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


and other European papers so
sensationally hypothecated ayear
ago is quite dissipa'ed. Doubt.
less the visit of our fleet aud its
hospitable reception in Yoke
hama and Toxic has had a pacific
/ influence. az had also Mr.. Taft's
genial pi essence there aud his as
Surances at the Toxic banquet
and in private conversations with
the Japanese statesmen, and now
the knowledge that for the next
| tour years he will he the Com
mander in.Chief of the Army and
Navy-all 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 III the Pa
citic Ocean 1t has for its foun
dation a mutual guarantee to re-
sprct territorial possessions III
the Orient and also defines the
attitude of the two countries
towards China, binding both
the United States and Japan to
n aintain by every peaceful means
China's independence and the in
tegrity of her territory and to
give equal commercial opporiun-
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 IT 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
is formal entente that Will be
recognized by the two countries
az an augury and a bond OF peace.
Ii is interesting to reflect that
this agreement is published al
most simultaneously with the
German Emperor's lurid piedic
tlon that the United SIafes and
,Japan would soou be at war. We
believe he mentioned ten months
as the limit of the peaceful rela
mons between the countries. The
agreement between the two coun
tries has hpen drawn up III the
shane ef a declaration consisting
of five articles. the first of which
expresses he desire o: tue two
Governments TO encourage free
and peaceful development Oft err
commerce. in The Pacific Ocean;
the second mutually dlsclaims
any aggressive designs and enun
cialps The polio, Of each govern
ment both a. directed TO uphold
ing existing relations ana the dc
tense of The piiuciple of equal
opportunity for commerce and
industr, in CHINA. The third
article states the firm resolution
of eacn government to respect
the territorial possessions of the
other in the Pacific. In the
fout,h Article the Two countries
euuuclate thelr determination to
support bS AL peaceful means the
independence aud lntegrlty of
emma. aud the idea oI open.
commercial and industrial oppor-
tuultN for all nations in the
Chinese Empire. The fifth arsi,
,le pledges the two governments
in ease ul war or "the occurrence
OF any event threatening he
siatus quo or the principle OF
equal opportunity" 10 comnun
,cate with each ut et for the pur
pose of arriving at mutual un
derslanding with regard 10 the
measures That they may consider
il advisable to take. There can
be- no dount but that the under
standing EN- odicd IN this agree
mrnt Will have an effect upon the
apprupiialions III tue coming
session of Congress. Secretary
Cnrtel,ou has almost completed
his report of the Treasury Depart
ment aud it Will show "a large
dehcit, aud the Chairman of the
Committee of Ways and Means
in tue House as we'll as Speaker
Cannon, have .auIiouncrI theil
determination To cut down ex
pemses, if they cen. 10 the loves
possible figure, aud if they car
reduce the naval aud ship build
ing expenses ten or twelve mil
lions, IN view of our peaceful
Z relations with Japan aud all o
tile rest Of the world, it will b,
an item of no small consideration
The President. on the other hand
. will doubtless continue to urge
. the allowance OF money for fou
or five battle ships OF the iirs
! class. aud will point TO tue lac
a. ~