St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-20
COURTESY, NOT \ RIGHT.
We Ask Favors From Other Gov
ern ments Which We Cannot

We Ask Fayors From Other Gov
ernments Which We Cannot
ReciprOcate.
New YORK Herald
No sooner is Francis II. Weeks, the
New York embezzIing lawyer, returned
from Costa Rica than the state depart
ment at Washington. as reported in
yesterdays Herald. asks Guatemala to
give up Louis T. Menage. the fugitive
president OF the wrecked Northwestern
Guaranty Lean Company of Minneap-
Oils.
The fact that the government of the
United States has thus had occasion
within a few weeks TO ask from two
countries the surrender of fugitive
criminals as favor is a fOrcible re-
minder that it is time to complete our
code OF eXtradItIOn treaties with foreign
nations.
BY all means this code should en-
brace every country Of South and Cen
trail America. The United States should
not be left in the position of having to
ask from any foreign government the
surrender OF a fugitive criminal as an
act of International comfy or courtesy
favor which the president in the alb
sence OF a law TO that effect has no
power to reciprOcate. 1t should be in a
position TO demand. and in return grant
surrender as q right in accordance with
an eXtTadltion treaty.
With some of the republics to the
south of US We have such treaties: with
others we have not. Bnt what do these
cOmpactS avail with Hayti Ecuador
Nicaragua, Salvador, Colombia and
Peru ii we have nope with Costa Rica.
Guatemala. Honduras, Venezuela, Bra
I'll and Chilli? Like that OF a chain the
strength of an eXtraditiOn system
Is measured not by its strongest but its
weakest element. The greatest GRIM
inals will always seek and find the
country with which we have no treaty
To assure their return il is essential
that a safe asylum shall be afforded in
no cOuntry-that surrender shall not be
left TO the discretion of any government,
but made obligatory upon every one by
treaty.
The cases OF Weeks and Menage are
striking and significant. They are rep
Tesentative OF a class of defauIters
whose prompt and certain punishment
IS OF the highest Importance to the com
munIty. Both were men OF high stand
ing and both were heavy embeZZIers. If
such men can dishonesty appropriate
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars and
escape 10 another country. there 10 live
unmOleSted IN luxury or engage III BUSH
ness, ii Is obvious that there is no Ger
tain protection in our large cities against
such financial plundeTing.
Formerly the common destination of
this class Of fugitiYes was Canada. where
they found a safe asylum. but since the
present rigorous eXtTadltion treaty was
concluded few years ago. they have
deemed it prudent TO seek refuge in
some other direction. The most invit-
ing quarter now seems 10 be Central
America. 1t is true that Weeks was
voluntarily surrendered by Costa RIGA.
and that Menage may be given I'D by
Guatemala. But we cannot look TO
those countries to keep on guaranteeing
fugitlves as a matter of courtesy. With
out eXtradition treaties we NAV expect
Central America 10 become the fav0rite
| asylum OF embezZieTs and defaulIers as
| Canada recently WIS.
This Is a matter which vitality con-
Germs cur financial aud commercial in
teTests. as well as the due adninistra-
ton OF Justice Proper regard FOR these
demanaS that tie government at Wash
lngton move Tor the negotiation of an
eXtraditinn treaty with every Sautn and
| Central American republic With whict.
We baye 40 such treaty.