The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-11-14

The blessings which daily we enjoy as
a result of international law are accepz-
ed without much as thought of the
men whose lives have been devoted to
their accomplishment, and the noble
women who have inspired them.
1t would be much easier, and certain
~ would take much less time to tell
what has not been accomplished by ma
tions, under international law. than to
tabulate their great achievements.
Within the past century 260 important
controversies between nations have been
settled by pacific means, and within the
past year more than two dozen treaties
mlttlng disputes to a have been signed
| by the United States with other nations
with view to submitting disputes to
a permanent court for arbitration. Here
| IS a partial list of what has been done
Toll cannot be collected for the passage
of ships through navigable or inter
national rivers; sovereigns cannot levy
tax from those passing through their
/ territories; aliens can take property by
descent as well as purchase; foreign
| judgments are given full credit; ship
wrecked seamen protected and
claims of a citizen against another ma
ton must be just if championed by
government.
Not the least of the great gains in
/ the direction toward which all inter
national law is tending is one within the
! particular observation of the people
| along the great lakes. Having learn
ed that the British government had Civ
en- orders for an increase of its naval
! force the lakes, Secretary of State
Monroe wrote Mr. Adams, minister TO
England, Nov 49, 1915 as follows: cit
| IS evident if each party augments its
| naval force there, with view to OBJ
tain the aseendency over the other, that
vast expense Will be incurred and the
danger of collision augmented in like
degree. The president (James Madi-
SOM is willing to confine it on each sido
to certain moderate number eff arm
ed vessels, and the smaller the number
the more agreeable to him. In 1918
the United States senate ratified
treaty limiting the number of war YES
sells each nation was to maintain on the
lakes.
Up to 1912 the United States had ex-
ecuted but one extradition treaty, but
now there is scarcely a country with
which we have not an arrangement look
ing to the surrender of fugitives from
justice for almost any offense of gray
ity
Privateering flourished until 1886,
when the navies, by certain uniform
action, succeeded in its determination.
Another important arrangement, be-
nevolent in its objects, was concluded
at Geneva in 1864, in which all nations
joined. 1t looked to the amelioration of
the condition of the wounded in the
field Four years later, additional ar
ticles were adopted, but not ratified.
The advantages of the convention We're
extended to naval forces by the Hague
conference.
President Cleveland. under an act OF
congress July Q, 1883. invited all mari
time nations to send delegates to lie
wise uniform rules and regulations for
the greater security of life and prop
ertv at sea- A code adopted by
the representatives of 26 nations in at
tendance.
Since the arbitration of the Alabama
claims with Great Britain, the desire for
peaceable settlement of differences
has been rapid. South America and
asia have taken a liberal position AMI
assume important places in the new or
der of things. Central America has es-
tablished permanent court of arbitra
ton, which has been successfully used.
The Hague conferences are the crown
ing elimination of centuries of pro
gress, The first was an innovation, the
the second an an institution. At latter 80
out of 40 nations voted for obligatory
arbitration. 1t passed many articles
of Importance, forbidding the lombard |
ment of unfortified towns and the for
being among the number. 1t not only |
provided for the peaceable adjustment |
of international disputes, but the ma
chinery by which satisfactory and |
consistent arbitration may be intigat |
ed. This, taken with the fact that
the conference followed and not preced- |
ed the popular belief that is an an |
cient and barbarous custom, all proba |
bilitv of another international conflict /
seems remote 1t it true that there is
still much talk of war, but its proteges
are its champions, and are conspicuous
for their absence.
The tendency is to make internation
al law just. as well as positive. Any
international rule which lacks the ele !
ments of justice will not long endure.
1t is like the shuck from which the ker-
mel has been distracted, or the form of
clay from which has departed the last /,
breath of life
In time to come people will look back
upon our present courses of history as
primitive. The difference (oeeib-h hrdI