The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-03

A persistent and perhaps concerted ef- :
fort is being made to induce the Govern
ment 10 take the FIRST step toward q prac
tical application Of the mediation provis-
ions of The Hague Conference treaty 10
the war between Great Britain aud the
Bocr Republic Not only are resolutions
adopted by public meetings and By per-
manent organizations looking 10 that end
being received at the State Department.
bat the President anu the Secretary of
state are getting scores OF letters from
individuals all over the country urging
the Administration TO seek 10 bring about
the termination Of the bloody struggle.
The statement attributed 10 Senator Ma
sen OF Illinois that Moutagu White the
TIausyaaIs private agent in America. had
been informed by the Secretary Of state
that this Government could not offer me
diation because The Hague treaty bad rot
been ratified by the United States Senate.
does no, fully or fairly represent the 20
sit0n of the Government in the matter.
There is another and more important rea-
son why the Government VIII not become
party Of mcdiatory proceedings. which
would be just as much an obstacle 10
American interference if The Hague treaty
had become operative.
T. that treaty. an the nations bound
themselves TO the observance Of an inter
national rule Of which little has been said
and It's importance and extent almost en-
/ Jirely overlooked In effect. this rule is
. general agreement binding all foreign ma
jious who are parties to the treaty 60 rec
cgnize ard observe the Monroe Doctrine.
ara in turn. the United States binds Itself
tO keep from meddling in the political Of
fairs of any foreign country. The Gov
erumenJ has not exploited the important
. victory which il won at The Hague in SCI
curing Worldwide recognition of its sra
diiiOHal policy concerning purely American
/ affairs for the reason that such COU~-.
/ might bring about opposition i'm foreign
countries TO the ratification OF the treaty
/ ou the ground that the United States is
1 getting altogether too much benefit from
The Monroe doctrine declaration But Dc Is
d now realized that the position 81 the Gov
eminent must be fully explained 90 pre-
4 vent a mjscCnCeptiou Of its attitude COM
D. corning the proposal thar mediation ba Of
Tered Jo Great Britain and The Trans ,a3l-
4 7 hat the scope of the declaration OF The
Hague conference may De understood. e. IS
/ here given;
Nothing contained in this convention
-hail be so construed as 90 require IRE
United States of America TO depart from
iJs traditional policy or not iutrudiuE mp
or. interfering with. or enraugliuE itself
/ lu che political questions of policy CT iu-
I Jernal administration OF any foreign state.
nor shall anything contained la the said
I convention be construed 60 imply a re-
/ linquisnment by the United States OF
1 America OF its traditional attitude toward
I purely American questions
/ iu other words, the United States in
/ uruds chat be- shall not as @ nation be
! drawn into foreign quarrels through the
. application OF the mediation provision Cf
I The Hague convention. and 30 expects
ana IS so assured that foreign countries
/ viii pursue the negative policy Of hands
/ oa an relations TO the affairs of tho three
/ Americas President Mckinley, in HIS
last annual message. called attention 10
I The Hague declaration. without going into
details as TO its Importance. explaining it
I Do these words
[ While earnestly promoting the idea OF
! establishing a permanent international
/ tribunal the delegation OF the United
I states CAT The Hague) was not Unmind-
tui OF the Inconvenience which might
arise from an obtTusive exercise Of medj-
dtiCn. and in signing the convention care
/ fully guarded the historic position Of the
! United States by the following d-clsIa-
| .icn. which is that quoted above
A Government official OF the highest
Standing said last night that he regarded
he declaration most important matter
! affecting the foreign relations Of the Uni
/ TED states since the PRONUNCIATION of the
. Monroe Doctrine, in fact he added 10 was
/ oi greater Importance than President Mon
I ror'S famous announcement TO the world
/ because it was the FIRST formal recognition
[ 1y an The Erea- nations Of the policy OF
. America Tor Americans. Another promi-
T official 1afT- Militant tho HasI4-l
tiog The Hague treaty might fail OF rati-
/ hcdfiou hy the Senate. with DO in the trea-
I D.. no senator with the interests of his
country at heart can afford 10 vote AKA inst
. The Hague convention. To is my opinion
: lHat Tho. declaration VIII prevent the Uni
Z ted States from offering mediation TO the
I British and the Beers or In joining in any
general offer unless we are requested to
DO $50 hv both belligercnts. but the imnor-
lance. the far-reaching effect and the
benefit TO be- derived by the United states
from the declaration are such that they
/ entirely outweigh the reasons for any gen
/ crdi desire on the part of the people OF
( ibis country 10 have the Government be-
/ come party TO the British-Boer war
Putting aside an other cOusiderat ions
{ thar would deter it from Offering media
I lion. The Government Of the United States
/ would sJill DE deferred by the declaration
| quoted from taking the initiative i'm ten
! derias good Offices 'the beIIirercnts i'm
/ South Africa or becoming party TO q
4 European concert for that purpose. The
4 Government position toward the war is
4 now the same as IL was when hostTlities
! began. This attitude was explained by
/ President Mckinley in his annual message
/ as follows:
This Government has maintained an az
! utude Of neutrality in the unfortunate
| contest between Great Britain and the
] BOcr states of Africa. We have remain
ed faithful 10 the precept Of avoiding en-
/ tangling alliances as to affairs not of our
! direct concern. Had circumstances sug-
! gested that the parties to the quarrel
/ would have welcomed any kindly expires
| sion of The hope c. the American people
! that war might be averted, good Offices
womb hive haen eladlH tandarnd >.