The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-09

L1AAA liza - ~ 80 AA1&AA
OF the Nation to guard its WI rights
and it's own interests as IL is the duty
Of the individual so TO do. Within the
Nation the Individual has now delegat-
ed this right to the state. that is. to the
representative OF all b individuals.
and Il Is a maximum OF the law that for
every wrong there is a remedy. But in
international law we nave not advanc-
ed by any means as far as we have ad-
vanced in municipal law. There is as
yet no judicial way OF enforcing a right
in international law. When one nation
wrongs another or wrong many others,
there is no tribunal before which the
wrbngdoer can be brought. Either il
is necessary supinely TO acquiesce in
the wrong, and thus put a premium
upon brutality and aggression, or else
&c is necessary for the aggrieved ma
ton valiantly 10 stand up for its rights.
Until some method is devised by which
there shall be a degree of international
control over offending nations. it would
be a wicked thing for the most civilized
powers. for those with most sense OF
international obligations and with keen
est and most generous appreciation of
Inc ulIIeTeTCG DtIWctu EISh liz ioi
10 disarm. If the great civilized nations
of the present day should completely
disarm, the result would mean an i'm
mediate r~ecrudescence of ~barbarism In
one form or another. Under any cir
cumstances a sufficient armament
would have to be kept up to serve the
purposes of international police; and
until International cohesion and the
sense of international duties and rights
are far more advanced than at present,
a nation DESTROYS both of securing re-
spect for itself and of doing good to
others must have a force adequate for
the work which il feels is allotted to 1T
as its part of the general world duty.
Therefore II follows that a self-respect-
ing, Just, and far-seeing nation should
on the one hand endeavor by every
means to aid in the development Of the
various movements which tend to pro-
vide substitutes for war, which tend to
nations in their actions toward
one another, and indeed toward their
own peoples, more responsive to the
general sentiment OF humane and civil
lied mankind: and ON the other hand il
keep prepared, while scrupu-
lousy avoiding wrongdoing itself, to
repel any wrong, and in exceptional
cases to AXE action which in a more
advanced stage of international rela-
tons would come under the head of
the exercise of the international police.
A. great free people owes it to itself ana
to all mankind not to sink into helpless
before powers of evil.
Arbitration Treaties.
We are in every way ~endeavoring to-
help on, with cordial good will, every
movement which will end to bring US
into more friendly relations with the
rest of mankind. In pursuance of this
policy l shall shortly lay before the
treaties of arbitration with all
powers which are willing to enter into
these treaties with us. 1t is not posi-
BILE at this period of the worlds devel-
opment to agree to arbitrate all matt
ters, but there are many matters of pos
sible difference between US and other
nations which can be thus arbitrated.
Furthermore, at the request of the In
Union, an eminent
body composed of practical statesmen
from all countries. I have aska" +h"
Powers to join With this Government III
II second Hague conference, al which
it is hoped that the work already so
happily. begun at The Hague may be
carried some steps further toward conn.,
This carries out the desire eX-I
pressed by the first Hague conference
Itself.
Policy Toward Other Nations OF West
ern Hemisphere.
1t is not true that the United States
feels any land hunger or entertains any
projects as regards the other nations
of the Western Hemisphere save such
are for their welfare. All that this
country desires is to see the neighbour
Ing countries stable, fiorderly. and pros
porous. Any country whose people con-
duct themselves we'll can D
our hearty friendship. If a nation
shows that it knows how to act with
reasonable efficiency n decency in
social and political matters, if it keeps
order and pays it's obligations, it need
fear no Interference from the United
States. Chronic w~rongdoing, or an i'm
potence which results in a general loos-
ening of the ties of civilized society,
may in America, as elsewhere. ultimate
- NAIAAS ~ ~ 49,
ed nation, and in the Western Hemis-
phere the adherence of the United
States to the Monroe Doctrine may
force the United States, however reluc-
family, in fragrant cases of UGH wrong
doing or impotence, to the exercise of
International police power If every
country washed by the Caribbean Sea
would show the progress in stable and
just civilization which with the
aid of the Plat amendment
Cuba has shown since our troops
left the island, and which SO many of
the republics in both Americas are con-
stantly showing, all question of inter
ference by this Nation with their af-
fairs would be at an end. Our interests
and those of our southern neighbors are.
in reality identical. They have great
natural riches, and if within their Dor
ders the reign of law and justice OBJ
tains, prosperity is sure to come to
them. While they thus obey the pri-
mary laws of civilized society tney may
rest assured that they will be treated