The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-06-16

worlds drama. where the nations are
actors, our country has taken a con-
spicuous and commanding part. Hav-
ing become world power, our IN
fluence is worldwide and always eX-
erted in the interest of peace and the
betterment of mankind. When the
dispute between Germany and France
regarding the right of control in Nor
Deco threatened to involve all Europe
in war, the active influence OF the
United States, both directly and
through it's representatives at the con-
ference at Algeciras. was potent
factor in bringing about a peaceable
solution.
The Panama Canal.
The building of the Panama canal,
the most colossal undertaking of the
century, the successful completion of
which is now assured, makes it more
important to the United States than
ever before that there shall be no hos
tile control of the route between eth
er our great Atlantic and Pacific
ports and the isthmus. For that rea-
son 1t is of especial Importance that
the people inha biting the islands and
shores of the Caribbean shall main
tain independent. peaceful and pros
porous governments. The policy of
the United States to aid them in main
tanning such governments has been
prosecuted with special success dur
ing the last four years.
AS Peace-Maker.
shed which had marked the annals of
San Domingo for many years have
been ended by an agreement with the
United States taking the form of a
treaty entered into with the approval
of the senate under which. by the
simple appointment of an American
agent to collect Dominican customs
revenues, and apply the surplus to-
ward the payments of the Dominican
debts, without landing soldier or fir
ing a gun. complete peace has been
maintained for four years past, the
commerce and industry of the island
have revived, the revenues have doub-
led, and the nominal Indebtedness of
over $40000,000, which hung like a
pail over the people, who had given
up all attempts to pay either princi-
pal or interest, has been adjusted and
settled at less than S20,00O,000 for
which interest and sinking fund pay
ments are completely assured by the
revenues resulting from the new pros
perity.
Japanese Question.
The question between Japan and
the United States, which caused so
much public excitement in the year
1907, have been disposed of to the sat
isfaction of the people of both coun-
tries. The friendship and sympathy
between the two governments have
now been signalized by the general
treaty of arbitration concluded be-
tween them, by the invitation and &C
ceptance of the invitation for the Wis
it of our fleet at Tokyo and by the
response of the United States to the
invitation of Japan to participate in
the great exposition which is to be
held at Tokyo in the year 1912, for
which congress has authorized the
expenditure of $1,000,000 the greatest
sum ever appropriated for a foreign
exposition.
China Friendly.
The unfriendly feelings among the
people of China which grew out of the
enforcement of the Chinese exclusion
law and led to the boycott of Ameri
can goods have disappeared, and Am
erican trade in China has been restor
| ed to it's natural course. The United
States has secured the assent of al
the nations having possessions in the
Orient to united effort with China
TO put an end to the curse of opium
in the Orient, and an international
conference, under the leadership o.
the United States, has been agreed
upon to meet at Shanghai on the Is
Of next January for the purpose O
devising and formulating an Internal
ional agreement to prevent it's produc
ton, sale and use.
''Threatened tariff wars between the
| United States and Germany, and be
| tween the United States and France
have been averted by commercial
agreements between the United State:
and each of those countries, made un
der the authority given to the presi
dent in the third section of the Ding
! ley tariff act
Portsmouth Treaty.
But the GROWING act in this dra
ma was that in which the presiden
himself took the initiative, halted tn,
contend1ng armies of Russia and Jan
an and by the treaty at Portsmouth
| brought about an honorable, and, it il
to be hoped, an enduring peace be
tween these great powers. 1t was
matchless stroke of diplomacy.
Yet nothing has added SO much I,
his just fame as his persistent and il
reVocable refusal to break the unwrit
ten law of the republic by acceptin;
! a nomination for a third term. b
this act of self-abnegation he place
his name and fame in the secure keer
ing of history by the side Of that O
the immortal Washington.
With this splendid record of tn
last four years in the management O
our domestic and foreign affairs, bach
ed by the history of nearly half a Ger
fury OF republican policies. the pull
lie mind must rest in the conviction