The Prescott daily news., 1910-02-22
Congress Is Asked to Give an Ob- jeCt Lesson to All Other
 Nations.
BUREAU OF MINES ENDORSED
Passage of Bill at Present Session Is Practically Assured - President Taft's Fondness for Travel
 Will Be Gratifled.

Washington.-In the house commit tee on foreign affairs there is repos- ing huge petition signed by hundreds of Americans known to fame, and by thousands of other fellow Americans whose fame never has been trumpet ed. The petition asks that the United States shall declare itself through congress that 1t wishes to give the world assurance it will never again conquer and hold by force of arms any more territory The petition also asks that the national lawmakers shall declare the intention of this country to stop its rapid increase in armament.
 Side by side in congress with this petition IS a bill to increase the fight ing efficiency of the navy by the addi- tion of two great Dreadnaughts to the oceangoing war fleet There are mem bers of the house and senate who are in very truth apostles of peace. but their number is small when compared to the number of senators and repre- sentatives who believe that it is neces. sary to maintain the navy and army at fighting strength, and to do noth- ing which might give another coun- try an opportunity readily to over come us in case of a declaration of war
 The attempt of the peace promoters to secure from the United States a first pledge to the end of friendly re- lations with the rest of the world is explained ty the friends of the reso- lution which congress has been asked to pass, as being simply one step fur ther on the road toward the goal of the political organization of the world on peace basis.
 seek to End Warfare.
 The resolutions which are now be. fore congress have for their imme dlate object the stopping of the growth of navies and armies When the first Hague peace conference was held its principal object was to see if some means could not be taken to induce the nations of the world to stop in- creasing the enlisted strength of their armies and to stop adding battleships to their navies. The attempt at The Hague tailed because it was perfectly apparent that each nation could not be brought to believe that some other nation would not violate the compact. and by increasing it's war strength put the safety of the other nations who kept the peace faith, in jeopardy
 President Taft and Secretary Knox have just irdorsed a plan for the es- tablishment Of judicial cour, to which all the nations of the earth may have re- course in certain matters. The friends of the peace movement see in this an added victory
 Bureau of Mines Favored.
 From indications 1t is practically as- sured that before the present session ends President Taft will sign d bill the effect of which will be to estab. fish bureau of mines in the interior department The duty of the bureau of mines simply will be to make thor. ough investigations into the cause of mining disasters and to recommend preventive measures
 The bill. it is said. will not inter- iere with the rights of the states in any way, the hope being that the states will adopt legislation in accord. ance with the suggestion of the fed eral government. legislation which will prevent such terrible disasters as that of the Cherry mine in Illinois and of the recent mine accideats in Colorado, l. I<pntpclV opd Dappc,,lvor;a
 In the geological survey there is what is known as "technologic branch" It is the duty of the officials of this branch of the survey to make inquiries into mine troubles and to make suggestions for relief The force is very small and the belief of most members of congress is that it's work should be enlarged and should be put under the control of the secretary of the interior, whose department as far as public lands are concerned has most of the mining territory of the government in charge The American mining congress has representatives Tn Washington whose efforts are to further the interests of the bill There has been objection to the measure on the ground of states rights, which it IS supposed might be invaded, but the argument based on the provisions of the bill is that no right which now be longs to the state will be taken away
 Explanation of Measure.
 J F. Callbreath. Jr., is secretary of the mining congress and he has this to say concerning the measure:
 The slaughter in our coal mines seems to grow in horror with each day We haven't had time to got ovar