Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-04

is of the highest Importance that employer
and employee alike should endeavOr to APP
/ preclate each the viewpoint of the other
/ and the sure disaster that will come upon
both in the long run if either grows to
/ take As habttual an attitude of sour hOStil-
! ity and dfstrUst toward the other. Few
/ those representatives both of capital and
! iabor-amd there are many such-whO work
| continually TO bring about a good under
standing Of this kind. based upon wisdom
and upon broad and kindly sympathy be-
| tween employers and employed. Above all.
| we need to remember that any kind of
class animosity in the political world is. if
! possible. even more wicked even more de-
! Structive to national welfare. than sec
, tfonal race. or religious animosity. We
( can get good government only upon condi-
! tfOn that We keep true to the principles
| upon which this nation was founded. and
| judge each man not as a part of a class,
| but upon his Individual merits. All that we
have right to ask of any man, rich or
poor. whatever his creed. his occupa ton
his birthplace. or his residence, is that he
| shall act well and hOnorablv by his neigh
Dor and by his country. We are neither
for the rich man as such nor for the poor
man as such; we are for the upright man.
rich poor. SO far as the constitutional
powers of the national government touch
these matters of general and vital moment
TO the nation. they should be exercised in
conformity with the principles above set
forth.
1t is earnestly hoped that secretary of
commerce may be created. with a seat in
the cabinet.
PROMISES TO CUBA
l hope soon to submit to the senate
reciprocity treaty with Cuba. On May 20
last the United States kept its promise to
the island by formally vacating Cuban soil
and turning Cuba over to those whom her
own people had chosen as the first officials
of the new republic.
Cuba lies at our doors, and whatever af-
fects her for good or for i'll affects US also.
SO much have our people felt this that in
the Platt amendment we definitely took
the ground that Cuba must hereafter have
closer political relations with us than with
any other power Thus in sense Cuba
has become Il part of international pO-
litical system This makes it necessary
that in return she should be given some of
the benefits of becoming part Of our eco
uOmIc system. 1t is. from our own stand
point, shOrt-sighted and mischievOus pol
icy to fail to recognize this need. More
over, it is unworthy of a mighty and gen
erOuS nation, itself the greatest and most
successful republic in history. to refuse to
weak sister republic just entering upon its
career of independence. We should always
fearleSsly insist upon our rights in the face
of the strong. and we should with I'M
grudging hand do generous duty by the
weak. | urge the adoption of reciprocity
with Cuba not only because it is eminently
for our own interests to control the Cuban
market and by every means to foster our
supremacy in the tropical lands and waters
south of us. but also because we: of the
all our sister nations of the American con-
tinent feel that whenever they will permit
it we desire TO show ourselves disinterest-
eddy and effectively their friend.
ARBITRATION
AS civilization grows warfare becomes
less and less the normal condition of for
eign relations. The last century has seen
a marked diminntion of wars between civ
ilized powers. Wars with uncivilized pow
ers are largely mere matters of interna-
tional police duty. essential for the welfare
world Wherever nOSSiblp arbitra-
ton or some similar method should be en-
ployed in lieu of war to settle difficulties
between civilized nations, although as yet
the world has not progressed sufficiently
to render it possible, or necessarily desir-
able, to invoke arbitration in every case.
The formation of the international tribunal
which sits at The Hague is an event of
goOG omen from which great consequences
for the welfare of all mankind may flow.
1t is far better, where possible to invoke
such permanent tribunal than to create
special arbitratOrs for given purpose.
THAT CANAL.
The congress has wisely provided that we
shall build at once an isthmian canal, if
possible, at Panama. The attorney general
good title from the French Panama canal
company. Negotiations are now pending
with Colombia to secure her assent to our
building the canal. This canal will be one
Of the greatest engineering feats of the
twentieth century; a greater engineering
feat than has vet been accomplished dur
should be carried out as a continuing pol
icy without regard to change of admins
tration; and it shonld be begun under cir
cumstances which will make it a matter
of pride for all administrations to continue
the policy.
The canal will be of great benefit to
America, and of Importance to all the
world. 1t will be of advantage to US in
dustrially and also as improving our mill
tary position. It will be Of advantage to-
the countries of tropical America. 1t is
earnestly to be hoped that all of these
countries will do as some of them have al
ready done with signal success. and will
prove their material conditions by recOg-
nizing that stability and order are the pre-
requisites of successful development. No
independent nation in America need have
the slightest fear of aggression from the
United States. 1t behOOves each one to
maintain order within its own borders and
to discharge its just OBLIGATIONS to foreign
erS. When this is done, they can rest as
sured that be they strong or weak. they
have nothing to dread from outside inter
ference. More and more the increasing in
Independence and cOmpeXity of interna-
tional political and economic relations rem
der it incumbent on all civilized and order
of the world.
PACIFIC CABLE.
During the fall of 1901 a communication
addressed to the secretary of state,
asking whether permission would be grant
ed by the president to a corporation to lay
cable from tE "a point on the California
Hawaii. statement of conditions or
terms upon which such corporation would
undertake to lay and operate a cable was
volunteered. lnaSmuch as the congress was
shortly to convene. and Pacific cable legiS
latiOn had been the subject of conSidera-
ton by the congress for several years, it
seemed to me wise to defer action upon
the application until the congress had first
an opportunity TO act. The congress ad-
jouned without taking any action, leaving
IL
in which it stood when the congress con
vened.
Meanwhile it appears that the CONNER
cial Pacific Cable company had promptly
proceeded with preparations for laying its
cable. 1t also made application to the
president for access to and use of sound
purpose Of discovering practicable route
for Il transatlantic cable, the company
urging that with access to these sOundings
it could complete its cable much sooner
than if It were required to take sOundingS
upon its own account. Pending cOnsidera-
ton OF this subject it appeared important
and desirable to attach certain conditions
to the PERMISSION to examine and use the
soundings, if it should be granted.
In consequence of this solicitation of the
cable company. certain conditions We're
formulated, upon which the president was
willing to allow access to these SOundings
and to consent to the landing and laying of
the cable. subject to any alterations or adj
diti0nS thereto imposed by the congress.
This was deemed proper. especially as it
was clear that Il cable connection of some
kind with China. a foreign country was a
par5 of the companv's Dian. This course
was. moreover. in accordance with a line
Of presidents, including President Grant :
action in the case of the first French cable:
explained to the congress in his annual
message of December. 1873. and the in
stance occurring in 1879 of the second
French cable from Brest to ST. Pierre
with a branch to Cape Cod.
These conditions prescribed. among other
things, a maximum rate for commercial