The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-06

: ton which is likely to become of per-
manent and increasing utility to our
industries is the collection of samples
Of merchandise produced in various
countries, with special reference to
particular markets, providing practical
object lessons to United States manu-
facturers as to qualities, styles and
prices of goods, such as meet the
special demands of consumers, and
may be exported with advantage.
In connection with the exposition, an
international commercial congress was
held, upon the invitation of the Phil
adelphia Commercial museum, trans
mitted by the department of state to
the various foreign governments, for
an exchange of information and opin-
ions, with the view to the promotion
of international trade, This invitation
met with general and cordial accept
ance, and the congress, which began
its sessions at the exposition on the
18th of October proved to be of great
practical Importance, from the fact
that it developed a general recognition
aof the interdependence of nations in
trade and a most gratifying spirit Of
accommodation with reference to the
gradual removal of existing impedi-
ments to reciprocal relations, without
injury to the industrial interests of
either party
THE PEACE CONFERENCE.
In response to the invitation of His
Majesty the emperor of Russia, dele
gates from 26 countries were assembled
at The Hague on the 18th of May, as
members Of a conference in the inter-
est of peace. The commission from
the United States, consisting of Hon.
Andrew d. White, Hon. Seth Low,
Hon. Stanford Newell, Capt. Alfred T.
Mahan of the United States navy, Capt.
William Crozier of the United States
army, and Hon. Frederick w. Hollis,
secretary. The occasion seemed to be
opportune for the serious consideration
of plan for the pacific adjustment Of
international differences, a subject In
which the American people have been
l deeply interested for many years, and
definite project for a permanent in
!, ternational tribunal was included in
the instructions to the delegates Of
: the United States.
l The final act of the conference in
cludes conventions upon the amelora-
ton of the laws and customs of war on
land. the adaptation to maritime war
fare of the principles of the Geneva
convention of 1864, and the extension
of judicial methods to international
cases. The convention for the pacific
5 SGlllclllEllL u lnIeIudllOId- COIlllCls
n embodies the leading features of the
f American plan, with such modifica-
e tons as were rendered necessary by
S the great diversity of views and in
f terests represented by the delegates
Y The four titles of the convention pro.
= vide for the maintenance of genera
: peace, the exercise of good offices ant
= mediation, the formation of commits
= sions of inquiry and international ar.
n bitration.
u u MEDIATION PURELY VOLUNTARY
= The mediation provided for by thu
:. convention is purely voluntary and ad
q visory, and it is intended to avoid any
# invasion or limitation of the sovereign
o rights of the adhering states. The com
q missions of inquiry proposed consist O
o delegations to be specifically consti
S tuted for particular purposes by means
: of conventions between the contrasting
: parties, having for their object tht
T clear understanding of internationa
: differences before resorting to the ust
u of force. The provision for arbitration
>, contemplates the formation of perma
8 nent tribunal before which disputed
: cases may be brought for settlement
e by the mutual consent of the litigant:
Il in each separate case. The advantages
. of such a permanent tribunal over i'm
. promptu commissions of arbitration
u are conceived to be the actual exist.
ence of a competent court prepared
u to administer justice, the greater econ.
omy resulting from well-devised sys-
q tenn, and the accumulated judicial skill
y and experience which such tribuna
? would soon possess.
e MONROE DOCTRINE INVIOLATE
While earnestly promoting the idea Of
Y establishing permanent internationa
= tribunal the delegation of the
= United States was not I'M
- which might arise from an obtrusive
! exercise of mediation, and in signing
e the convention carefully guarded the
= historic position of the United States
d by the following declaration: Nothing
t contained in this convention shall be SO
n construed as to require the United
- States of America to depart from it's
= traditional policy of not intruding upon,
interfering with, or entangling itself in
the political questions or policy or in
ternal administration of any foreign
f state; nor shall anything contained in
o the said convention be construed to i'm
6 ply a REIMBURSEMENT by the United
e States of America of it's traditional at
8 titude toward purely American ques-
" ton for the pacific settlement of in
e ternatonal conflicts may be regarded
a as realizing the earnest desire of great
o numbers of American citizens, whose
= deep sense of justice, expressed in nu-
- merous resolutions and memorials, has
n urged them to labor for this noble
s achievement The general character of
i this convention already signed by the
a delegates of more than twenty sovereign
| states further commends it TO tha ia
4 vorable action of the Senate of the
= United States, whose ratification it
f still awaits.
: THE VOLUNTEER ARMY.
r Since my last message, and in obedi-
e | ence to the acts of congress of April %
e and rs, $685. the remaining volunteer
: force enlisted for the Sponish war, con-
= sisting Of 1884 regulars and ITO, 202 vol
e unteers with over 5000 volunteer Off
d GERS. has been discharged from the mil
d itary service. OF the volunteers, 667
!. officers and Il, S31 men who were serv-
S ing in the Philippines, and 1850 of the
t regulars, who were entitled to be mus
Y tered out after the ratification of the
= treaty of peace, voluntarily remained at
: the front until their places could be fill
= ed by new troops. They were returned
e home in the order in which they went
: to Manila, and are now all of them out
e of the service and in the ranks of citiz-
d enship. l recommend that the congress
0 provide special medal of honor for the
n volunteers, regulars, sailors and mar
e ines on duty in the Philippines who vol
n UNFAIRLY remained in the service after
their terms of enlistment had expired.
q OTIS WILL HAVE So ,4SS MEN.
: BY the act of March 2, 1899, congress
q gave authority to increase the regular