The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-06

a majority of the disputes are to so
to The Hague is regarded faVorably,
for it removes any opportunity Tor
charges of force or intimidation, which
nlight have been made against tins
government had they been settled oil
rectly betWeep the two countries.
The Willingness of the United States
to thus dispose OF them, It IS pointed
out, demonstrates to the nations Of
this hemisphere, its faith in the honor
and fairness of the court, leaVlng to
the fate of that tribunal questions al
fecting the interests of countries IN
which this government, in some re-
spects exercises a paternal interest
and in whose behalf it always stands
ready to uphold the Monroe Doctrine.
Hhe Questions at Issue.
Various phases Of three disputes go
to The Hague as a result Of Mr.. Bu-
chanan's negotiations, namely: That
of the United States and Venezuela
Company, which claims it has been
deprived of the right to mine asphalt
and to build a railroad: that of the
OrinOcO Corporation Which claims
large concessions covering iron mines,
asphalt privileges and hardwood con-
cessions; and the case of h Orlnoco
Steamship Company, which claims eX-
elusive rights Of navigation on
4 III i I'll L iiA
the two latter cases the court is to de-
eide primarily whether the judgments
of previous arbitratiOns or decisions OF
umpires We're correct and are to stand
and, if not then they are to be heard
on their merits. Three arbitrator
are to be appointed and as in the case
of the fisheries dispute more than a
year will elapse before a decision is
rendered. On the part of the United
States the preparation Of the cases
will not be a formidable proposition,
as there is already a mass of data
bearing on them available which
formed the basis OF the arguments
made to President Castro in behalf OF
arbitration. Although complicated
to some extent, after all, questions OF
fac largely predominant, unlike the
controversy over the Newfoundland
fisheries where specific Interpretation
of an existing treaty will form the bur
den of the work of the court.
After Castro declined to arbitrate
the disputes, either separately or col
lectively, the State Department passed
the whole question up to Congress
but no instructions were given for the
guidance of the department to pro.
ceed to force a settlement. There
appeared to be no general public in.
terest manifested in the c%ontrovers,
Warranting any drastic action and tn
lIdltt1 NdS dIIcWV ~ 1dDSO. Il I11d1lN
the question was happily solved whe1
President Gomez expressed a desire t,
resume friendly relations which ha(
been broken off by each country With
drawing its diplomatic representativ
from the other, and Mr.. Buchanan wa
sent to Venezuela to reopen negotia
tons for a settlement of the claims.
Controversies Passed Upon.
Controversies passed on by TIL
Hague, including those already refer
red to, embrace the following: TIL
matter of perpetual leases, ~resultin
from a disa greement between Japa1
on the one hand and Germany, Franc
; and Great Britain on the other, touch
ing the real meaning"and scope of Ger
tain provisions of treaties and agree
ments between them; the right of Ger
, tain Muscat dhows to fly the FTrencl
nag; and the inquiry instituted by Oh
= Grafton OF the court between Grea
Britain and Russia, growing out of tn
!. North Sea Dogger Bank incident. Wbe
the firing of the guns of the Russia
: fleet caused the loss of a boat and til
death of two persons belonging to
British fishing fleet.