Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-12-10

Element of disputes The Hague court Of
ters SO good an example of what can be
done IN the direction of such settlement
thar it should be encouraged in every way
Further steps should be taken. In
President Mekinleys annual message of
December ), 1898. he made the following
recommendation: ''The experiences of the
last year bring forcibly home to us a sense
of the burdens and the waste of war. We
desire, In common with most civilized ma
uOnS TO reduce to the lowest possible
point the damage sustained in time of war
by peaceable trade and commerce. 1t is
true we may suffer in such cases less than
other communities. but all nations are
damaged more or less by the state of I'M
easiness and apprehension into which an
outbreak of hostilities throws the entire
commercial world. 1t should be our OBJ
ject therefore, to minimize. so far as prac-
ticable. this inevitable loss and disturb
ance. This purpose can probably best he
accomplished by an International agree
ment TO regard all private property at sea
as exempt from capture or destruction nv
the forces of belligerent powers The
United States government has for many
years advocated this humane and benefi-
cent principle, and is now in position to
recommend it to other powers without the
imputation of selfish motives. I therefore
suggest for your consideration that the eX-
ecutive he authorized to correspond with
the governments of the principal maritime
powers with view of Incorporating into
the permanent law of civilized nations the
principle of the exemption of all private
from capture destruction by helgnrent
powers" | cordially renew this recon-
mendation.
The supreme court, speaking on Deem
Der H. 1893. said: cit is, we think histor
ically accurate to say that this government
has always been. in its views, among the
most advanced of tho governments of the
world in favor of mitigating, to all nom
combatants, the hardships and horrors of
war. To accomplish that object l. has al
ways advocated those rules which would
in most cases do away with the right to
capture the private property of an enemy
on the high seas
L advocate this as a matter of humanity
anu morals. Ii Is anacnronIstIc When prl-
Nate property Is respected On Ianu tuat 1t
snOulu not be respected ut sea. Moreover,
1T should be borne III minu JnaI snlpping
represents, internationally speaking, a
mucn more generaIlzeu species OF pInate
property than is the case with ordinary
property on land-that is, property Iounu
at sea is much less apt than Is The case
WIN property found on lanu reali. to be-
long 10 amy one nation. Unucr the modern
So SEEN OF corporate ownership the nag of
a vessel often diners from the nag wnIcn
would mark the nationality of the real
ownership ana money control OF the YES
sell ana the cargo may belong to in
! uAviduals of yet Il different nationality.
Much american capital as now invested III
foreign ships; ana among foreign nations
| IL often happens that the capital of one is
| largely invested i'll the shipping of anotner
Furthermore, as practical matter, it may
| be mentioned that while commerce destroy
| ing may cause serious loss and great an
noyance, it can never be more than a sub
| sidary factor in bringing to terms reso-
Lutte foe. This is now we'll recognized by
all of our naval experts. The fighting ship,
not the commerce destroyer, is the vessel
whose feats aud renown to a nations his
| tory, and establish ner place among the
great powers of The world.