The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-04-16
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aiseltgoyetnihg republic. With santo:
Domingo we have lust negotiated a
treaty especially designed 10 prevent
the need Of any interference either by
us or BY anyssforelgn nation with the
internal affairs Of the island. while ut
the same time securing to honest cred.
ltOrs their debts and 70 the govern,
ment Of the islands a secured income,
and giving 10 the islanders themselves
the chance, III only they will take ad.
vantage Of II, to achieve the internal
peace they SO 'sorely need. Mr.. Roots
trip through South America marked
the knitting together in the bonds Of
self.respectlng friendship OF all the re,
publics Of this continent; It marked
q step toward the creation among them
ola community Of public feeling which
will tell for Justice and peace through.
outithe western hemisphere. By the
joint good offices Of Mexico and our.
selves We ayerted one war In Central
America, and lid what We could TO
avert another, although we failed. We
have more than once, while avoiding
offleious international meddling, shown
Our reniiness 10 help other nations
secure peace among themselves. A
dflculity which we had with our
friendly neighbor to the south Of is
we solved by referring It to arbItra'
tioa at The Hague. A difficulty which
we had with our friendly nelghbor to
the north Of us, we solved by the
agreement of joint commission com,
posed OF representatives Of the two
peoples in interest. We try to avoid
meddling In affairs that are not our
concern, and yet TO have our Views
heard where they will avail on behalf
Of fair.dealing and against cruelty
and oppression. We have concluded
certain arbitration treaties. only
regret that We have not concluded q
larger number.
Limitation Of .Armaments.
Our representatives will 60 10 the
second peace conference at The Hague
instructed to help in every practicable
way TO bring some steps nearer com
pletlon the great work which the first
conference began. 1t is idle to ex.
pect that task so tremendous can be
settled by any one or two conferences,
and those who demand the Impossible
from such a conference not only pre-.
pare acute disappointment for them.
selves, but by arouslng exaggerated
and baseless hopes which are certain
to be disappointed, play the game OF
the very men who wish the conference
TO accomplish nothing. It is not pos
sible that the conference should go
more than a certain distance further
in the right direction. Yet believe
that Il, can make real progress on the
road towards international justice.
peace and fair dealing. One Of the
questions, although not TO my mind
one of the most important. which will
be brought before the conference, will
he that of the limitation of arma.
ments. The United States, owing 10
lis peculiar position, has a regular
army so small as to be indnitesimal
when compared to that of any other
first class power. But the cIrcum.
stances which enable this TO be SO arc
peculiar 10 our case, and do not war.
rant as in assuming the offensive at.
titude Of schoolmasters towards 9TH
or nations. We are no longer enlarg.
ing our navy We are simply keeping
up It's strength, very moderate indeed
when compared with our wealth. pop.
ulation and coastline: for the addition
Of one battlcship a year barely ena.
bles us TO make good the units which
become obsolete. The most practica.
BILE step In diminishing the burden Of
expense caused by the increasing size
o. naval ornaments would. I believe,
be an agreement limiting the size Of
all ships hereafter 10 be built: but
hitherto Il has not proved possible TO
get other nations 10 agree with us on
this point.
Reduce the Causes.
More important than reducing the
expense Of The implements OF war is
the question of reducing the possible
causes Of war, which can most effect.
ually be done by substituting other
methods than war for the settlement
Of disputes. OF those other methods
the most important which is now at.
tanable is arbitration. I 10 not be-
iieve that In the world as 1t actually
is It Is possible for any nation to agree
To arbitrate all difficulties which may
arise between itself and other nations;
but | do believe that there can be at
this time a very large Increase in the
classes of cases which 1t is agreed
shall be. arbitrated, and that provision