The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-12-07

+, All contributions by corporations to
any political committee or for any DO
litical purpose should be forbidden by
law. directors should not be permitted
TO use stockholders money for such
purposes and, moreover, prohibition
of this kind would be- as far as 1t
went an effective method of stopping
the evils aimed at in corrupt practices
acts.
| The Hague Conference.
The first conference of nations held
at The Hague In 1890, being unable to
dispose Of all the business before IT,
recommended the consideration and
settlement Of number of important
questions by another conference to be
called subsequently and at an early
date. These questions were the follow
Ing: % The rights and duties Of neu-
trails; q, the limitation OF the armed
forces on land and sea and of military
budgets; (3) the use Of new types and
calibers of military and naval guns; AZ
the inviolabllity Of private property at
sea In times of war: - the lombard
ment of ports, cities and villages by ma
val forces. In October, 1904. at the In
stance Of the interparliamentary union.
l Issued Invitations to all the powers
signatory to The Hague convention to
send delegates to such n conference
and suggested that it he 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 waging be-
tween Russia and Japan. The emperor
OF Russia, Immediately after the treaty
OF peace which 80 happily terminated
this war, In note presented to the
president on Sept 13 took the initiative
In recommending that the conference
be now called. The United States gov
ernment in response expressed Its cor
dial acquiescence and stated that It
would as matter Of course take part
In the new conference and endeavor to
further Its aims. We assume that all
civilized governments will support the
movement and that the conference Is
now an assured fact This government
VIII do everything In Its power to Sc.
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 he forgotten as re-
CARDS the Monroe doctrine In the first
place, we must as nation make 1t ev-
ident that we do not intend to treat 1t
in any shape or way as an excuse for
aggrandizement oil our part at the ex-
pensc of the republics to the south.
But we must make ii evident that we
do not intend to permit the Monroe doc
trinc to be used by any nation on this
continent as shield to protect 1t 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-
pa ton In any shape. The case Is more
difficult when IL refers to II contractual
obligation. This country would GER
tainly decline TO 20. to war to prevent q
foreign government from collecting a
just debt. On the other hand, 1t Is
very inadvisable to permit any foreign
power to take possession. even tempo-
rarily. of the custom houses of an
American republic I'm order TO enforce
the payment of It's obligations, for such
temporary occupation might turn into
Il 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 SO much as possible of
lust obligation shall be paid.
10 do so insures the defnulting re-
public from having TO nav debts of an
Improper character under durcss. while
IL also insurcs honest creditors of the
republic from being passed by in the
interest of dishonest or grasping cred
ltors. Moreover, for the United States
to take such II position offers the only
possible way of insurinc us against a
clash with some foreign mower. The
position Is therefore In the interest of
peace as well as In the interest of lus-
tice.