Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-18
SPEECH OF THE tenn
PORARY CHAIRMAN
j. C. BURROWS.
Continued from Page ~

guest of the Mexican Republic in Oct
ODER, 1907, and by the visit of cur
fleet to the chief maritime Republics
of South America and by the en-
larged and greater DEVELOPMENT Of the
work of the international Union of
American Republics for the dissenina-
ton of knowledge and the cultivation
of trade and friendly relations be-
tween the different American coun-
tries, for which all the Republics are
now uniting in the erection of
ington dedicated to the peace and
prosperity of all the Americas.
Restore Peace and Prosperity in Gen.
trial America.
The United States and Mexico have
co-operated in bringing about better
conditions, which will put an end to all
discord and restore neace and prosper
ity in Central America AT the in
stance of the United States and Next
co peace conference of representatives
of all the five central American coun-
tries was held in Washington in Nov
ember and December. 1907, and at this
conference, which was attended by
representatives of the United States
and Mexico, series of treaties was
made of the greatest practical import
ance, among them being a treaty
which provides for a permanent in
ternational court for the trial and de-
cision of all questions whatever arising
between Central America countries.
This court has just been inaugurated
in Costa Rica. In this a long step has
| been taken in the direction of pros
perity and enduring peace in Central
| America, and the United States has
won and receives the gratitude of the
! good and peaceful citizens of all those
| countries.
| 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 thar
ever before that three shall be no
hostile control of the route between
| either our great Atlantic and Pacific
ports and the Isthmus. For that rea-
son it is of especial Importance that the
people inhabiting the islands and
shores of the Caribbean shall main
| tain independent, peaceful, and pros
porous governments. The policy Ct
the United States to aid them in
maintaining such governments has
been prosecuted with special success
during the last four years.
The frightful disorder and blood
shed which had marked the annals u
San Domingo for many years hav:
been ended by an agreement with tho
United States taking the form of 6
treaty entered into with the approva
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 payment of the Dominican
debts, without landing a soldier o.
firing gun, complete peace has bee:
maintained for four years past, tn
commerce and industry of the islant
|
doubled and the nominal indebtedness
of over s40,000,000. which hung like
pail over the people, who had given III
all attempts to pay either principal o
interest has been adjusted and settle
at less than s20,000,O00, for which in
terest and sinking fund payments ar
completely assured by the revenue
resulting from the new prosperity.
: AS result of this policy. severei
} criticised at the time of its inaugura
ton, but now generally commended
. revolutions on the island have practi
, cally ceased, customs laws have bee
, impartially enforced, resulting in a
$4,000 in 1904 to $3,428.012 for tn
year ending March 81, 1908. Out Q
$9,103,939 collected in the last thre
l years $4,000,000 over and above til
expenses Of the government have bee
saved for the benefit Of creditors.
With the active participation of tn
> delegates of the United States, tn
, Second international Peace Conferenc
at The Hague, in the summer of 100
entered into agreements which, take
9 together, have been declared by hig
}. authority to constitute one of tn
g greatest advances ever made towar
e the reasonable and peaceable regula
1 ton of International conduct. Twely
!. treaties agreed upon at the conferenc
\ q acSo I'D f%,. 4l,o DI~,1,
:, lily or mitigating the horrors Of wa
!, have been approved by the senate an
u ratified by the president of the Unite
6 States.
j Civilized Powers Agree Not to Us
Force for the Collection of Con-
= tract Debts.
o Important among these treaties We
n the agreement proposed and urged uI
on the conference by the Unite
J, States under which all the civilize
L powers agree not to use force for I'll
b. collection of contract debts elaine
9 by their citizens against other countri'
n SO long. as the alleged debtor seel
= the protection of arbitration as to tt
r justice and the amount of the del
v and mode in which it ought to be PAL
> This agreement is long step towal
putting an end to that speculation {
the necessities Of weak and disorders
= countries, which relies for the enforce
g ment Of exorbitant and fradulel
g claims upon the bullying and gunboa
= of the greater powers.
Following the action Of The Hagl
convention in providing greater faci
ties for the use Of the permanent cou
Of arbitration at The Hague, the I'm
ted States has put itself upon Il
basis Of the peaceful settlement of il
ternationa disputes by concludi1
,e general treaties of arbitration wi
" England, France, Spain, Portugal, Il
Is Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, No
l. way, Switzerland, Italy, Mexico, al
Japan. while many other similar trea
ir les are in course of negotiation. Und
l. the general treaty with Great Britai
) the two countries have agreed
i'd arbitrate before The Hague Tribun
ss the difficult and vexing questio
which, for more than century, ha
Of caused so much i'll will and contr
ir versy, regarding the rights of our ifs
l. ermen in the fisheries on the coas
re Of Newfoundland and the martin
provinces Of Canada. Congress, at
3, last session, made the necessary a
or preparations to defray the expenses
ar this arbitration.
The great growth in population a
il wealth of our Canadian neiRhbor h