The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-04

creditors should act. and this would not
| inspire respect The true course is in
| dicated by the terms OF the program.
which proposes to request the second
Hague conference, where both creditors
and debtors will be assembled, 10 con-
! slider the subject"
Central America.
| Last June trouble which had existed
| for some time between the republics OF
| Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras
/ eliminated I'm war--a war which
| threatened to he ruinous TO the coun-
| tries involved and very destructive to
the commercial interests of Americans
Mexicans and other foreigners who are
taking an important part in the de-
velopment OF these countries The
thoroly good understanding which ex-
| lists between the United States and
Mexico enabled this government and
| that OF Mexico 10 unite in effective
| mediation between the warning re-
publics: which mediation resulted, not
without long-continued and patient ef-
| fort, in bringing about meeting OF
! the representatives of the hostile
powers on board United States war
| ship as neutral territory, and peace
was there concluded; a peace which re-
suited i'm the saving Of thousands or
| lives and I'm the prevention OF an meal
culable amount OF misery and the de-
/
! OF livelihood The Rio conference past
the following resolution in reference TO
| this action:
THAT the third international Ameri-
| can conference shall address TO the
presidents OF the United states OF
| America and OF the United states or
/ Mexico "A note in which the conference
which is being held at Rio expresses
| its satisfaction at the happy results or
! their mediation for the celebration or
| peace between the republics or Guate-
mala, Honduras and salvador.
This affords an excellent example or
| one way in which the influence OF the
| United States can properly be exercised
for the benefit OF the peoples or the
western hemisphere; that is. by action
taken in concert with other American
/ republics and therefore free from those
| suspicious and prejudices which might
| attach II the action were taken py one
alone. In this way IL is possible TO
| exercise a powerful influence toward
| tho substitution of considerate action
in the spirit of justice for the insur-
| rectionary or international Vloiehce
| which has hitherto been so great nina
rance to the development OF many OF our
neighbors. Repeated examples or uniteo
| action by several or many American re
publics in favor OF peace, by urging cooi
/ and reasonable. instead OF excited ana
| helIlgerent treatment OF international
! controversies can not fail to promote the
growth OF a general public opinion
among the American nations which VIII
| elevate the standards of international ac-
ton. strengthen the sense OF international
duty among governments, and tell In IA
vor OF the peace OF mankind.
Panama Trip.
! have lust returned from a trip to Pam
anna and shall report to you at length Ia
ter on the whole subject of the Panama
canal
The AIgeciras Convention.
The Algeciras convention, which was
! signed by the United States as well as by
most OF the powers OF Europe, supersedes
/ the previous convention of 1880. which was
also signed both by the United States ana
a majority OF the European powers. This
! treaty confers upon US equal commercial
rights with all European countries ana
! does not entail single obligation or any
| kind upon us and ] earnestly hope IL may
be speedily ratified. To refuse to ratlfy IL
would merely mean that we forfeited our
commercial rights I'm Morocco and would
not achieve another object OF any kind.
| In the event of such refusal we would be
left for the first time in hundred and
| twenty years without any commercial
| treaty with Morocco: and this at time
when we arc everywhere seeking new
|
Fur seals.
The destruction OF the Pribilof islands
! fur seals by pelagic sealing still con-
! tnues. The herd which. according to the
| SURVEYS made in 1874 by direction or the
congress. numbered 4,700,0co and which,
! according To the survey OF both American
and Canadian commissioners In 1891,
! amounted TO 100000. has now been re-
duced to about 10000 This result has been
brought about by Canadian and some
| other sealing vessels killing the female
| seals while i'm the water during their an
| nual pilgrimage to and from the south,
! or I'm search OF food. As n rule the female
seal when killed is pregnant. and also has
! an unweaned pup on land, so that, for
| each skin taken by pelagic sealing. as a
| rule three lives arc destroyed-the moth
| er. the unborn offspring, and the nursing
/ pup, which is left to starve 10 death No
damage whatever is done TO the herd by
! the carefully regulated killing on land :.
! the custom of pelagic sealing is solely re-
sponsible for all of the present evil. and
/ Is alike indefensible from the economic
! standpoint and from the standpoint OF
! humanity.
I In 1896 over 5000 young seals were
! found dead from starvation on the Pribll-
| OF Islands In 1897 IL was estimated that
! since pelagic sealing began upward OF
10000 adult female seals had been killed
at sea. and over 100000 young seals had
! died Of starvation as the result The re-
voting barbarity OF such a practice. as
! we'll as tho wasteful destruction which II
/ involves, needs no demonstration and Is
! its own condemnation. The Bering Sea
/ tribunal. which sat i'm Paris in 1898. and
which decided against the claims OF the
/ United States to exclusive jurisdiction in
/ the waters of Bering sea and TO prop
/ erty right in the fur seals when outside
OF the three mile limit. determined also
! upon certain regulations which the tri-
J bunal considered sufficient for the proper
( protection and preservation OF tho fur seal
| In. or habitually resorting to. the Bering
sea The tribunal by its regulations es-
| tablished a close season. for tho lst OF
! Nav TO the 3lst OF July and excluded all
/ killing i'm the waters within 60 miles
around tho PrG-ilof Islands. They also
| provided that the regulations which they
| had determined upon. with a view 10 the
protection and preservation Of the seals.
should be submitted every FIVE years to
I new examination. 80 as to enable both in
| terested governments TO consider whether,
I'm the light OF past experience. there was
! occasion for any modification thereof