Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-06-04
Bic STRIDES BY
ARB|TRAN|ON
MANY COMPLISHMENTS THE
PAST YEAR.
AN INTERESTING REVIEW
Pious Fund Controversy by no Means
the Only One Submitted-A Dozen
or More Matters of international
Concern Now in Course of Peaceful
Solution.

Mohonk, N. Y, May 2S-At the ar
bitratiOn conference yesterday Benja-
min F. Trueblood gave most interest
ing summary of the years progress in
arbitration. The past year, he said,
had been one of steady and most ell
couraging progress. When we met
here at Mohonk a year ago the agree
to refer the Pious fund controversy to
the Hague court had just been all
nOunced. A few weeks later a
tribunal consisting OF five Of the ablest
living international Jurists was chosen
from the court, and the case was quick
ly and inexpensively- determined.
The ink was scarcely dry by which
this decision was written when an
agreement was reached between Japan
on the one hand and Great Britain,
France and Germany on the other to
carry the so-called japanese house tax
case to the court. This case, in which
is involved the question of right un-
der international law to tax inn
under perpetual lease and bringing as
it does four Of the great powers Of the
world before the tribunal, will make 1t
of even greater weight in giving pres
tige to the court than the Pious fund
case. This house tax case is now
actually before a tribunal of three of
the Hague judges.
In addition to these cases protocol
for the reference of the question of
preferential treatment growing out of
the recent Venezuelan trouble has
just been signed. The principle in
voIved in this case, like that in the
Japanese house tax case, is sure to be
of far-reaching Importance in the flu
ture relations of the nations. The
practically universal demand through
out the civilized world for the refer
ence of the whole Venezuela difficulty
to the Hague court, and the vigorous
support of this demand by the govern
ment of the United States, makes the
victory gained by arbitration in con
nection with it one of the most
signal ever won, in the field of diplO-
macy. The result is almost certain to
be the greater willingness of the
Powers in general to submit their diff
ferences to The Hague court.
Within few weeks it has been an
nounced from Paris that the French
government and that of Guatemala
have reached an agreement to refer to
the Hague the question of the claims
of a French engineer against Guate-
mala
The reference of these four cases
during the year and within two years
from the opening of the court for
business, is proof enough that this
great international institution is not
to die of neglect, as some have feared
but is sure to come with comparative
rapidity into general use.
1t was not to be expected that the
nations would Immediately submit to
The Hague all controversies arising
between them after the courts inaug.
uratiOn, Or at any rate only those i'll
informed and lacking in historic sense
supposed that such would be the case
Within the past year the following con-
troversies have been referred to special
arbitrators or arbitratal commissions,
namely:
The controversy between Italy and
Guatemala as to the treatment of
Italian emigrants.
The question Of claims of citizens OF
France against Venezuela.
The boundry dispute between Bolivia
and Peru.
The controversy between the
United States and San Domingo over
the claims of the San Domingo I'm.
provemet company.
The question between Great Britain
and Portugal of any difficulties that
may arise in locating their colonial
boundaries in South Africa.
The question of the claims of Sala
and company, of New York against
the Republic of San Domingo.
The Alaskan boundary dispute be
tween the United States and Great
Britain which has been referred to a