Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-02-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Uorres pondent)
Washington, ID. G. Feb. 9.-An ap.
peal has been made to President Roose |
welt by the Society of Friends Of Phila- |
delphia for the esta olishment Of per-
manent arbitration congress with the
consent and CO operation Of the other
nations of the world. This plan is not
so visionary and emotional as good
many of the peace plans put forward
by International arbitration opponents.
II recognizes the excellent work that
has already been done by the hague
tribunal and does not propose to sup
plant that institution, but rather to
supplement it's work by creating an In
ternational congress from which would
emanate a code of International law.
International law. as now understood
is somewhat hazv system. 1t is based
entirely upon precedent and is inter-
preted variously according as suits the
convenience of nations dealing with It.
The plan submitted to the President
provides for an international congress
to meet at stated intervals with duly
accredited representatives from the
various adhering governments and EN-
powers this congress to Work out q
fixed and definite international code
which could be applied In practice be
fore the Hague tribunal whenever &C.
casion arose. President Roosevelt has
expressed himself as heartily in favor
OF it and has already laid the papers in
the case before Secretary Root with a
request that be sound the various for.
eigD governments on the subject and
if possible formulate a treaty which 1t
would be agreeable for all of them to
sign.
Speaking Of treaties the extra ses-
! sion discussion has now assumed the
! oaase where il is definitely announced
in a good many papers that TN extra
session will be called after the 4lh OF
March at which the Japaness school
q uestion with it's resulting Japanese
treaty, the Santo Domingo treaty and
currency reform may all be calmly and
leisurely discussed and disposed OF
without fuss or hurry. How correct
thls forecast will prove can be told bet
ter after the 4th of March. 1t is quite
certain that there can be no serious at
tempt to consider the Santo Domingo
treaty at the present session. The Japa
nese situation ia in such shape thai
the President and the State Depart
; ment probably would rather have Con
gress out of the way while the detailf
were being settled. Treaties, o.
} course, are always discussed ia execu
tive session and equally, of course. th'
reports Of these discussions are printed
in the next issue of the newspapers te
the Inconvenience of the State Depart
ment and the pleasure of such sena
tors as have anything to gain by mud
dying the waters of diplomacy. The
) exchanges between this government
and that of japanese are now In such
. shape that q treaty can very probably
be framed that will meet the ideas o.
!, both governments and eventually &c,
! through the Senate. Bnt 1t will taxi
: several weeks more of elaboration ar {
} negotiation before this solution is de.
finltely reached.
Without even division the Hous'
t this week passed bill modifying tn
denatured alcohol act In such Way al
J is thought will make it more to th'
advantage of the farmers. 1t Is . lit
tie remarkable that with all the fus
made in anticipation of the passage o
the free alcohol bill nothing at al
r should have come of it up to date. 1
J was predicted that the Act would b
: the most bensncent piece of Legislation
+ ever passed for the oppressed ant
2 down trodden farmer. and that
: would enable him to use up all tn
Surplus farm supplies even to the weed
IN the fence corners for making dens
tured alcohol from which he could oh
tain heat, light and power. But sine
the free alcohol bill has passed it ha
, been utterly nullified by the plans TO
its enforcement worked out by th
Bureau of Internal Revenue. Tn
Bureau has made such regulations gov
: erning the production of ouch alcoht
as effectually prevents any but the al
ready established distillers from takin
advantage of the law. The amended
! act provides for centrally located bond
ing and denaturing wal ehouses wher
the farmer Can deliver his alcohol ant
get the benefit of government of super
vision free of tax. It was stated wheI
this amended bill was passed that ther
were but three interests against it Th
whisky trust the wood alcohol manu-
facturers and the Standard Oil Com
pany. Whether the new law will prov
, any more benefit to the farmer thai
the old one can only be proved by ex
lperience.
4 Postmaster General Cortelyou hal
aeen working On q new scheme Ia con
nection the dead letter office that Il