Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

al nations areodAmaged more or less by the
which an outbreak Of hostilities throws the
entire commercial world. 1t should be our
object, therefore, to minimize. SO far az
practicable, this inevitable loss and disturb
accomplished by an International agree
ment to regard all private property at sea
a. exempt from capture or destruction by
1ne FORCES OF beliigerent powers. The United
states government has for many years ad-
Vocated this humane and beneficent princi-
pie. and Is nov in position to recommend
10 other powers without the imputation OF
your consideration that the Executive be
authorized tosJcorTespond with the govern
menus OF the principal maritime powers
with view eff incorporating into the per-
manent law OF civilized nations the principle
OF the exemption of all private property at
sea, not contraband of war. from capture or
obstruction by belligerent powers"
l CORDIALLY renew this recommendation.
Inc supreme Court. speaking on Decem-
Der II. 1899. through Peckham. J., said:
IT Is. we think. historically accurate to
say that this Government has always been.
IN Its views, among the most advanced Of
mitigating, as to all non-combatants. the
hardships and horrors of war. To accom-
piish that object 1t has always advocated
tnose rules which would in most cases do
away with the right to capture the private
property of an enemy on the high seas"
advocate this as matter of humanity
ana morals. 1t is anachronistic when pri-
vate property is respected on land that 1t
shouid not be respected at sea. Moreover,
1t should be borne in mind that shipping
represents. interna tionally speaking, a
much more generalized species Of private
property than Is the case with ordinary
property on land-that Is. property found
at sea Is much less apt than is the case with
property found on land really to belong to
any one nation. Under the modern system
OF corporate ownership the flag Of vessel
fl,n 40 vry1,{
marx the nationality of the real ownership
and money control Of the vessel; and the
cargo may belong to individuals of yet a
olnerent nationality. Much American CAPT.
tai Is now invested In foreign ships: and
among foreign nations it often happens that
the capital of one is largely invested in the
shipping OF another. Furthermore, as a
PRACTICAL matter. 1t may be mentioned that
Wmle commerce destroying may cause seri-
GUS loss and great annoyance, 1t can never
be more than a subsidiary factor in bring
ing to terms resolute foe This is now well
recognized by all of our naval experts. The
neht1ng ship, not the commerce destroyer,
Is the vessel whose feats add renown to a
nations history, and establish her place
among the great powers Of the world.
lnterparliamentary Union for Arbitra-
ton.
Last year the Interparliamentary Union
for International Arbitration met at Wen
legislatures OF civilized countries attending
1t was provided that the next meeting
should be in 1904 at st. Louis, subject to
our Congress extending an invitation. Like
the Hague Tribunal. this nterparliamentary
Union is one Of the forces tending towards
peace among the nations Of the earth, and
1t is entitled to our support. l trust the In
Vltation can be extended.
Relations With Turkey.
Early in July. having received intelli-
gence. which happily turned out to be erro-
neous. of the assassination OF our vice-con-
sui at Beirut, I dispatched small squad
ron to that port for such service as might
be found necessary on arrival. Although
the attempt on the life of our vice-consul
had not been successful, yet the outrage
was symptomatic of a state Of excitement
tention. The arrival of the vessels had the
happiest result A feeling of security at
once took the, place of the former alarm and
disauiet: our, officers were cordially well
coined by the consular body and the lead
ing merchants; and ordinary business re-
sumed its acticity, The government of the
Sultan gave considerable hearing to the
representations Of our minister: the off,
cial who was regarded as responsible for
the disturbed condition Of affairs was re-
moved. Our relations with the Turkish
Government remain friendly; claims
founded on ineauitable treatment Of some
OF our SchOOlS and missions appear 10 De IN
process of amicable adjustment.
Relations With China.
The signing of a new commercial treaty
with China. which took place at Shanghai
on the 9Th of October, is cause for salts
faction. This act the result of long dis
cussion and negotiation, places our COM
mercial relations with the great oriental
empire a more satisfactory footing than
they have ever heretofore enjoyed. 1t pro-
vides not only for the ordinary rights and
privileges of diplomatic and consular Off
GERS, but also for an important extension
of our commerce by increased facility of
access to Chinese ports, and for the relief
of trade by the removal Of some of the OBJ
stacles which have embarrassed 1t In the
past.
The Chinese government engages on fair
and equitable conditions, which will prob
ably be accepted by the principal CONNER
cial nations. to abandon the levy Of "liken''
and other transit dues throughout the En-
pre- and to introduce other desirable adj
ministrative reforms. Larger facilities are
to be given to our citizens who desire to
carry on mining enterprises in China. We
have secured for our missionaries vaiu-
able privilege the recognition Of their right
to rent and lease In perpetuity such prop
erty as their religious societies may need
in all parts Of the Empire.
And, what was an Indispensable condition
for the advance and development of our
commerce In ManCnurld, emma, by treaty
with US, has opened to foreign commerce
the cities of Mukden, the capital Of the
province OF Manchuria. and Antung, an
important port on the Yalu River on the
road to Korea. The full measure of devel-
opment which our commerce may rightfully
expect can hardly be looked for until the
settlement Of the present abnormal state of
things in the Empire; but the foundation
for such development has at last been laid.
Maintaining Consular Service.
I call your attention to the reduced cost
in maintaining the consular service for the
fiscal year ending June 80. 1908 as shown in
the annual report of the Auditor for the
State and other Departments. as compared
with the year previous For the year under
consideration the excess OF expenditures
over receipts on account Of the consular
service amounted to 500. 1852 as against
500 972 so for the year ending June 80, 1902
and s147, 04016 for the year ending June 80
1901 This Is the best showing in this re-
spect for the consular service for the past
fourteen years. and the reduction in the
cost of the service to the Government has
been made in spite of the fact that the ex-
penditures for the year in question were
more than $4,000 greater than for the pre-
vious year.