Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-06-22
THE CONVENTION
CONTINUED from page ~

ci1prdte, pIoIilpt, NlSOtco' "'iN
tive. and now the greatest of construc-
tive nations stands ready and compe-
tent to begin and to accomplish the
c,e,t enterprise which shall reallZc
the dreams of past ages, bind tosether
Mr. Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, ana
onen a new highway for that commerce
of the Orient whose course has con-
trcIled the rise ani fall of civilizations.
Success in that enterprise greatly con-
,,rns the credit and honor of the
American people, and it is for them to
CIV whether the building of the canal
,h,u he i'm charge of the men who
,,,,do its building possible, or of the
,,.aokIincs whose incredulous objections
,rouId have postponed 1t for another
generation.
Tbrouehout tho world the diplomacy
of the present administration has made
for peaco and justice among Nations
tIear-sighted to perceive and prompt
to maintain American interests, it has
been sagacious and simple and direct
in its methods, and considerate of the
rights and of the feelings OF others.
Within the month after the last
National Convention met, Secretary
HAYS circular Note of July Sd. 1900
IN tho Great Powers of Europe had de-
clarcd he policy of the United States
'to sock n solution which may bring
about permanent safety and rc1ce to-
China, preserve China's territorial and
administrati entity, protect all rights
guaranteed to friendly powers by
treaty and international law. and safe
guard for the world the principle of
equal and impartial trade with all parts
Of the Chinese Empire"
The express adherence of the Powers
of Europe to this declaration was Sc
cured. The open recognition Of tn"
rule Of right conduct imposed its
limitations upon the conduct of the
Powers I'm the Orient. 1t was made the
test Of defensble action. Carefully
guarded by the wise statesman who
had secured it's acceptance, 1t brought.
moral force of recognized value to
protect peaceful end helpless China
from ACKNOWLEDGMENT and spoliation,
and to preserve the Open Door in the
Orient 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 oppor-
tunitics for trade. opened new ports to
oIr commerce, and abolished internal
duties on goods in transit within the
Empire. There were 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 con-
fdencc in the sincerity of its purpose.
and none other but America could
render the service which We have rem
deed to humanity in China during the
past four years. High evidence of
that cnviablc position of our Country,
: Is furnished by the fact that when all
kEurnpe was in apprehension lest tn"
field Of war between Russia and Japan
should 50 spread as to involve China $
ruin and a universal conflict 1t was to
the American ,iovcrnment that the able
and far-sightcd German Emperor ap-
p.alcd to take the lead again in bring
ing about an agreement for the limita-
tion of the field of action. ana the
preservation Of the administrative
entity of China nUtsid" Of Manchurit;
and that WAS accomplished.
I-pun our own continent Il dispute
with Canada over the boundary of
for 30 years A multitude of miners
swift to defend their own rights by
force. were locating mining claims un-
der the laws Of both Countries i'll the
disputed territory. At any moment Il
fatal affray between Canadian ana
American miners was liable to begin a
conflict in which all British t"iumbla
would br arrav"d ON one side and all
our Northwest upon the other. Agree
mcnt was imposshl". But III" AlaS-
kan Iuuudary Treaty Of January 24th
1909. provided a tribunal for til" dcciS-
ion Of the controversy: ami upon lc-
gal proofs and reasoned argument, an
appcaI has been had from prejudice
aud passion t" Judicial judgment: and
under the lead Of Il great Chief Justice
Of England. who held the sacred obi
CATIONS of his judicial office above al
other considerations. the dispute has
been settled for ever and substantially
In accordance with the American con-
tcntiou.
In 1900 tho first Administration ol
Mckinley had played 4 great part II
establishing The Hague Tribunal foi
International Arbitration. Th" pre-
vailing opinion of Europe WAS incrcdu-
lous as to the practical utility of the
ptovision and anticipated paper
tribunal upsought by litigauts. 1t was
the example of the United States
which set at nauEht this opinion The
first international case taken to Tbs
Hague Tribunal was under our proto-
col with Mexico Of May I'D. l?o2. sub
mitting our contention FOR the rights o
the Roman Catholic Church in Call
fornia to Il share of the Church money:
h.Id ny the Mexican Government be-
fore the ccsSion. and known az th'
Fious Fund; and the first decision o
the Tribunal was an award in our IA
vor upon that question.
When In 1909 the failure Of Nenczu
Ella to pay her just debts led England
Germany and Italy to warlike meas
ures for the collection ot their claims
an appeal hy Venezuela to our govern
ment resulted in agreements upon ar
hitration in place of the war. and in {
request that our President should ac'