Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-31

treaty providing that all questions in dis
pute between the parties should De SUI
mitted to The Hague court or some other
impartial international tribunal for inves-.
tigation and report before any declaration
of war or commencement of hostility. II
would find many nations willing to enter
into such a compact. 1 am sure from the
public utteranceS of the present prime min
lister of Great Britain, Sir Henry Camp
Zimmerman, that such treaty could
be made between the two great English
speaking nations. and their example would
be followed until the danger of war would
be almost, if not entirely, removed.
ITO take the lead in such a movement
would establish our position as a world
power in the best sense of the term. And
what argument can be advanced against
such action on the part of the United
States? Shall we yield to any other nation
in the estimate to be placed upon the value
of human life? l confess that my aversion
to killing increases with the years. Surely
the Creator did not SO plan the universe
as to make the progress of the race depen-
dent upon wholesale blood-letting. 1 prefer
to believe that war, instead of being an
agency for good, is rather an evidence of
mans surrender to his passions, and that
one of the tests of civilization is mans will
ingness to submit his controversies to the
arbitrament of reason rather than of force.
A Needed National Policy.
Another subject connected with our
foreign relations: l venture to suggest that
we may not only promote peace, but also
advance our commercial interests by an
nouncng as a national policy that our navy
will not be used for the collection of pri-
vate debts. While protecting the lives of
our citizens everywhere and guaranteeing
the personal safety of all who owe allie
glance to our flag, We should in my judg-
ment, announce that persons engaging in
nrty ~, oth dc
for business purposes must be subject to
the laws of the countries in which they
engage in business enterprises
Many profitable fields of investment are
now closed because the people of the
smaller nations are afraid that an invest
ment of foreign capital will make an ex-
cuse for foreign invasion. Several times
on this trip this fact has been brought to
my attention, and l am convinced that for
every dollar We could secure to American
investors by attempt to put the gov
eminent back of their private claims, we
would lose many dollars by closing the
door to investments.
Mark the distinction between the pro-
lection of the lives of our citizens and the
use of the navy to guarantee a profit on in
Vestments. We do not imprson for debt
in the United States, neither do we put
men to death because of their failure to
pay what they owe, and our moral prestige,
as well as our commercial interests will
be conserved by assuring all nations that
American investments depend for protec-
ton upon the laws of the country to which
the investors go.
Prestige Lost in Colonialism.
before leaving international politics let
me add that our nation has lost prestige
rather than gained it, by our experiment
in coionialism. We have given the mon
archist a chance to ridicule our Declaration
of Independence, and the scoffer has twitted
us with Inconsistency tour through the
Philippine Islands has deepened the con-
viction that We should lose no time in an
nouncing our purposes to deal with the
Fllipinos as We dealt with the Cubans
Every consideration, commercial and polit-
ical, leads to this conclusion. Such ground
as we may need for coaling stations or for
naval base will be gladly conceded by the
Flipinos' VINO simply desire an opportunity
to work out their own destiny, inspired by
our example and aided by our advice
In so far as our efforts have been d.
rected toward the education of the Fill
pinos We have rendered them a distinct
service, but in educating them We must
recognize that we are making colonialIsm
impossible. If We intended to hold them
as subjects we would not dare to edu-
cate them; self-government, with ultimate
independence, must be assumed If we
contemplate universal education In the Phil
ippines.
LAS soon as opportunity offers I shall
discuss the Philippine question more at
length, and l shall also refer to English
rule in India, for it throws light upon our
own problems in the Philippines but these
subjects must be reserved until can speak
that IN detail.
Defect in Our Legislative System.
I'm several Of the nations of Europe
the legislative department of government
is more quickly responsive to public SEN
timent than is our Congress In England,
for instance, where the ministry is formed
from the dominant party, when an cleo
ton is held upon any important issue the
government proceeds to put into law the
will of the people expressed at the polls.
While our system Is superior in many
respects. it has one defect, viz, that Con-
gress does not meet in regular session
until thirteen months after the election.
During this period there is uncertainty
long drawn out. which to the business
community is often more damaging than
change of policy promptly carried into
effect.
Would not the situation be improved
by a constitutional amendment conven-
ing the session of Congress within a few
the second session to adjourn several
days before the following election? Such
change would not only serve legitimate
business interests and give the public the
benefit of that prompt relief through rene
dial legislation. but 1t would protect the
people from the jobs that are usually re-
served for the short session which Is now
held after the election and when many of