Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-10-19
PHOENIX. ARIZONA. OCT 10. 100;
A Great Victory for Arbitration.

the Alaskan boundary commission will
report a decision today and that this
decision will give a complete victory 10
the United States on all material con-
tentions Indeed, some of the Cana
dams are so sure that the reports are
correct that their language is not per-
missibie i'll such family paper as The
Republican. Nobody in this country
had the slightest fear that there would
be Il decision against the United States.
for it was taken for granted that the
American commissioners would never
admit the justice of Canada's claims to
any portion of Alaska; but, OF the other
hand. it was not expected that the COM
mission could reach any decision. That
the commission. being a three to
three affair. has been able to agree,
speaks volumes for the merits of ar
bitration, as we'll as for English fair
ness.
The award itself is important in the
extreme. 1t puts an end for all tim"
to the Dretensions of Canada that Il
her. What Canadians have sought most
is an all-Canadian route to the sea, to
secure control of the Pacific ocean in
let's, and Americans have believed that
this ambition was the terminating e!e-
ment which produced the Canadian
claims 1t appears that today's deci-
sion will confirm the American belief.
But quite as important as the protec-
ton of our territorial integrity is the
unqualified triumph for the principle of
arbitration. No international question
is so difficult to settle as u controversy
over territorial boundaries. for every
nation, big or little. regards it as part
of the national creed to conceGe not az
Inch of land to another nation. 1t is
to he expected that the decision if il
shall Re us the forecasts have given it,
will cause irritation in Canada for d
long time to come, but all that will
pass. And the temporary displeasure
of the Canadians is of small conse-
0uence when the ties OF friendship be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain as whole have been strength
ened so tremendously.
Apropos of this subject, the recent
conference on international arbitration
at Lake Mohonk brought out some in
teresting facts with which citizens gen ,
orally are not familiar. Thus every =
body is aware of the fact that this
government rather more frequently
than others shows its faith in the prin-
ciple of arbitration by submitting diff
ferences Understandable by diplomatic
means to the decision of international
tribunals and commissions. Many of
these controversies. important though
they be, touch the interests of the gen.
cral body of citizens SO slightly tina
they attract little attention. However
when one learns from the address OF
the Hon. William l.. Penfield, solicitor
of the State department. that during
the past six years the United States
have brought to issue eighteen cases
against foreign governments one is i'm
pressed; and the impression deepens
, when one hears that in the brief period
mentioned have occurred e-fourth OF
the entire number of arbitrations to
which the government has been a party
since its beginning. In other words, il
six years time have submitted as
many international differences to judi
dicial settlement as we did on the aver
age in forty years during our previou;
history. A sevenfold increase in the
annual average of arbitrations certainly
denotes progress.
While this government was awarded
$1,420.0S2 by the court at The Hague
in the Plus fund case against Mexico
the sum of s1,13O.5O6 awarded to it il
another case against the same country
was refunded on discovery of the fac
that the decision had been rendered OF
fabricated evidence. Thus, when triet
by either test-the success which ha!
attended the enforcement of its claim.
by arbitration or the refusal to press al
unjust case-we have right to h,
proud of the record of our country. We
share with Mexico the distinction o
:
the permanent court of arbitration, thu:
saving that tribunal from deca!
through neglect and leading to the sub
mission thereto of two important cases
the Venezuelan controversy and th'
Japanese house tax case, involving thj
settlement of mooted questions of in
ternational law and including as par
ties nearly all the civilized govern
ments of the world.
One curious point is brought to no
tice in the address of former Secretar.
tary of State John W. Foster, presider
oC the conference. The treaty of arbi
tiaton signed by the late Lord Pauncc
fote and Secretary Olney and rejectel
by the senate provided for the deter