The Secretary of State to Minister Wilson. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 16, 1907. The telegram from Ambassador Reid on which cabled instructions were based was as follows: [Here follows text of telegram from London, December 5, 1907.] Our attitude and sentiment rest on the broad general purpose to elevate and benefit the native Africans as declared in the Berlin act, to which we are, however, not a party, and emphatically reaffirmed in the Brussels act of 1890, applicable to all dominion and control of civilized nations in Central Africa, to which we are a party. Our voice and sympathy are in favor of the full accomplishment of those declared purposes, and, while we are not directly interested in the administrative and financial details of the government of any one of the several districts of Central Africa embraced in the compact of 1890, we are free, and indeed morally constrained, to express our trust and hope that every successive step taken by the active signatories will inure to the well-being of the native races and execute the transcendent obligations of the Brussels act, in all its humanitarian prescription, especially as to article 2. In these regards the interests of all the signatories are identical. You will impress these considerations on your British colleague and in your discretion to any other of your colleagues who may consult you on the subject. [To be continued in Foreign Relations, 1908.] 85111-F B 1907-vol 2-16 ROOT. SIR: With reference to my dispatch No. 84, of the 27th ultimo, I had the honor of cabling you on the 20th of September that the frontier agreement between France and Liberia had been signed, and that I expected to be shortly in a position to send you a copy of that document, which, thanks to M. Pichon's courtesy, I transmit herewith, and also a translation of the same. I have, etc., HENRY WHITE. [Inclosure.-Translation.] FRANCO-LIBERIAN AGREEMENT. Minister of foreign affairs. The Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Republic of Liberia being desirous of fixing definitively the limits of French West Africa and of Liberia, but recognizing that the clauses of the accord of December 8, 1892, concluded to this end are materially impossible of application, have decided, by common accord, not to have recourse to theoretic lines for the establishment of the frontier, but to utilize to the greatest possible extent the natural topographical lines most appropriate to prevent all possible contestations in the future and to assure an effective domination on both sides, and have to this effect designated as their plenipotentiaries to conclude an arrangement— The Government of the French Republic: M. Gustave Binger, director at the ministry of the colonies. M. Soulange-Bodin, minister plenipotentiary, under director at the ministry of foreign affairs. The Government of the Republic of Liberia : M. Frederic E. R. Johnson, minister of foreign affairs. M. J. P. Crommelin, chargé d'affaires of the Republic of Liberia at Paris. The Franco-Liberian frontier would be constituted by: 1. The left bank of the river Makona, from the entry of this river into SierraLeone to a point to be determined about 5 kilometers south of Bofosso. 2. A line starting from this last-named point, proceeding southeastward, leaving to the north the following villages: Koutoumai, Kissi-Koutoumai, Soundebou, N'Zapa, N'Zébéla, Koiama, Banguédou, and rejoining a source of the river Nuon or one of its tributaries to be determined on the spot at a maximum of 10 kilometers to the south and in the vicinity of Lola. In this section of the frontier the line to be drawn should avoid separating the villages of a tribe, under tribe (sous-tribu) or grouping, and utilize as much as possible the natural topographical lines, such as the course of brooks and rivers. 3. The right bank of the river Nuon as far as its confluence with the Cavally. 4. The right bank of the Cavally as far as the sea. In case the river Nuon should not be a tributary of the Cavally, the right bank of the Nuon would form the boundary line only as far as the surroundings of Toulepleu; at and to the south of the suburbs of this village the boundary line would be drawn between the Nuon and the Cavally in the general direction of the parallel of this point, but so as not to separate the villages of the same tribe, subtribe, or grouping, and to utilize the natural topographical lines from the intersection of this parallel with the river Cavally, the boundary line would be constituted by the right bank of the river Cavally as far as the sea. ARTICLE 2. In order to keep up an efficacious police along the frontier, the Liberian Government will assume the obligation of establishing a certain number of posts, which the French authorities will have the faculty of occupying should the resources of the Liberian Government not allow them to maintain a garrison itself at that moment. The number and the position of these posts will be determined on the spot by common accord at the moment of the fixing of the boundary; the force of each will not exceed 40 to 50 men. It is understood that the Liberian Government will give the French authorities notice two months in advance of its intention to occupy the post or posts above referred to and that the post or posts will be handed over within five days following the arrival of the Liberian police forces. ARTICLE 3. Navigation on the waterways forming the frontier shall be free and open to traffic, both to French citizens and to Liberian subjects and citizens. France will have the right to undertake, at its own expense, in the course or on either bank of the rivers in question, works which might be necessary to render them navigable or improve their navigability, it being always understood that this fact will in no way effect the right of sovereignty belonging to the Republic of Liberia on the bank which it occupies. In case the works executed should give rise to the establishment of taxes, these would be determined by a new arrangement between the two governments. ARTICLE 4. The clauses of the arrangement of December 8, 1892, are maintained in all the provisions that are not contrary to the present arrangement. ARTICLE 5. The ratifications will be exchanged before March 1, 1908. The operation of fixing the boundary will be proceeded with within three months following the exchange in question. In testimony whereof the undersigned, duly authorized to this effect, have concluded the present arrangement, to which they have affixed their seals. Done at Paris in duplicate the 18th of September, 1907. AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: I have the honor to report that the biennial elections for President and Vice-President of the Republic of Liberia and for the representatives and senators of the national legislature occurred on the 7th instant, with the following results: The present incumbent, the Hon. Arthur Barclay, was elected President, and the Hon. J. J. Dossen, one of the associate justices of the supreme court and a resident of Cape Palmas, was elected Vice-President. These gentlemen represent what is known in Liberia as the True Whig party, which party has succeeded in absorbing all the other parties, so that, practically, there is but one party in Liberia, and its standard bearers therefore had no opposition in the field. A great deal of opposition, however, centered itself around the attempt to amend the constitution. The proposed amendments, a copy of which had been transmitted in a previous dispatch dated June 13, 1906, were submitted to the voters by an act of the last legislature, and was therefore the paramount issue of the campaign. Among the most important amendments which received the twothirds votes at Tuesday's election are that which relates to the term of the President, senators, and representatives, and that which provides for the filling of the office of the vice-president in case of the death of that officer. By the result of Tuesday's election President Barclay will, after the inauguration next January, enter upon his third term for a period of four years, as amended, instead of two years. The senators will have six years instead of four, and the representatives four years instead of two years, and in case of the death of the vice-president, according to the amended constitution, an election must be held to fill the vacancy. I have, etc., ERNEST LYON. MEXICO. RECOGNITION OF UNITED STATES MEAT-INSPECTION LABELS. [Continuation of correspondence in Foreign Relations, 1906, p. 1117.] File No. 2483/3. The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Thompson. No. 182.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 17, 1907. SIR: Referring to your dispatch No. 313, of November 15, 1906," and to the letter of the Secretary of Agriculture of the 8th instant, copy of which is inclosed herewith, relative to the requirement by the Mexican Government that American meat certificates shall be viséed by a Mexican consular officer, you are instructed to use your good offices with the Government of Mexico in order to induce it, if possible, to accept the certificates without the requirement in question, on the ground of mutuality of interest in the commercial relations between the two countries. I am, etc., ROBERT BACON. [Inclosure.] The Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of State. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, January 8, 1907. SIR: Referring to your letter of November 27 last, 2883/2, I have the honor to suggest that this certificate for meat products, when issued, represents an official certificate from this Government. In view of this fact, I desire to know whether in your opinion the Government of Mexico should require the certifi cates to be viséed by a Mexican consular officer. It would appear to me to be an unnecessary requirement. I have, etc., File No. 2483/4-5. No. 412.] JAMES WILSON, Secretary. Ambassador Thompson to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, January 29, 1907. SIR: I acknowledge the receipt of the department's No. 182, of the 17th instant, inclosing a copy of a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture relative to the requirement by the Mexican Government that "See Foreign Relations, 1906, p. 1119. |