Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-08

fof government all authority is vested
IN the people and by them delegated
10 those who represent them in official
caaacity. There can be no offense'
ie,svicr than that OF him in whom such
sacred trust has been reposed who
( ml,s 1t for his own gain aud enrich
rcnt. and no less heavy is the offense
.4af the Gribc giver. He is worse than
The thief, for the thief robs the indi-
: 7idual. while the corrupt official plum
lers III entire city or state. He is as
wicked as the murderer, for the muir
aeser may only take one life against
The law. while the corrupt official and
the man who corrupts the official alike
aim ut the assassina ton OF the common
wealth itself. Government of the peo-
pie. by the people. for the people will
perish from the face of the earth if
bribery is tolerated. The givers and
takers of brides stand on an evil pre-
emtnence of infamy.
Punishment Of Public Corruption.
The exposure and punishment of
public corruption is an honor to a ma
lion, not a disgrace. The shame lies
IN liberation, not in correction. No city
or state, still less the nation, can be
injured by the enforcement of law. As
long as public plunderers when detect
ed can find haven Of refuge in any
foreign land and avoid punishment.
Just SO long encouragement is given
them to continue their practices. Ii
/ we fail to do all that in us lies to
stamp out corruption we cannot es-
{ cape our share of responsibility for the
guilt. The first requisite of successful
self government is untiinching enforce
ment of the law and the cutting out of
corruption.
For several years past the rapid de-
velopment of Alaska and the establish
ment of growing American interests in
regions heretofore unsurveyed and
imperfectly known brought into prom
inence the urgent necessity OF prac-
tical demarcation of the boundaries be-
tween the jurisdictions Of the United
States and Great Britain, Although
the treaty of 1925 between Great Brit
ain and Russia, the provisions of which
were copied in the treaty of 1867.
whereby Russia conveyed Alaska to
the United States, was positive as to
Z the control, first by Russia and later
by the United States. of strip of ter
ritory along the continental mainland
from the western shore of Portland
canal to Mount st. Elias, following
and surrounding the indentations of
the coast and including the islands to
the westward, Its description of the
landward margin of the strip was in
definite, resting on the supposed ex-
istence of a continuous ridge or range
OF mountains skirting the coast, as
figured in the charts of the early navi-
gators. 1t had at no time been posi-
BILE for either party in interest to lay
down, under the authority of the trea-
ty, line so obviously exact according
to its provisions as to command the
assent of the other. For nearly three
fourths Of a century the absence of
tangible local interests demanding the
exercise of positive Jurisdiction on Ell
Their side of the border left the question
dormant. In 1878 questions of reve-
nue. administration on the Stikine river
led to the establishment of a provision
u demarcation. crossing the channel
between two high peaks on either side
about twenty-four miles above the riv-
err mouth. In 1899 similar questions
growing out of the extraordinary de-
yelopment of mining interests in the
region about the. head of Lynn canal
brought about temporary modus vi
vendi, by which a convenient separa-
ton was made at the watershed di-
yides Of the White and Chilkoot passes
and to the north of Klukwan, on the
1 Klehinf river. These partial and tenta-
tive adjustments could not, in the very
nature of things, be satisfactory or
lasting. A permanent disposition of
the matter became imperative.
Alaskan Boundary.
After unavailing attempts to reach
an understanding through joint high
commission, followed by prolonged ne
gotiations conducted in an amicable
spirit, a convention between the United
States and Great Britain was signed
Jan. "a, 1903, providing FOR an examine
ton of the subject by mixed tribunal
of six members, three on side, with a
!, view to its final disposition. Ratifica-
tons were exchanged on March 3 last
whereupon the two governments APP
pointed their respective members. Those
on behalf of the United States were
Elihu Root, secretary OF war; Henry
Cabot Lodge, a senator of the United
States, and George Turner. an ex-sena-
tor of the United States, while Great
Britain named the Right Hon. Lord
.Alyerstone, lord CHIEF justice of Eng-
land; Sir Louis Amable Jette, X. C. NJ.
g., retired judge of the supreme court
of Quebec, and A. d. Aylesworth, X.
O., Of Toronto. This tribunal met in
London on Sept. 8 under the presidency
Of Lord Alyerstone. The proceedings
were expeditions and marked by a
friendly and conscientious spirit. The
respective cases, counter cases and ar
guments presented the issues clearly
and fully. On the Goth of October a
majority of the tribunal reached and
signed an agreement on all the ques-
tons submitted by the terms of the