The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-06-22

by the Senate; conffrmatory legisla-
ton by Congress; the payment OF the
$50 100000 20 the French company and
to Panama; the appointment OF the
Canal Commission In accordance win
law; and Its organization TO pesin the
work
The action of the United States at
every step has been in accordance
with. the law of nations. consistent
with the principles of justice and S9on-
or. in discharga of the trust to build
the canal we long since assumed, by
denying the right to every otner pow
err to build II. dictated by high and
unselfish purpose. for the common BEN
eft of ali mankind. That action was
WISE considerable, prompt. vigorous and
effective; and now the greatest OF con-
structive nations stands ready and
the great enterprise which shall real
lie the dreams of past ages, bind to-
gether our Atlantic and Pacific coasts,
and open new highway for that com
merce of the Orient whose course has
controlled the rise and fall of civiliza-
tions. Success in that enterprise great
ly concerns the credit and honor of the
American people. and u Is Tor them to
shall be in charge of the men-who made
its building possible, or of the weak
lings whose incredulous objections
would have postponed it for another
For Peace and Justice.
Throughout. the world the diplomacy
of the present administration has made
for peace and justice among nations.
to maintain. American interests, 1t has
been sagacious and simple and direct in
its methods, and considerate of the
rights and of the feelings of others.
tional Convention met, Secretary Hays
circular note of July 3, 1900, to the
great powers of Europe had declared
the policy of the United States ITO seek
solution which may bring about per-
manent safety and peace to China, pre-
serve China's territorial and admins
trative entity, protect all rights guar
anteed to friendly powers, by treaty
and international law. and safeguard
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 the
rule of right conduct imposed its limi-
tations upon the conduct of the powers
In the Orient. 1t was made the test Of
defensible action. Carefully garded by
the wise statesman who had secured
Its acceptance, 1t brought a moral force
Of recognized value to protect peace
berment and spoliation, and to preserve
the open door in the Orient for the
commerce of the world. Under the in
new commercial treaty with China,
proclaimed on the 3th of October last.
has enlarged our opportunities for
trade. opened new ports to our COM
merce, and abolished internal duties on
goods in transit within tho Empire.
There were indeed other nations which
agreed with this policy of American di-
plomacy but no other nation was free
from suspicion of selfish aims. None
other had won confidence in the SINGER
ity of its purpose, 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 SO spread as to in
volve China's ruin and universal con-
fiict it was to the American govern
ment that the able and far-sighted Ger
man 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 ad-
ministratiYe entity of China outside of
Manchuria: and that was accomplished.
Upon our own continent a dispute
with Canada over the boundary of Alas
ka had been growing more acute for
thirty years. A multitude of miners
swift to defend their own rights by
force were locating mining claims UNI
der the laws of both countries in the
disputed territory. At any moment a
American miners was liable to begin a
conflict in which all British Columbia
would be arrayed on one side and all
our northwest upon the other Agree
kan boundary treaty of January "a
1908, provided a tribunal for the de-
cision of the controversy: and upon le-
gal proofs and reasoned argument, an
appeal has been had from prejudice and
passion to judicial Judgment; and I'M
der the lead OF a great Chief Justice of
England, who held the sacred obliga-
lions of his judicial office above all 9TH
er considerations, the dispute has been
settled forever and substantially in ac-
cordance with the American contention.
Mckinley had played a great part in
establishing The Hague Tribunal for
international arbitration. The prevail
ing opinion of Europe was incredulous
as to the practical utility of the pro-
vision. and anticipated a paper tribu-
nal unsought by litigants. 1t was tho
example of the United States which set
at naught this opinion. The first in
ternationa1 case taken to The Hague
Tribunal was under our protocol with
Mexico of May %, 1902, submitting our
contention for the rights of the Roman
Catholic Church in California to a
share OF the church moneys held by
the Mexican government before the
cesston, and known as the Pious fund !:
and the first decision of the tribunal
was an award in our favor upon that
question.
The Venezuelan Episode.
When in 1903 the failure of Vene-
zuela to pay her just debts led Eng
land. Germany and Italy to warlike
measures for the collection of their
claims, an appeal by Venezuela to our
government resulted in agreements
upon arbitration in place of the war.
and in request that our President
should act as arbitrator Again he pro-
NOTED the authority and prestige of
The Hague tribunal, and was able to
lead all the powers to submit the cru
cial questions in controversy to the de-