The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-12-05

All contributions by corporations 70
any political committee or for any po-
litical purpose should be forbidden by
law, directors should not be permitted
to use stockholders, money for such
purposes, and, moreover, a prohibition
of this kind would be, as far as it
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 1899, being unable tc
dispose of all the business before it,
recommended the consideration and
settlement of a number Of important
questions by another conference to be
called subsequently and at an early
date. These questions were the follow
ing: Q) The rights and duties of neu-
trails; (2) the limitation of the armed
forces on land and sea and Of military
budgets; 81 the use Of new types and
calibers of military and naval guns: "a
the inviolability 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.
issued invitations to all the powers
signatory to The Hague convention to
send delegates to such 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 waging be.
tween Russia and Japan. The emperor
of Russia, Immediately after the treaty
of peace which so happily terminated
this war, in a 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 it's cor.
dial acQuiescence and stated that il
would as matter Of course take part
In the new conference and endeavor tc
further its aims. We assume that all
civilized governments will support the
movement and that the conference
now an assured fact. This government
will do everything in it's 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 be forgotten as re.
CARDS the Monroe doctrine In the first
place, we must as nation make it ev-
ldent that we do not intend to treat it
in any shape or way as an excuse for
aggrandizement OH our part at the ex-
pense of the republics to the south.
But we must make it evident that we
do not intend to permit the Monroe doc.
trine to be used by any nation on this
continent as shield to protect it from
the consequences of it's own misdeeds
against foreign nations. The Monroe
doctrine does not force us to interfere
to prevent the punishment of a 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 cOntractua]
obligation. This country would Ger
tainly decline to go to war to prevent a
foreign government from collecting a
just debt. On the other hand, it is
very inadvisable to permit any foreign
|! power to take possession, even tempo
rarily, Of the custom houses of an
American republic in order to enforce
the payment Of it's obligations, for such
;rrI,% L.
a permanent occupation. The only es
cape from these alternatives may a,
any time be that we must ourselves
undertake to bring about some arrange
ment by which So much as possible OF
a just obligation shall be paid.
To do so 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 .. 49,. +
SantO Domingo.
Santo Domingo has now made an an
peal to us, 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 a number of years grown
from bad to worse until year ago all
society was on the verge of dissolution.
Fortunately just at this time a ruler
spranS up in Santo Domingo who, with
his colleagues, saw the dangers threat
ening 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
thence 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 unofi-
cial assurance of this government that
it would itself strive to help Santo
Domingo in her hour of need.
Accordingly, the executive depart
ment of our government negotiated a
1~,~ 80.