The Oskaloosa herald., 1903-12-10

+ growing American interests IN region
: theretotore Unsuryeyed and Imperfect,
r known brought into prominence the urgep'
houndaries between the jurisdictions q
, the Unite0 States and Great Britain. al
though the treaty OF 1925 between Greal
Britain and Russia, the provisions OF which
} were copied Ia the treaty OF 1867, whereof,
Russia conveyed Alaska to the United
states. was positive as to the control, frs
OF strip Of territory along the continental
i naaianihna from the western shore Of Port
land canal to Mount ST; Elias, followins
coast and including the islands to the west
M W. its description Of the landward mar
gin Of the strip was indefinite. resting on
| the supposed existence % continuous
rage or range of mountains slirting the
coast. as inquired In the charts of the early
navigators. II had at no time been possible
under the authority Of the treaty. a line
SO OBVIOUSLY exact according to its provi-
slons as TO command the assent Of the
After unavailing attempts 70 reach an
Understanding through joint high COM
i mission followed by prolonged negotia-
Convention between the United tIi States ap and
| Great Britain was signed January "a 1903
providing for an examination Of the sub
/ lect by mixed tribunal Of six members
| three on a SIDE with view TO It's final DIS
| position Ratifcatiqns were exchanged on
March last. whsrehpon the two govern
Those on behalf OF the United States were
Euhu Root secretary Of War: Henry
Cabot Lodge, senator Of the United
states. and George Turner, an ex-senator
Of the United States, while Great Britain
named toe Right Honorable Lord Alver-
stone. lord chief justice OF England. Sir
Judge OF the supreme court OF Quebec. and
a, b. Aylesworth, X. c., OF Toronto. This
tribunal met In London on September 8,
The. proceedings were expeditions, and
marked by friendly and conscientious
spirit The respective cases, counter cases
~ and fully. On the goth OF October ma
5ority of the tribunal reached and signed
an agreement on all the questions submit
this award the right Of the United States
to the control OF a continuous strip or bor-
der OF the mainland shore, sSirting all the
coast, is confirmed; the entrance to Port
land canal Concerning which legitimate
doubt appearedD is defined as passing BY
TSnggass inlet S ana e me northwestward Of
from the head OF Portland canal to the
fifty-sixth degree OF north latitude; and
the interior border line Of the strip is fixed
mits lying between Portland canal and
Mount ST. Elias and running along the
crest Of the divide separating the coast
only part of the frontier where the drain
age ridge approaches the coast within the 1
distance of ten marine leagues stipulated
by the treaty as the extreme width OF the
strip around the heads Of Lynn canal and
its branches. sG
The award is self-executfng on the vital
points. no make It effective as regards
the others It only remains for the two |
governments to appoint, each on its own |
behalf, one or more scientific experts, |
who shall, with all convenient speed, pro-
line in accordance with the decision Of |
the majority OF the tribunal. / recon- |
mend that the congress make adequate |
ps3 f'na for the appointment compen-
serve on this joint boundary Commits
sion on the part Of the United States. |
Claims Against Venezuela.
1t will be remembered that during the
second session of the last congress Great |
Britain. Germany and Italy formed an
alliance for the purpose of blockading |
the ports OF Venezuela and using such |
other means of pressure as would secure /
settlement of claims due, as they al |
legged, to certain of their subjects. Their
these claims was terminated by an agree
ment brought about through the offices
Of the diplomatic representatives of the |
United States at Caracas and the gov
eminent at Washington. thereby ending
situation which was bound to cause
increasing friction, and which jeoparded
the peace OF the continent. Under this I
agreement Venezuela agreed to set apart
l.
ceipts Of two Of her ports to be applied
to the payment of whatever obligations
might be ascertained by mixed commits
sions appointed for that purpose to be
due from her, not only to the three pow
ers already mentioned, whose proceed
ings against her had resulted in state of
war, but also to the United States, France, |
Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden
and Norway, and Mexico, who had not
employed force for the collection of the
claims alleged to be due to certain of
their citizens.
A demand was then made by the So
called blockading powers thaNfhe sums
ascertained to be due to their citizens by
s9cn mixed commission mis- should be accord
paid upon the claims of any of the So
called peace powers. Venezuela, on the
other haad. insisted that all her creditors
should be paid upon basis of exact
equality, During the efforts to adjust
this dispute 1t was suggested by the pow
ers in interest that 1t should be referred
of the opinion that a far wiser course
would be to submit the question to the
permanent court of arbitration at The
Hague. 1t seemed TO me to offer an adj
mlrable opportunity to advance the prac-
tice of the peaceful settlement OF dis
putes between nations and to secure for
crease of its practical Importance. The
nations interested in the controversy
were so numerous, and In many instances
so powerful as to make it evident that
their appearance at the same time before
the bar of that august tribunal of peace
Our hopes in that regard have been real
lied. Russia and Austria are represented
in the persons of the learned and distin-
guished jurists who compose the tribunal,
while Great Britain, Germany, France.
Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Sweden and Norway, Mexico, the United
States and Venezuela are represented by
their respective agents and counsel Such
an imposing concoufse Of nations present.
ing their arguments to and invoking the
decision of that high court Of International
justice and international peace can hardly
fall to secure like submission Of many
future controversies. The nations now APP
pearing there will find 1t far easier to APP
pear there second time, while no nation
can imagine its just pride will be lessened
by following the example now presented.
This triumph of the principle of interna-
tional arbitration is subject Of warm con-
graduation and offers a happy augury for
the peace Of the world.
Relations with Turkey.
Early in July. having received intelli-
gence, which happily turned out to be
erroneous, of the assassination of our vice
consul at Beirut, dispatched q small
squadron to that port for such service as
might be found necessary on arrival. AL
though the attempt on the life of our vice
consul had not been successful, yet the
outrage was symptomatic OF state of
excitement and disorder which demanded
immediate attention. The arrival OF the