The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-10-13

way W Lne lued lUdG UIlc real IdClOIldl
sovereignty rests in the people, the
people are the State, and the rulers or
governmental authorities exist for the
and are bound by the rights and we'll
come to prescribe the duties of the gov
eminent just the same as the individu-
ais. The great object lessons of this
idea today are the republics and democ-
racies, but the same idea is holding the
hereditary monarchs of today in an
ever Tightening grip which no personal
within or selfish ambition can shake off.
But there still prevails the idea that
nations must settle their differences by
war. 1t is based upon the belief that
the final sovereignty is in the nation.
This is the conception that now stands
in the way of peace.
But is this belief the absolute truth?
Is it the highest round of mans climb
upward? Is it the height of human
wisdom? Is this final? Is there to be
no further advance? In the light of the
marvellous progress of the past, it would
be the utmost folly to answer yes to
these inquiries. We believe that the
movement of civilization is onward;
that the advance of ideas is upward;
that present conceptions are only a
stage in the progress toward the higher
truth. We need but open our eyes to
behold the frightening glow of the dawn
of new day in the world life.
While the idea of national sovereign
ty is firmly grounded in the worlds
thought and makes universal peace i'm
possible now. it is steadily being under
mined and must sooner OF later totter
to its fall.
The signs which point to this are
many and on every hand. The nations
of the world are drawing nearer to-
gether in a common interest and SYM
pathy, with every passing year. The
| worldwide extension of means of rapid
transit and communication is fast weld
ing the world into one great community
of life. The day is rapidly approaching
when the world lnteres. and welfare
will take precedence of the national in
terest Just as the individuals rights
and relations were taken up by the
national government and defined and
enforced by law, doing away with in
dividual warfare, so will the national
rights and relations be taken up by a
world sovereignty, defined and enforced
| by international law, doing away with
| national warfare.
Just as in primitive times before or
ganized national governments were
established there was growing out Of
the experiences of people certain rules
and regulations defining their rights
and relations that were observed by
common consent and custom With
the organization of governments these
customs and rules were embodied into
definite form in law and Systematically
enforced to adjust and secure the right
relations between individuals, doing
away with individual struggle to secure
! them.
Just so among the nations there is a
toms that are observed by common con-
sent. They are known by the term in
| ternationaI laws or the laws of nations.
1t has already reached a considerable
degree of perfection, defining the duties
and relations of nations.
| But there being no power above the
| nations to enforce it as yet, it must
! rest upon common consent. Nations
act Independently. They may go to
war to settle difficulties. The inter-
national laws therefore define the du-
| ties of nations in war as we'll as in
peace. Just us did the common law
among individuals before the organiZa-
ton of national governments.
| Are not the same conditions existing
among nations as existed among indi-
| vttuals before organized governments
| began? AS the common sense of men
led them to organize these conditions
! into national sovereignty to define and
secure their individual rights without
| individual struggle, is it too much to
expect that the same common sense.
enforced by greatly increased intelli-
gence, will organize the conditions ROW
| existing among nations into a world
sovereignty to define and secure the
! rights of nations without the arbitra-
ment of WAL?
1t is certainly not beyond the scope
of rational judgment to assert that the
signs OF the times point Enthusiastically
to this glorious contamination. The
conditions now existing glow with light
as the dawn heralding the advent of the
day, when the world sovereignty will
be organized into definite world gov
eminent, with the international reia-
enacted by a world legislature, admins
tered by world courts of Justice and en-
forced by world executive functions.
The world has already taken decid-
ed step IN this direction in the estab-
lishment of a world tribunal at The
Hague True it's powers are very limit
ed by reason of lack of support by other
functions of government, but it is
step in the direction of world govern
ment. 1t is virtual concession that
the national sovereignty is not abso-
lutte, and to that extent is a tacit re-
cognition of the world sovereignty and
is a real step in advance toward the es
tahlishment of world government.
While the signs point Enthusiastically
to this ultimate achievement, it must
necessarily be slow, tedious way to
reach it. Old ideas and prejudices must
be outgrown and the new ones slowly
diffused by education and rational ex
perience.
To the work of sitting out the worlds
wisdom from experience and under
standing the relations of nations, and
overcoming ancient ideas and preju-
dices, and applying the common sense
wisdom of the world to the adjustment
of differences, the Peace Congresses
and Peace Societies and kindred move
ments are contributing great part,
and of incalculable value. Who is able
to tell how much bloodshed and de-