No. 100.] Minister Wilson to the Secretary of State. [Extract.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Brussels, June 17, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of department's dispatch No. 61, of April 28, inclosing a copy of a letter from A. McLean, president of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society of Cincinnati, and instructing me to bring to the attention of the Independent State of the Kongo the matters therein complained of. Upon receipt of the department's dispatch I immediately addressed a note (copy inclosed) to Secretary-General de Cuvelier, inclosing a copy of the letter of Mr. McLean. After a long delay an answer has just been received (copy inclosed). I have the honor, etc., HENRY LANE WILSON. [Inclosure 1.] Mr. Wilson to Mr. de Cuvelier, secretary-general of the Independent State of the Kongo, May 19, 1906. Mr. SECRETARY-GENERAL: I am in receipt of a dispatch from the Department of State at Washington, inclosing a copy of a letter from Mr. McLean, president of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society, of Cincinnati, in which the complaint is made that the officials of the Kongo Free State decline to sell land to the society for the location of schools, chapels, homes, and hospitals. The station of this society is at Bolengi, but no information is furnished as to the location of the land desired. I will thank you, Mr. Secretary-General, for information as to the present attitude of the Kongo Free State relative to applications of this character. I inclose herewith a copy of the letter of Mr. McLean. Please accept, etc., HENRY LANE WILSON. [Inclosure 2-Translation.] Mr. de Cuvelier to Mr. Wilson, June 16, 1906. Mr. MINISTER; By your letter of May 19 last, your excellency has kindly brought to my knowledge the contents of a letter addressed by Mr. McLean, president of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society, of Cincinnati, to his excellency the Secretary of State at Washington, in which Mr. McLean complains of the refusal of the authorities of the Independent State of the Kongo to sell land to the society in question. After investigation I am able to state that there is no trace in the archives of the Government of a request for land addressed by the authorities of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society, and not more than your excellency have I any information as to the land desired by this association. I have not failed to request information on this point from the local government. I may add, Mr. Minister, that the interpretation of Mr. McLean of the "spirit if not the letter of the treaties" calls for some reserves: If, in virtue of these treaties, American citizens enjoy in the Kongo the right of purchasing land, these treaties do not establish for them nor others the right to compel owners to sell. I avail myself of this opportunity, etc., NOTE: To be continued in Foreign Relations, 1907. DE CUVELIER. BOLIVIA. BOUNDARY DISPUTE BETWEEN BOLIVIA AND PERU-RETIREMENT OF BOTH PARTIES FROM THE HEATH TERRITORY. No. 252.] Minister Sorsby to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: I have the honor to report that the Peruvian minister here, acting upon instructions from his Government, has protested, orally, to the Bolivian foreign office against the occupation by General Pando, ex-president, and the actual Bolivian delegate (governor) to the Beni and upper Acre regions, of the territory pertaining to the river Heath, a tributary of the Madre de Dios; the said protest being upon the ground that said territory forms a part of the disputed territory under arbitration between the respective countries, and is now being actually considered by the arbitrator, the President of the Argentine Republic. The Bolivian minister of foreign affairs has stated to me that his Government would retire from the disputed territory provided that Peru would also retire pending the result of the arbitral decision, it appearing, according to the information and belief of the Bolivian Government, that Peruvian forces are also in occupation of the disputed territory. Both the Bolivian minister of foreign affairs and the Peruvian minister here express confidence that an amicable arrangement will be had pending the decision of arbitration. I have, etc., WILLIAM B. SORSBY. LAW GRANTING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN BOLIVIA. No. 260.] Minister Sorsby to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, La Paz, Bolivia, September 12, 1906. SIR: Referring to previous dispatches relative to religious liberty in Bolivia, I have the honor to report that on August 24 last the Bolivian Congress voted to reform Article II of the Political Constitution as per inclosed copy of congressional and executive decrees. I have, etc., WILLIAM B. SORSBY. [Inclosure-Translation.] Ismael Montes, Constitutional President of the Republic of Bolivia. ARTICLE 1. Declaring the necessity of the reform of Article II of the Political Constitution of the State, consequently the constitutional law is sanctioned as follows: "The State recognizes and sustains the Catholic, Roman Catholic religion, permitting the public exercise of every other religious worship." To be communicated to the Executive for the consequent constitutional purposes. Hall of Sessions of the Honorable Congress, La Paz, August 24, 1906. Wherefore it is promulgated as a law of the Republic. Palace of the Government in La Paz, August 27, 1906. PARCELS-POST ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN BOLIVIA AND THE TRANSIT THROUGH PERU. No. 226.] UNITED STATES. Minister Sorsby to the Secretary of State. [Extract.] AMERICAN LEGATION, La Paz, Bolivia, February 22, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to report with respect to our treaty with Bolivia for the interchange of postal parcels, that while such parcels have all along been sent from the United States to Bolivia without inconvenience, owing to some objection, the exact nature of which I have been unable to ascertain, Peru refuses to allow the transit of post parcels from Bolivia destined for the United States. This matter was called to my attention the early part of last year and I took it up with the Peruvian minister here and the Bolivian minister for foreign affairs, and we thought that the matter had been arranged; but recently I found that Peru still refuses to permit the transit of parcels for the United States, and I again saw the Peruvian minister here and the minister for foreign affairs, and the Peruvian minister has again taken up the matter with his Government, recommending that transit be allowed. I have the honor, etc., etc., WILLIAM B. SORSBY. No. 230.] Minister Sorsby to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, La Paz, Bolivia, March 15, 1906. SIR: Referring to my No. 226 of February 22 last, relative to Peru's previous unfavorable attitude toward the execution of the parcels-post treaty between Bolivia and the United States, I now have the honor to report that I am informed by the Bolivian minister of foreign affairs that Peru has finally consented to facilitate the transit of all postal parcels between the United States and Bolivia and that instructions to that effect have been given to the respective subordinate authorities. Government of Bolivia extends through the legation cordial invitation Secretary of State to visit Bolivia during his southern trip. Bolivian minister at Washington also has been instructed. SORSBY. The Secretary of State to the Bolivian Minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 12, 1906. MY DEAR MR. CALDERON: I regret very much that on a careful reexamination of the engagements which I have already made for my journey to South America next summer and a computation of the time necessary to keep those engagements, I find it quite impossible for me to make a visit to La Paz and keep within my limits. I am very sorry, for I am most anxious to see your beautiful and romantic country and to become acquainted with your distinguished public men. I believe Bolivia, under the wise and statesmanlike policy which now directs her Government, is destined for a great and prosperous future, and I should be glad to increase the pleasant association between Bolivia and the United States by a personal visit. I hope that at some other time that may be possible. In the meantime I beg to convey to your Government an expression of my thanks and of my high appreciation of the courtesy and kindness which has led to the invitation handed to me by you. With kind regards, I am, etc., ELIHU ROOT. BRAZIL. COFFEE VALORIZATION AND EXPORT TAX ON COFFEE. No. 16.] Ambassador Griscom to the Secretary of State. [Extract.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Petropolis, August 17, 1906. SIR: Referring to my dispatch No. 12, of July 4 last, relative to the scheme for the valorization of coffee in the States of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Geraes, I inclose herewith a copy and translation of the executive decree of August 6, officially promulgating the law, as well as a copy of the convention of February 26 and the amendment of July 4 last. In order to put the law into force, the contracting States are now seeking to secure a loan of fifteen million pounds sterling. I have, etc., [Inclosure.] LLOYD C. GRISCOM. Decree No. 1489, of August 6, 1906. Approves the convention which took place between the presidents of the States of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Geraes on the 26th of February, with the modifications of the agreement signed by the same presidents on July 4 of the current year. The President of the United States of Brazil. I make known that the National Congress has decreed and I have sanctioned the following resolution: ARTICLE 1. The convention which took place on the 26th of February of the present year between the presidents of the States of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Geraes, with the modifications of the agreement signed by the same presidents on July 4 of the same year, is hereby approved. The clause referring to the caixa do emissãoouro e conversão (gold issue and conversion department) is excluded from this approval, as its creation is dependent on a resolution of the National Congress. ART. 2. All dispositions to the contrary are hereby revoked. FRANCISCO DE PAULA RODRIGUES ALVES. [Copy.] Convention between the States of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Geraes, and São Paulo, with the object of valorizing coffee, regulating its trade, and promoting its increased consumption, and the creation of a caixa de conversão (note issue and conversion department) for the fixing of the value of the currency. ARTICLE 1. During the term that may be convenient, and which may be reduced or extended by mutual accord, the contracting States bind themselves to maintain in the Brazilian markets the minimum prices of 55 to 65 francs a Not printed. |