The Washburn leader., 1908-08-07

1eNeASsAASA WY
bringing with 1t the unconditional
capitulation Of Japan. She appealed
for peace with dignity, and left the
suggestion Of terms to the nation with
whom ncae might dispute, trusting to
her magnanimity. Congress had
been called into being again, and, i'm
bued with the spirit which had actu-
ated the president through all his
siege Of stress and trial, followed his
wishes. The lone man in the White
House loomed as something more than
mortal, and was at last being appre.
ciated.
Japan was told that the United
States demanded neither indemnities
nor retention of the conquered fleet.
For the benefit of the public the latter
would be conveyed to New York bay,
where it would be liberated and re.
stored to its crews. The only condi.
tion was that on its return to Pacific
waters it must withdraw all men it
had placed in the Philippines and
Hawaii, and restore the American flag
with appropriate salutes.
This then was the end of the great
venture by the island across the west
ern sea, which had staked its hope Of
advancement upon ruthless descent
on an unprepared and apparently inn
potent nation. It had spent years in
anticipation, had purchased the most
deadly agents of destruction when
ever presented, had worked night and
day in Its navy yards to build giant
ships of war, had covered the United
States with its spies until its espion-
age reached everywhere, and all for
this!
Now, after all its deliberate plans
and quick action, 1t was to accept as
sole cause for jubilation the return
of the men who had manned its mighty
fleet, and wait for the return Of ships
that were useless for all purposes. It's
dream of indemnities was gone, its
ambition for more territory was never
to be realized, and its hope of COM
peting with other great powers as .
world factor had come to naught.
1t is doubtful If the government
shared in the Joy of those who had
given up for dead the ones they loved
and were now enabled to cast aside
scarfs of mourning. The Japanese
were to learn that one successful war
does not constitute series, and that
all nations were not inefficient. The
lesson of civilization had been ham,
mered home with sickening emphasis.
Scarcely had peace been concluded
when the administration by declara-
ton to it's own people cut as with one
blow of knife knot which threat
ened financial panic. 1t was prefaced
with asstatement that the reason why
no indemnities' had been demanded
from Japan was because under altered
conditions following the war 1t would
be imposing hardship on a nation
already stricken, without the need
therefor. In substance it stated that
inasmuch as there would be no future
appropriations and consequently no
taxation for navies or Notifications,
vast reductions would automatically
be made in the expense of operating
the government. It was also an
nounced that as the United States
had been presented with new form
Of transportation by it's inventor, 1t
had set aside for him and his heirs
sufficient royalties to render them
financially independent, and that fur
thermore in the interest of perpetual
peace the secret Of the radioplane
would be maintained inviolable.
The railways of the country would
be permitted to reorganize and CON
tinue as freight carriers until such
time as their rates were deemed exor-
bitant or their charters expired, the
government abrogating to itself all
passenger traffic within the confines
of its own continent, and declaring
itself competitor for all ocean trans
portation under tariffs to be formu-
lated. It ended by asserting that gov
ernment ownership Of aerial transpor-
tation was not adopted at the behest
of any political party, but solely that
the people might derive the benefit
and the nation maintain its invulner-
able power. Thus 1t was that the rail-
ways were still permitted to exist and
no hardship worked save in the read
justments Of capitalization, which
losses fell mainly upon those who had
accumulated vast fortunes by the
very imitation which was now pune
tured.
AS If to knit the world together In
international harmony, the culmina-
tion came in a message addressed to
all nations which was penned by the
hand of the president himself. It was
/ his proposal for the maintenance Of
peace, and read as follows:
"That war and its barbarisms may
for all time be done away with, the
United States Of America submits
that: 4.
"By the grace Of God It has been
placed In possession Of such power
that it could not only conquer the
world. but destroy the Inhabitants Of
other nations. This has been fully
demonstrated. It has no desire to util-
ize Its strength unjustly, but purposes
to exert 1t for the benefit Of all men:
''It considers territorial greed to be
the real impelhng motive in nearly
ali international wars Therefore it