The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-12-04
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
November oS. 1906

the war cloud which the French
aud other European papers so
sen>ationally hypothecated year
ago is quite dissipa'ed. Doubt
less the visit of our fleet and its
hOspitable reception in YOko
hama and Toxic has had pacific
| influence. az had also Mr.. Taft's
genial presence there aud his as
Surances at the Toxic banquet
and in private conversations with
the Japanese statesmen, aud now
the knowledge that for the next
| tour years he will he the Com
manter in.Chief Of the Army and
Navy-aA of this is conducive
to the dissipation of a casus
belli that never had any exist
rnce except in Imagination. The
agreement between the countries
represented ny the banner of the
sun and stars aud the stars and
stripes Is based upon the idea
of maintaining tree International
trade and commerce i'll the Pa
citic Ocean 1t has for its foun
dation mutual guarantee to re-
sprct territorial possessions i'll
the Orient and also defines the
attitude of the two countries
towards China, binding both
the United States and Japan to
n aiutain by every peaceful means
Chlna's independence and the in
tegrity of her territory and to
give equal commercial opportun-
tiles in the Chinese possessions
to the dAher nations. The most
important clause in the agree
ment, however, is embodied in an
agreement between the United
States and Japan that If anything
should happen to menace the
peaceful status quo, the United
States aud Japan must consult
each other with view to mutual
paciticatory action. 1t will be
readily seen that while this Is not
An alliance such AS now exists
between England and Japan, il
isa formal entente that will be
recognized by the two countries
az an augury and a bond 0t peace
Ii is interesting to reflect that
This agreement is published al
most simultaneously with the
German Empelor's lurid pledic
tion that the Uuited Siates and
,Japau would soou be at war. We
brllrye he mentioned ten months
as the limit of the peaceful rela
tlnns between the countries. The
agreement between the two coun
tries has heen drawn up III the
shane ef a declaration consisting
of five articles. the first of winch
rxl,resses The desire o. the two
Governments to encourage free
and peaceful development ofsti elr
commerce. in the Pacific OCEAN:
the second mutually disclaims
any aggressive designs and enun
cialps The policy Of each govern
ment borh "a directed TO uphold
ing existing relations and the dc
tense OF The piinciple of equal
opportunity for commerce and
indusrr, in CDiua. The third
article states the firm resolution
OF each government to respect
the territorial possessions of the
other in the Pacific. In the
foullh article the TWO countries
enunclate thelr determination to
support b, AL peaceful means the
Independence aud lutegrlty of
Cmna, aud the idea OF open.
commercial and industrial oppor-
tunlty for all naIions in the
Chluese Empire. The fifth ar.i-
Gle pledges Ihe two governments
in case ui war or "tbe occurrence
of any event threatening he
STATUS quo or the principle OF
equal opportunity" 10 commun
lcate with each other for the pur
pose Of arriving at u mutual un
derstanding with regard 10 the
measures that they may consider
il advisable To take. Tnere can
be no ,lount but that the under
standing em odied IN this agree
ment will have au effect upon the
appruptialions III the coming
session of Congress. Secretary
Grrtvl,ou has almost completed
his rel,ort OF the Treasury Depart
ment aud it will show large
dpiicit. aud the Chairman Of the
Committee of Ways and Means
in the House as we'll as Speaker
Cannon, have announced thelr
determination To cut down ex-
penses, if they cen. to the lowest
possible figure, and ii they can
reduce the naval aud ship build
ing expenses ten or twelve mil
lions, IN view Of our peaceful
relations with Japan aud all Of
the rest Of the world, it will be
an item OF no small consideration.
| The President. on the other hand
| will doubtless continue To urge
tue allowance OF money for foul
/ or five battle ships OF the lirsi
[ .Inaa nnl will mint IN tia fnt.l