Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-03-24
Commerce and Peace
 Natural Allies Better Ideals in Foreign Relations
By Harry E. Hunt

ideals which they cherished have value to us only in so far as they show our advance. It is for us to observe the path in which countless millions have left a trail of lost opportunity. Tn no way is this more noticeable than when we consider the laws governing the sea
 During the sixteenth century many nations claimed absolute ownership of | certain sections of the open sea as well as certain routes thereon. These claims received the support of certain learned publicists. The right to exclude the vessels of other nations from such wa | ters was asserted A discussion cover | ing centuries resulted in the freedom of the high seas and in limiting claims | to waters within three miles from a coast.
 After the ocean became recognized as common highway for the use of all nations, it was but another step to free the rivers from bondage The French, as early as 1192, threw open the rivers Mouse and Scheldt to the vessels of neighboring states, but up to the time of the Congress of Vienna in 1915, the great rivers were closed 1 to free navigation. That congress threw open to commerce all the rivers of Europe except the Danube, which was opened by the treaty of Paris in 1856. Then it was that the tolls which had been eXtorted by rival barons be- came merely historical fact. Between the years 1S51-1S59, the great water 1 courses of South America were opened to the ships of all nations, and in 1868 the Amazon was placed upon the free list The Congo conference of 1S8: brought the rivers Congo and Niger tC international use, and one by one, the worlds carrying streams have beer beckoning the commerce of distant lands.
 These international rules have become the protection of the weak state anC the dignity of the strong.
 Though the national avenues of com merce were becoming emancipated some nations were obstructing, by thei own laws, their free use. As an in stance, the navigation laws of Grea Britain were enforced against the com merce of all nations. Their purpose wal to prohibit the importation into Eng land and Ireland of any products oi articles, except in English-built or Eng lish-owned ships. These acts were frs aimed at the Dutch who were theI (l650) the great carriers of the world similar act was enforced against the United States after its independence and the new nation retaliated, collect ing certain duties per ton, on all Eng fish vessels bringing goods to it. A spirit of illiberality and selfshnes prompted these acts and it was no until 1880 that the United States, by diplomatic recourse, secured a satisfac tory settlement of the problem. Tht enforcement of these laws resulted il antagOnism as well as a general de crease of trade. From its inception, tn, United States government has favored freedom of commerce with such nation as have been willing to adopt a lik, policy. Like Jefferson said, "Commerc should be relieved from all Shackles il all parts of the worldo
 After a struggle of two centuries un der the weight of navigation laws, Eng land became convinced that restriction recoil upon those by whom they ar imposed, and that an illiberal polio i had not been productive of nationa | good, because of retaliatory enactment, | A tlourishing commerce, with all tha | it means for civilization, was impossibl as long as penalties were imposed upo it.
 During this period free commerce Ina yet another hindrancc. For centurie | pirates had swarmed over the seas. UT able to eXterminatc them, nations wer compelled to pay annual tribute to pro tect commerce. The states on the MeC iterranean sea, ringing the Norther