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

1
of Dec. 5, 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
nations, to reduce to the lowest posi-
BILE point the damage sustained in time
of war by peaceable trade and COM
merce. 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 uneasiness and APP
prehension into which an outbreak of
hostilities throws the entire CONNER
cial world. 1t should be our object,
| therefore, to minimize so far as prac-
| ticable this inevitable loss and dis
turbance. This purpose can probably
! best be accomplished by an interlla-
tlonal agreement to regard all private
/ property at sea as exempt from cap
/ ture or destruction by the forces of
belligerent powers. The United States
government has for many years adj
! vocatcd this humane and beneficent
| principle and is now tin a position TO
recommend it to other powers without
| the imputation of, selfish motives. |
therefore suggest for your considera-
ton that the executive be authorized
to correspond with the governments of
the principal maritime powers with a
view of incorporating into the perma-
nent law of civilized nations the prin-
ciple of the exemption of all private
property at sea not contraband of war
from capture or destruction by bel
| ligerent powers"
| l cordially renew this recommends
ton.
Exemption of Private Property at Sea.
The supreme court, speaking on Dec
IL, 1899, through Peckham, !, said:
1T is, we think. historically accurate
to say that this government has al
ways been in. it's views among the
most advanced of the governments of
the world i'll favor of mitigating, as to
I all noncombatants. the hardships and
horrors of war. To accomplish that
! object it has always advocated those
rules which would in most cases do
away with the right 10 capture the
private property of an enemy on the
| high seas.'4iass
| advocate this as matter of hu,
manity and morals It is anachronis,
tic when private property is respected
on land that it should not be respected
at sea- Moreover, it Should be borne
in mind that Slipping represents in.
ternationally speaking, a much more
sseneraGzed species of private property
| than is the case with ordinary proper,
| ty on land--Tthat is. property, found, at
sea is much less app, than is 1.-The case
with property found. on land reilly to
belong to any one nation. Under the
modern system of corporate ownership
the flag of a vessel often differs from
the flag which would mark the nation
lality of the real ownership aud money
control of the vessel, and the, cargo
may belong to individuals of yet a diff
ferent nationality. Much American
capital is now invested in foreign ships
and among foreign nations it often
| happens that the capital of one is large
ly invested in the shipping of another.
Furthermore, as a practical matter it
may be mentioned that, while commerce
destroying may cause Serious loss. and
1 great annoyance, it can never be, more
! than a subsidiary factor in bringing to
terms resolute foe This is, now Well
recognized BY all of our naval experts.
THE fighting ship hot the commerce commerce
destroyer. is the Vessel Whose feaats add
Nrenown to a nations history and es-
tablish her PLACE among the great pow
ers of letworid. Sd q
| Last year the 'fnterparliamentary I'm
/ ion For International Arbitration met
lat Vienna, GOO members of the differ
rent legislatures of civilized countries
attending. 1t was provided that the
next meeting should be in 1904 at ST
Louis, subject to our congress extend
ing an invitation. Like The Hague
tribunal. this interparliamentary union
| is one of the forces tending toward
peace among the nations of the earth.
and ii. is entitled 10 our support /
trust the invitation can be extended.
Relations With Turkey.
Early in July, having received intel
| ligencc, which happily turned out to be
erroneous. of the assassination of our
vice consul at Beirut, / dispatched a
small squadron to that port for such
service as might be found necessary
on arrival. Although the attempt on
the life of our vice consul had not been
successful, yet the outrage was symp
tomato of Il state of excitement and
disorder which demanded immediate
attention. The arrival of the vessels
had the happiest result A feeling of
security at once took the place of the
former alarm and disquiet. Our off
GERS were cordially welcomed by the
consular body and the leading mer-
chants. and ordinary business resumed
| its activity. The government of the
sultan gave a considerate hearing to
the representations of our minister; the
official who was regarded as RESPONSE
bic for the disturbed condition of af-
fairs was removed Our relations with
the Turkish government remain friend
"; our claims. founded on inequitable
treatment Of some of our schools and
mi sGiops annpal. IN lel i'm, propacS Of a, N,