The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-04

such intent / recommend what legIsla-
ton Is needed to accomplish these ends;
and commend to your attention the re-
port of Mr. Sims, OF the department of
commerce and labor, on this subject
In case we are compelled to abandon
the hope of making arrangements with
other governments TO put an end to the
sealing. it will be a question for your
serious consideration how far we should
continue to protect and maintain the seal
herd on land with the result of continu-
ing such q practice, and whether It IS not
peter TO END the practlce by eXler14ln ts..
name way possible
In my last message. I advised you that
the emperor of Russia had taken the mi
tiative in bringing about a second peace
conference at The Hague. Under the
guidance OF Russia the arrangement or
the preliminarfes for such a conference
has been progressing during the past
year. Progress has necessarily been slow,
owing to the great number of countries
to be consulted upon every question that
has arisen 1t is a matter of satisfaction
that all of the american r. a1blics have
now for the first time, bee-l invited to
join in the proposed conference
The close connection between the sub
jects to be taken UP by the Red Cross
conference held at Geneva last summer,
and the subject which naturally would
come before The Hague conference, made
It apparent that it was desirable to have
the work Of the Red Cross conference
completed and considered by the different
powers before the meeting at The Hague.
The Red Cross conference ended its la
bors on the 9Th day of July, and the re-
vised and amended convention, which was
signed by the American delegates, will be
promptly laid before the. senate
BY the special and highly appreciated
courtesy of the governments of Russia
and the Netherlands, a proposal to call
The Hague conference together at a time
which would conflict with the conference
OF the American republics at Rio de ia
metro in August was laid aside. No other
date has yet been suggested. A tenta-
tive programme for the conference has
STA. and the subjects which it enumer-
ates are undergoing careful examination
and considerable in preparation for the
1t must ever be kept in mind that war
is not merely justifiable. but imperative,
upon honorable men, upon an honorable
nation, where peace can only be obtained
by the sacrifice of conscientious convic-
ton or OF national welfare Pence is
normally great good. and normally it
comedies with Righteousness, but it is
righteousness and not peace which should
should bind the conscience of indi-
vidual; and neither a nation nor an in
dividual can surrender conscience to an
others keeping. Neither nation.
which is an entity and which does not
die as individuals die. refrain from tax
ing thought for the interest of the gen
erations that are to come, less than
day; and public men have a right,
whether from shortsightedness, from
ity. to sacrifice national interests which
are vital in character A just war is in
soul than the most prosperous peace OBJ
tanned by acquiescence in wrong or in
justice. Moreover, though 1t is criminal
that it may escape the dreadful conse-
quences of being defeated in war, Yet it
must always be remembered that even
to be defeated in war may be far better
than not to have fought at all AS has
been well and finely said a beaten ma
ton is not necessarily a disgraced ma
ton; but the nation or man is disgraced
If the obligation to defend right is
Should Uphold Peace.
We should as a nation do everything in
our power for the cause of honorable
peace. 1t is morally as indefensble for
a nation to commit wrong upon an
other nation, strong weak. as for an
individual thus to wrong his fellows. We
should do all in our power to hasten the
day when there shall be peace among the
nations-a peace based upon justice and
not upon coWardly submission to wrong.
We can accomplish a good deal in this
direction, but we can not accomplish
everything, and the penalty of attempt
ing to do too much would almost newt
ably be to do worse than nothing; for
treEnists are not in reality leaders of the
causes which they espouse. but are Or
the real leaders of the cause and to dam
age the cause itself As yet there is no
likelihood of establishing any kind of in
ternationaI power, of whatever sort,
which can effectively check wrongdoing,
and in these circumstances it would be
both foolish and an evil thing for a
great and free nation to deprive itself of
the power to protect its own rights and
even in exceptional cases to stand up for
the rights Of others. Nothing Would
more promote iniquity, nothing would
further defer the reign upon earth of
peace and Righteousness, than for the
free and enlightened peoples which,
though with much stumbling and many
justice. deliberately to render themselves
powerless while leaving every despotism
their wicked will. The chance for the
settlement of disputes peacefully, by ar
possession by the nations that mean to do
right of sufficient armed strength to
make their purpose effective.
The United States navy is the Surest
guarantor of peace which this country
possesses. 1t is earnestly to be wished
that we would profit by the teachings of
less than its trilln1phs for there Is wis.
both, of the mistake well as of the
success For this purpose nothing could
be more instructive than 4 rational study
of the war of 1872, as it is told, for in
stance, by Captain Mahan- There was
have been avoided. If during the preced-
ing twelve years navy relatively as
strong as that which this country now
has had been built up. and an army
provided relatively good that which
the country now has. there never would
have been the slightest necessity OF fight
ing the war; and If the necessity had
arisen the war would under such circum-
stances have ended with our speedy and
overwhelming triumph But our people
during those twelve years refused to
make any preparations whatever, regard
saved a million or two of dollars by SO
doing; and in mere money paid a hun
dredfold for each million they thus saved
during the three years of war which fol-
lowed-a war which brought untold suf-
fering upon our people. which at one
time threatened the gravest national dis
aster, and which. in spite of the neces-
sity of waging it, resulted merely in
what was in effect a drawn battle, while
the balance of defeat and triumph was
almost even.
do not ask that we continue to in
crease our navy. ask merely that it
be maintained at its present strength:
and this can be done only If we replace
and good ones. the equals of any af1oat
in any navy. To stop building ships for
navy goes back instead of forward. The
Il hot for fre