatants. 



For the fourth time in the present decade ques- 

 tion has arisen with the Government of Italy in 

 regard to the lynching of Italian subjects. The 

 latest of these deplorable events occurred at Tal- 

 lulah, La., whereby five unfortunates of Italian 

 origin were taken from jail and hanged. 



The authorities of the State and a representa- 

 tive of the Italian embassy having separately in- 

 vestigated the occurrence, with discrepant results. 

 particularly as to the alleged citizenship of the 

 victims, and it not appearing that the State had 

 been able to discover and punish the violators 

 of the law, an independent investigation has been 

 set on foot, through the agency of the Department 

 of State, and is still in progress. The result will 

 enable the Executive to treat the question with 

 the Government of Italy in a spirit of fairness and 

 justice. A satisfactory solution will doubtless be 

 reached. 



The recurrence of these distressing manifesta- 

 tions of blind mob fury directed at dependents or 

 natives of a foreign country suggests that the 

 contingency has arisen for action by Congress 

 in the direction of conferring upon the Federal 

 courts jurisdiction in this class of international 

 cases where the ultimate responsibility of the 

 Federal Government may be involved. The sug- 

 gestion is not new. In his annual message of Dec. 

 9, 1891, my predecessor, President Harrison, said: 





