1901. May 21 444 Same to same.. June 4 Citizenship of minor son of a United States citi- Mr. Finch to Mr. Hay. . Aug. 5 The President of Paraguay Sept. 14 Mr. Hay to the minister for 531 532 532 533 533 Sept. 16 do... .do... Same subject. Acknowledges above telegram, 533 Same subject. Instructs to insist on adequate Same subject. States that visit was in accordance Same subject Confirms above telegram, and Arrest and release of United States Consular Agent 535 542 Visit of U S. S. Scorpion to Orinoco River. In- 4 Same subject. Expresses gratification at apolo- Visit of U.S. S. Scorpion to the Orinoco River. In- 537 538 538 539 546 426 Arrest and release of United States Consular Same subject. Confirms above telegram... Same subject. Reports that Venezuelan Govern- ¦ Same subject States that visit was made in ac- ister of fomento. .do... Claims of foreigners against Venezuela growing Mr. Hill to Mr. Russell...... July 3 July 12 July 14 Visit of U.S. S. Mayflower to the island of Marga- Arrest and release of United States Consular ...do... Claims of foreigners against Venezuela growing 431 Mr. Hay to Mr. Russell..... July 17 432 655 Mr. Hill to Mr Russell..... July 27 Visit of U.S. S. Mayflower to the island of Marga- Mr Russell to Mr. Hay..... July 28 Same subject. Reports that Venezuelan Govern Same to same (telegram)... July 31 539 540 547 517 547 547 548 540 550 548 541 548 550 551 549 549 Mr. Russell to Mr. Hay (tel. Aug. 16 6 Mr. Bowen to Mr. Hay...... Aug. 24 Same subject. Reports departure of Colombian 552 assassination of President 553 McKinley. Same subject. Acknowledges above telegram, 553 Oct. 19 Reception at German legation to German colony 554 at Caracas and officers of German war ship No. 89.] CORRESPONDENCE. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. PASSPORT APPLICATION OF FRANK H. BOWERS. Mr. Lord to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I rejected the application of one Mr. Frank H. Bowers for a passport on the following facts which are respectfully submitted for your approval or revision as the case may require: Mr. Bowers was born of American parents in the city of Buenos Ayres, Argentine Republic, on the 17th day of February, 1880, in which city he has since resided, with the exception of some two years while absent at school. Being nearly 21 years of age he now proposes to go to the United States with the intention of making his permanent residence in the city of Boston, Mass., where he intends to engage in business-probably as the other end of the business here-and where his mother now resides, having recently removed from this city to that place. As Mr. Bowers desired to spend a few weeks traveling in Europe before proceeding to his destination in the United States, he made application to this legation for a passport as an American citizen under the provision of section 1993, Revised Statutes of the United States; but, in view of the provision of section 1 of Article I of the Argentine law, No. 346, of October 8, 1869, declaring all persons born within the territory of the Argentine Republic, though of foreign parentage, to be Argentine citizens, I did not feel warranted in granting his application for a passport. I deem it proper to say, upon the facts as stated, that I was first inclined to grant Mr. Bowers's application for a passport, intending to inform him that it furnished him no security against any claim that the Argentine Government might assert to his allegiance or service while he remained within the Argentine jurisdiction; but a subsequent reading of the opinion of Mr. Attorney-General Hoar to Mr. Secretary of State Fish, dated the 12th of June, 1869, led me to the conclusion that persons born of American parents in the Argentine Republic, which declares them to be citizens thereof, could not avail themselves of the provisions of section 1993 to obtain a certificate of their American citizenship while they continue within the Argentine territory, nor, possibly, until they should come within the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the United States. I have, etc., FR 1901-————1 WM. P. LORD. 1 No. 34.] Mr. Hay to Mr. Lord. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 25, 1901. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 89, of the 12th ultimo, reporting that you had rejected the application of Mr. Frank H. Bowers for a passport. It appears that Mr. Bowers was born of American parents in Buenos Ayres on February 17, 1880, in which city he has since resided with an exception of two years' absence at school. He desired the passport to use in Europe while en route to the United States, where he expects to reside. In reply I have to say that the Department is of opinion that you should have issued the passport, as Mr. Bowers was clearly an American citizen, under section 1993, Revised Statutes, being born abroad of American parents. You need not have concerned yourself with the conflict between the United States and Argentine laws, as it does not appear that the Argentine Government had made any claim to Mr. Bowers's allegiance, and he was, moreover, about to leave the Republic finally, and to come to the United States. I am, etc., JOHN HAY. POLITICAL DISTURBANCES STATE OF SIEGE DECLARED IN BUENOS AYRES ON ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC DISORDER CAUSED BY OPPOSITION TO BILL CONSOLIDATING PUBLIC DEBT. Mr. Lord to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Buenos Ayres, July 5, 1901. Mr. Lord reports that the Argentine Government has been constrained to declare its capital in a state of siege for a period of six months, owing to public disorder caused by opposition to the bill consolidating the public debt, pending in Congress. Mr. Lord to Mr. Hay. No. 128.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Buenos Ayres, July 11, 1901. SIR: Referring to my cablegram of the 5th instant, relative to the state of siege in this capital, I beg to say that the street disturbances or public disorders which caused the executive power, with the sanction of Congress, to issue a decree declaring this capital to be in a state of siege for six months, grew out of opposition to a bill for unifying the public debt. During the present year there has been considerable discussion in the press as to the advisability of consolidating the public debt, which consists of some thirty loans bearing different rates of interest, into one loan with a uniform interest. In the progress of this discussion, it was not apparent that there was any serious objection to the adop tion of a financial measure which should accomplish this object without increasing the public debt or pledging the customs revenue for its payment. While it was not positively known that a proposition was on foot looking to the unification of these loans having the approval of the Government, it was surmised-and it was intimatedthat Dr. Carlos Pellegrini, a leading senator, and Mr. Ernesto Tornquist, a prominent financier of this city, who were then in Europe, had been authorized by the Government to treat with its creditors and ascertain the terms on which a unification of the public debt could be effected. This supposition led to much talk and discussion concerning the terms and conditions which should form the basis of a measure of this character and also to some apprehension, quite freely expressed, that the opportunity afforded in dealing with such measure would be used for speculation to the detriment of the Government's credit and interests. When Congress opened its session in May last, there was a good deal of curiosity exhibited to know what the President would say in his message about consolidating the public debt and a good deal of surprise expressed that he should have made no mention nor reference to that subject. But, as Dr. Pellegrini had not returned from Europe to resume his seat in the senate, it was surmised that he was delayed on account of not having been able to arrange satisfactory terms, and to this fact the public attributed the President's reticence to unification in his message. So the discussion went on growing more intense, but not heated. About a month after the opening of Congress, Dr. Pellegrini returned to Buenos Ayres, resumed his seat in the Senate, and took part in its discussions, giving no intimation of nor making any reference to the subject of unification. As the finances were known to be in desperate straits and some remedy for their improvement considered to be of paramount importance, the belief still prevailed that some sort of scheme for the unification of the public debt would be proposed, notwithstanding the silence of Dr. Pelligrini and the reticence of Government officials. The consequence was that the press became more vigorous in its comments and criticisms on the action of the Government and the people more expectant and agitated. At last the President sent a message to Congress recommending a bill for consolidating the public debt, the chief features of which bill were to be as stated: (1) The decrease of the service of the debt by $5,000,000; (2) the consolidation of the thirty existing loans into one, with a uniform rate of interest and an amortization, and (3) the payment of the balance of the floating debt, maturing in this year and next, amounting to $18,000,000 gold. The public debt is about $385,000,000 and the unification bill included it and some other items, making the whole sum of $435,000,000. The bill provided that 70 per cent of the customs receipts should be turned over daily, not into the national treasury, but a certain bank designated by the creditors, to be applied to the obligations incurred. It will be seen, therefore, that the scheme for consolidating the public debt increased its amount and pledged a portion of the only gold revenue of the nation to meet its obligations. The bill was presented by Dr. Pelligrini in the Senate with a short speech in support of it. Without further discussion it passed the Senate with only two dissentient votes, and was sent to the House of Deputies, where it was referred to a committee, who reported favorably upon it. |
