The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-12-07

litical purpose should be forbidden by
law. directors should not be permitted
to us" stockholders money for such
purposes. and, moreover, Il prohibition
of this kind would be. as far az it
went, an effective method Of stopr.N,
the evils aimed at in corrupt practices
acts.
The HnGue Conference,
The Gr>t conference Of nations l.1
at The Hague in 1899 being unable g.,
dispose of all the business before IT,
recommended the consideration ana
settlement Of number of imppr.au,
questions by another conference 10 be
called subsequently and at an early
/ late. These questions We're the follow
I ing: o. The rights and duties of neu-
trails: % the limitation of the armed
/ forces on land and sea ami OF military
budgets: 90 The use of new types and
calibers of military and naval guns: a.
/ the inviolability of private property nj
sea in times of war: o. the lombard
ment of ports. cities and villages l'y ma
val forces. In October, 1904. at the in
| stance of the interpariamcutary union.
I issued invitations to all the powers
signatory to The Hague convention to
| send delegates to such Il conference
/ and suggested that it be again held At
/ The Hague
/ From all the powers acceptance was
/ received. coupled in some cases with
| the condition that we should wait until
| the end Of the war then wagiug be
Z. ND
| of Russia, Immediately after the treaty
| of peace which so happily terminated
| this war; in note presented to the
| president on Sept. IS took the initiative
| in recommending that the conference
| be now called. The United States GOV
/ eminent in response expressed its cor
| dial acquiescence and stated that ii
| would as Il matter of course take part
/ in the new conference and endeavor t.
| further its aims. We assume that an
! civilized governments will support the
movement and that the conference is
| now m assured fact. This government
/ viii DO everything in it, power to So
cure the success of the conference to
the end that substantial progress may
be made in the cause of international
peace, justice and good will
Monroe Doctrine.
There are certain essential points
which must never be forgotten as re
! CARDS tie Monroe doctrine In the first
! place, we must as nation make it ev-
| tdent that we do not intend to treat it
! in any shape or way as an excuse for
/ -
pensc of the republics to the south.
But we must make it evident that we
! do not intend to permit the Monroe doe
| trine to be used by any nation on this
continent as shield to protect it from
! the consequences of its own misdeeds
against foreign nations. The Monroe
! doctrine does not force us to interfere
| to prevent the punishment of port
save TO see that the punishment does
( not assume the form of territorial occu-
! patton in any shape. The case is more
/ difficult when it refers to Il cOntractual
| obligation This country would Ger
| tainIy decline to go TO war to prevent a
| foreign government from collecting Il
! just debt On the other hand. it is
very inadyisable to permit any foreign
! power 10 take possession, even tempo
rarily, of the custom houses Of an
American republic in order to enforce
| the payment of its obligations, for such
temporary occupation might turn into
a permanent occupation. The only es
cape from these alternatives may at
any time be that we must ourselves
undertake to bring about some arrange
ment by which 50 much as possible of
just obligation shall be paid.
To do 50 inSures the defaulting re
public from having to pay debts of an
improper character under duress, while
| it also insures honest creditors of the
republic from being passed by in the
interest of dishonest or grasping cred
| itorS. Moreover, for the United States
| to take such a position offers the only
| possible way Of inSuring us against a
clash with some foreign power The
! position is therefore in the interest of
! peace as we'll as in the interest of jus
! tice.
Sant0 Domingo.
SantO Domingo has now made an ap-
| peal to lis, and not only every principle
| of wisdom, but every generous instinct
within us, bids US respond to the ap-
! peal. The conditions in Santo Domingo
| have for number of years grown
| from bad to worse until Il year ago all
| society was on the verge of dissolution.
| Fortunately just at this time a ruler
/ sprang up in SantO Domingo who. with
/ his colleagues, saw the dangers threat
enln@ their country and appealed to the
! friendship of the only neighbor who
( possessed the power and the will to
/ help them. There was imminent dan
ger of foreign Intervention. The pa
tienee Of foreign creditors had become
exhausted, and at least two foreign ma
tons were on the point of intervention
and were only prevented by the unoffi.
c1al assurance Of this government tina;
it would itself strive to help Santo
Domingo in her hour of need.
Accordingly, the executive depart
| ment of our government negotiated
treaty under which we are trying to
help the Dominican people to straight
en- out their finances. This treaty is
pending before the senate. In the