The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGEOUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY." MARCH 9, 1897.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 104, 9 March 1897, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGEOUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY." MARCH 9, 1897.

The inaugural addresses of the Presidents of the United States are always important events, indicating as they do the policy, foreign, fiscal and domestic, which will be pursued by the Great Republic for the four years following their delivery. The President of America wields more real power in many respects, than do the most autocratic sovereigns of European nations, the policy he pledges himself to is in consequence likely to be followed. The power to carry legislation certainly vests in the Senate and the Assembly, but the President, having one-third of the Senate with biro, has the power to veto any measure they may pass. In other words, he has not the power to legislate as he wishes, but has unquestionable power to bar legislation of which he does not approve.' Ho appoints his own Ministers, who are not dependent upon the changeable will of Parliament for the retention of office, as is the case in Great Britain and her self-go-verning colonies. The statesmen who drafted the American constitution were wise enough to recognise that 10 place absolute power in the hands of the people could only prove disastrous, and so framed the constitution that the people, although they elect their President, in so doing practically create a power greater than their own. The first paragraph of the address must have been a blow to those who have agitated for the annexation of Cuba : " Territorial aggression would be avoided." The President appears to have been very emphatic as to the maintenance of the integrity of the currency, but a Commission is to be appointed to inquire into the questions of the revision of coinage, banking and currency, but he added that the popular mandate as to the integrity of the currency, tariff reforms and taxation would be enforced. It is with the tariff that other nations are most interested, and the popular will, as expressed during the .elections, was clearly in favour of more moderation than was evidenced by the McKinley Tariff, which during the term of office of his immediate predecessor was very much modified. There is every indication that the duty on wool, less stringent perhaps than under the tariff which bears his name, will be again imposed. This may restrict the importation from these colonies and may to seme extent lower prices, but it is the less opulent of the American people who will suffer, by being compelled to wear shoddy, more than will the wool growers of other countries, President McKinley speaks very strongly in favour of the Arbitration Treaty, and appeals to the Senate, in very emphatic language, to ratify it. The terms of this treaty we are enabled to glean from English papers by the last mail. It provides machinery for the adjustment of disputes in proportion to their gravity and importance. First come questions involving £IOO,OOO and no territory. Each country in this case appoints one arbitrator ami these two nominate an umpire. If the two arbitrators cannot agree as to

an umpire ho is to bo chosen by agreement between the members of the United States Supreme Court and. the Judicial Committece of the Privy Council. If they fail the King of Sweden and Norway nominates him. In cases where mora than £IOO,OOO is in dispute, and no territory involved and the above tribunal is not unanimous, then a wider tribunal is to be formed consisting of five members, t'vo jurists of repute to be appointed by each country, and an umpire chosen as before. In the third case where the territory of either Power is claimed by the other, the tribunal is to consist of six members, three of whom must be Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, and three Judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature, or of the Judicial Committee, of the Privy Council, the former three to be appointed by the President and the latter by the Queen. If their award is by a majority of live to one it shall he final, and in any case the award of the majority shall be final unless either Power protests within three months. If this protest be made the award shall not be valid, but still no hostile measure of any kind whatever shall be taken until the mediation of one or more friendly Powers has been sought. These terms fully bear out the statement that the treaty would practically make war impossible between the two nations. The President was not guilty of an exaggeration of language when he said

that it was " a glorious exercise of reason for securing peace." The President promises an anti-trust policy, in which lie will have the sympathy of all traders who depend upon legitimate trade to realise profit from their businesses. This is somewhat singular, considering that no less than six of his Ministers are millionaires, and they, doubtless, have become so to a very large extent by the system which their chief condemns. The address should meet with the approval of the people of the Unteid States, with the exception of the promotion of the suicidal protective measures which it foreshadows. The wool duty is in reality a sop to the farming community to prevent their rebellion against the taxes upon manufactures, which are imposed for the benefit of townspeople and the capitalists who reap unholy profits as a consequence.

The train arrangements for the Te Aroha races, to be held on Saturday next, 13th iust., are advertised on cur third page.

Sergeants Gamble and McMahon, who were discharged from the force over the South case, aro to be granted compensation allowance to the extent of one year's pay. 1

A meeting of the Committee of the late Horticultural Show will be held to-morrow evening, at 8 o'clock, at the Commercial Hotel, to receive the report and balance-sheet.

Information has been laid by the Factory Inspector against the manager of the Bank of New Z-aland, at Napier, who is charged with keeping employees at work after hours, and obstructing the entrance of the Inspector.

A. Mouteith, brewer, of Peefton, was fined £52 and costs for breaches of the Beer Duty Act, and his brewery, with stock, etc., was forfeited. The Collector of Customs agreed to recommend remission of the forfeiture.

The Returning Cflicers of the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Licensing Districts give notice of the triennial election of Licensing Committees, which is to take place on Thursday, 25th March. Nominations of candidates will be received up to the 18th inst. The annual re - union of old settlers will be held in Mr Maucdcr's Hotel, at Kihikihi, on Friday", 26th March. All who are not enrolled, who may wish to attend, are requested to communicate with the Secretary (Mr H. Roche), Ohaupo, before the 20th inst.

The man Payne, the victim of the Te Kuiti stabbing case, is still in the Waikato District Hospital. He had been progressing most favourably, but last week he suffered a serious relapse. On enquiring yesterday we learnt that he had agidn taken a turn for the better. In our advertising colums will be found a notice re the Wesleyan Anniversary services at Cambridge, which will l:e held next Sunday. The soiree con nected therewith will be held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Friday next, and a really good program me. has been arranged for it.

The monthly meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council will be held in the Council Chambers this evening. Among other business the report and suggestions from the Library Committee, with the view of puttng the Library ou a better footing, will come up for discussioxi.

Our Paeroa correspondent writes : " Our Waikato neighbours should bear in mind now is the time to bring forward a few useful draught colts, so that purchasers could get them into work before winter actually sets in, ami 1 know of several wagnoners who are anxious to procure horse 3 of a good stamp. Messrs McNicol and Co. will hold their seeonu sheep fair at Ohanpo to-morrow, when they will offer 12,000 sheep of all classes, including some splendid lines from the leading flockowners. On Thursday they will sell at Cambridge a splendid line of 2,000 big fiamed, well woolled, three and four-year-old longwool ewes. These sheep have been brought from Hawke's Bay, and, being of good quality, should elicit spirited bidding. Mr F. King, who has been connected with the Hamilton Telegraph Office for some years, has been promoted to a cadetshtp and transferred to Rotorua. We congratulate " Fted " on his advancement, and having been brought into contact with him a good deal in the discharge of his duties, we can justly say that in no way have the interests of the Department suffered at his hand, aud in him the service has the makings of a courteous and efficient oflieer. Mr F. King is the second sou of Mr Thos. Kinl', of Hamilton. An attempt was made on Saturday night to set fire to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland. A man was seen by a female servant at the Presbytery in the pr,rch, when she went over to lock the doors as customary. He did not speak, but looked at her fixedly aud then went away. Shortly afterwards a cabman noticed fire and gave the alarm. Three boys extinguished the fire before any damage was done. They found a piece of sacking saturated wich kerosene underneath the door, and a quantity of kerosene was splashed abou! the doorway. The police were sent for, but have been unable to trace the culprit, the supposition, ia that he is a lunatic.

As is usual at most race mcetirga now-a-days, the enterprising spitler made his presence felt at the South Auckland races at Claudelands on Saturday las''. One lady had her pocket picked on the grandstand, and no doubt other little attentions were paid of which we have not heard.

Yesterday there were three admissions into the Waikato District Hospital. Miss Parr, daughter of Mr Reuben Parr, of Waihou, was admitted to the fever ward suffering from typhoid fever, while the other cases were only ordinary ailments. The fever ward had only been clused for a few days.

Some of the Cambridge juveniles arc in the habit of exhibiting their contempt for small trifles, such as trains, etc., by s anding close to the level crossings while they are passing. .Yesterdiy one stood a little t:>o close, and there came very neir being an inquest, but fortunately the chiid was only bruised considerably. The annual race raeeeting of the South Auckland Racing Club was held on Saturday last, on the Claudc'uinds course, under most favourable auspices, and was in every way a success. The officials deserve great credit for the manner in which the meeting was earned out, and the satisfactory financial result of their efforts. A detailed account of the day's sport will be found in auotber column.

" The Unpardonable Sin" was the theme of the Rev. Mr Mitchell's discourse at the Hamilton Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening, and as the subject is one seldom touched upon the preacher was attentively followed. He said that the "unpardonable sin"—i.e., blasphemy against the Lfoly Ghost—was unpardonable because when one had become so depraved as to commit such a heinous offence he was past repentance, and, therefore, past forgiveness. The scriles and Pharisees, in attributing Christ's works of mercy and love to the influence of Beelzebub, thfe Prince of Devils, were guilty of this sin, as blasphemy means " injurious, or evil, speaking,"' and Mr Mitchell concluded by warning those who scoffed at holy things, and Who tailed to recognite actions which were prompted by pure and disinterested motives on the part of their fellows, but whose sole aim and object in life was the selfish pursuit of temporal things, that they were in a fair way to the committal of sin of the same category.

The following news (writes the New Zealand Herald correspondent) has just been received from Tokaauu, dated Thursday night : some doubt here respecting the safety of William T°ague, who went up the Kaimanawa range prospecting about six weeks ago. and has not s nee been heard of. A party went out a few days ago in search of him, and one man returned with the tidings of having discovered his camp, which had evidently the appearance of having been left a week or two past, as if with the intention of returning to it the same day, as nothing appears to lie missing except his pictv and one blanket, the remainder of his tools, tucker, etc., being left in a tent. Previous to the search party starting out it was agreed that should he be discovered all right one fire was to be shown on the range, and if not found two fires were to be shown, but if found dead or in a state that assistance was required three fires were to be li«h f ed. This afternoon three fires were distinctly seen on the rmge in behind the river named Tarn ingataupo, and so the worst is feared. Another party, or perhaps two, will leave here for the sceiu'.