Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-06-21
Scenes at Great.
Convention
Concluded from Page g.

Concluded from Page g.
ly powers by treaty and internationa
law, and safeguard for the world tn,
principle of equal and impartial trad
with all parts of the Chinese Empire
The express adherence of the pow
ers of Europe to this declaration wa.
secured. The oben recognition of the
rule of right conduct imposed its limi
tations upon the conduct of the pow.
ers in the Orient. 1t was made the
test OF defensible action. Carefully
guarded by the wise statesman who
had secured its acceptance, it brought
a moral force OF recognized value to
protect peaceful and helpless China
from Acknowledgement and spoliation,
and to preserve the open door in the
Orlt1f for the commerce OF the world,
Under the influence of this effective
friendship, a new commercial treaty
with China, proclaimed on the sth Of
October last, has enlarged our op.
portunities for trade, opened new ports
TO our commerce, and abolished in
ternai duties on goods in transit with
in the empire. There We're indeed
other nations which agreed with this
policy Of American diplomacy, but no
other nation was free from suspicion
Of selfish aims. None other had won
confidence In the sincerity Of its pur.
pose, and none other but America
could render the service which we
have rendered to humanity in China
during the past four years. High evil
dence OF that enViable position Of our
country, is furnished by the fact that
when all Europe was in apprehension
lest the field of war between Russia
and Japan should 50 spread as to in
volye China's ruin and a universal
conflict, it was to the American gov
eminent that the able and f~ar-sighted
German emperor appealed. to take the
lead again in bringing about an agree
ment for the limitation of the field of
action, and the preservation Of the.
administrative entity of China outside
Of Manchuria; and that was accomp-
lished.
Upon our own continent a dispute
with Canada over the boundary of
Alaska had been growing more acute
for thirty years. A multitude of min
ers swift to41efend their own rights
by force were locating mining claims
under the laws Of both countries in
the disputed territory. At any mo-
ment a fatal ARRAY between Canadian
and American miners was liable to be-
gin asconflict in which all British Co.
lumbif would be arrayed on one side
and all our northwest upon the 9TH
er. Agreement was impossible. But
the Alaskan boundary treaty OF Jan
uary "a, 1893, provided a tribunal for
the decision of the controversy; and
upon legal proofs and reasoned argu-
ment, an appeal has been had from
prejudice and passion to judicial judg.
ment; and under the lead OF a great
chief Justice of England, who held the
sacred obligations Of his judicial office
above all other considerations, the
dispute has been settled forever and
Substantially in accordance with the
American contention.
In 1900 the first administration Of
Mckinley had played a great part IN
establishing the Hague Tribunal for in
ternational arbitration. The prevail
ing opinion Of Europe was i~ncredulots
as 10 the practical utility Of the pre-
vision, and anticipated a faapes trih.
unal u~nsought by litigants. II was the
example Of the United States which
set at naught this opinion. The first
international case taken to the Hague
Tribunal was under our protocol with
Mexico Of May ~, 1902, submitting
our contention for the rights 81 the
Roman Catholic church IN California
70 a share III the church moneys held
by the Mexican government before the
cession, and known as the pious
fund: and the first decision q the
tribunal was an award IN our favor
upon that question.
When In 1903 the failure ~ venefue
Ia to pay her Just debts LED Englana.
Germany and Italy 70 war-like meas
ures for the collection Of their claims.
an appeal by Venezuela ! Q our gov.
eminent resulted In agreements upon
arbitration in place Of the war, and
IN a reonesn that our president should
act as arbitrator. Again he promoted
the authority and prestige o. the
Hague Tribunal. and was able 10 lead
ali the powers 70 submit the crucial
questions In controversy TO the de-
termination Of that court. II Is due
greatly to support by the American
government that this agency for peace
ai,n.noiptad the cancellations of