New-York tribune., 1906-12-05
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

WAY Brief references in alphabetical order 10
all the nations of the globe and our dealings
or lack Of dealings with them. served the pur-
pose of record in year hoax but in vital
Utterance which is at once the voice of the
President TO the people and the voice of this
nation 10 the outer world il is far more profit
able and inspiring 70 have frank and full
discussion of the really important features Of
our international activities Not is it amiss
TO have 50 teIsely and pungently presented to
us the argument with which the President
| introduces that portion of his message. He
strikes the centre OF the target when he re-
minds Us that if the world SO largely now
comedies. the code of morals which obtains
among individuals should also obtain among
nations. then the generosity and the altruism
which are conceded TO exist widely in ind
vidual life should he not only possible but
actually prevalent in international affairs. That
Is a splendid challenge which he throws be-
fore the world. in denouncing the theory Of uni
versal seltiShness in international relations as
a mistake and as betraying a spirit of foolish
cynicism. and ii is one which he himself has
done much 10 sustain.
But it is not only on the altruistic ground.
but on grounds Of justice of reason and of
selfish interest as well. that the President ar
CUES the cause Of Japan and of the Japanese
within our borders. His words are true In
their citation of the marvellous history of
Japan. in their Characterization of the Japan
and the Japanese of to-day, in their descrip-
ton of Japans industrial and commercial i'm
portance TO US and TO all the world. and IN
their recognition of the right OF the Japanese
Ito stand abreast Of the foremost and most en-
lightened peoples Of Europe and America
right which they "have won on their own
merits and by their own exertionS" We be-
lieve his words are equally true when he says
that the overwhelming mass Of our people
Cherish q lively regard and respect for the
people OF Japan and in almost every quar-
"ter of the Union the stranger from Japan is
treated as he deserves" There is point to
his reminder that in every first class college
and university in the land japanese students
are welcomed and esteemed and his reference
10 the exclusion of japanese children from the
public schools, nor is 1t inapt for him, recur-
ring TO the initial text that the individual code
OF morals should prevail among nations. to
urge that good manners should be an interna-
uonal no less than an individual attribute. We
believe that the American nation will cordially
respond TO his appeal for whatever legislation
may be essential TO the fulfilment In spirit
and in letter Of the treaty which we have with
Japan, and. indeed all other treaties, so as to
leave mo particle Of doubt as TO the power OF
the national government completely to per-
nations" In no other way can we escape the
anomaly, which he describes as 'unthlnka ble,"
Of continuing in policy under which a state
or q city is free to commit any offence against
a friendly nation. and the national government
is not able TO prevent or 70 punish the offence,
but must IN the last resort protect those who
committed ii against the consequences of their
own wrongdoing. The appeal for Justice 10
Japan Is truly made. as its maker says not
only for Japans sake a1d for the sake of hu-
manity and civilization but for our own sake
as we'll
The nation will welcome every word which
the President says about our neighbors at the
south OF US. 1t will strongly echo the hope
which he expresses that the people Of Cuba
vii! realize the imperative need Of doing ius-
tee and maintaining order in their island. 1t
is absolutely true that this nation wishes Cuba
TO be prosperous and independent. But il is
no less absolutely out Of the question that the
island should continue independent if it should
persist in making its elections farce and
keeping itself in j chronic state of disorder
The Presidents words 70 Cuba. spoken in be-
half of this nation. are full of encouragement
but also of solemn warming. Happily there is
reason TO expect that they Will he needed, AMI
that the Cuba which set free at So great
cost TO ourselves will prove worthy of its free
dom There is ample reason for the Gratula-
tory not 10 say eXultant tone of the prnSi-
dents references 10 the Pan-Amcrican Con
gress. 10 Secretary Roots visit to South Amer
lea. and to the invitation for the first time
to all American states TO participate IN the
Worlds Peace Congress at The Hague He
quotes feicitouslv DR. Dragos correct nppre-
citation OF the Monroe Doctrine and affords
cause for confidence that this country'S inter
pretatOn of and attitude toward the Draco
Doctrine is no less satisfactory TO the states
of South America. As for another topic half
domestic and half foreign, which follows. the
simple figures which he cites should he surti-
cient to move the nation and the world TO in
>ta.t action. In 1874 the seal herd at our seal
islands numbered 4.7OO0O0; in 1891. 100000.
and now. $4,000, How this reduction has been
effected is explained by the fact that in 1896
1GGCO young seals were found on the islands
starved 10 death through the slaughter of their
mothers ut sea. ana in 1891 30oo,O Young seals
thus mIserahly perishcd. If these figures do
not cause the universal prohibition of pelacc
sealing humanity and reason must he less po-
tent than we suppose.
Entirely accor,lant, too. with what he saws
at the beginning on individual and interna-
tional morals is what the President SAYS in
conclusion on peace and war. 1t should he
righteousness. and not merely peace. which
binds the conscience of n nation as il does or
should bind that Of an individual-the right
eousness which makes for peace and which Is
the only sure basis Of II. We commend what
he says this point to the special attention
OF those austere moralsts who are unweary-
ing in their contentions-which are sufficiently
correct-that what Is right or wrong In an indi-
vidual man must be similarly right or wrong
In a nation of men. and also that no individual
man can or should surrender his conscience 70
anothers keeping How, then. may nation
surrender It's conscience TO the keeping of any