Evening star., 1911-08-24


functions. and expressed his confidence
that the senators, after full public dis
cuss1on. would accept the treaties as
signed. He added that if they did not he
would accept their decision like a law
abiding citizen.
Opposed to Extreme Methods.
Higher aims for the betterment Of
society, these new evils growing out of
the concentration of wealth, and these
combinations which properly controlled
are great good in the reduction of the
cost of production" said the President
have invited from the ve-mnded of
today suggestions of remedies that are
so extreme that the medicine to many of
US seems worse than the disease.
Those who are charged with the re-
sponsibility and sobered with the diff
cultfes find ourselves in the middle of
the road resisting the tendency to social
ism on the one hand, and the inertia of
reactionary contentment with present
evils and ambition for greater concen-
tration of financial power on the other
but we are gradually solving the problem.
The present does not bring difficulties
so great as you had to meet and over
come in 81. 1t may be a longer fight,
because it will not involve violence or
the shedding Of blood. but it must and
will be solved peacefully and by the
earnest effort of the level-headed the
practical and the courageous among us,
and by reducing the influence of the
demagogues and the theoretical extremists
on the one hand and the reactionary in
fluence Of combinations of wealth on
politics and progress on the other. It's
solution will be consistent with the pres
ervation OF our ancient institutions of
personal liberty and private property
under the Constitution.
Can Count on Success.
THE message that you bear, with your
experience and your success. to those of
rs struggling now with the problem is
that, however dark at times the situa-
tion seems, so long as we retain in this
country a God-fearing, sober. intelligent
people, we can count in the long run upon
their working out safely and sanely the
problems set before them. no matter how
many mistakes in the form Of 'nostrums'
they may have been led into by the
speciousness of half-baked theories Of
progress. no matter how often they may
have been defeated in their purpose by
the temporary success of undue and cor
rupt influence of concentrated wealth"
Peace was really the subject of the
Presidents speech to the veterans. but
he said that he could not miss an op-
portunty to draw an analogy between
the contests of the past and the present
and the near future. Turning aside from
that purely national question he took up
arbitration treaties with Great Britain
and France. which the Senate foreign
relations committee sought to amend,
and which part of that committee label
ed breeders of war"
Il do not come before you In opposition
to the Senate" said Mr.. Taft, and | do
not wish to criticise the majority of the
committee that has reported an amend
ment. / am only anxious to promote as
full a public discussion of the questions
now arising in respect to the confirma-
tion of the treaties as possible. because
l feel confident that public discussion of
the matter, followed by popular express
sion, will aid much in the Qualification
of the subject in the Senate itself. and
will lead to convincing a majority of that
body, and perhaps ALL of the wisdom
Of the prompt ratification Of the treaties
as they were signed.
Senate Not Deprived of Powers.
IT am especially anxious to emphasize
the fact that do not wish to be put in
antagonism to the Senate I am one of
those who greatly admire the plan of
government devised by our foreeathers in
the Constitution. l think that one of the
most admirable features in that frame
work is the Senate Of the United States,
with it's various functions. l should be
the last, therefore, to seek to deprive the
senate OF any OIL the powers gwen 1t Dy
the Constitution. If after full conSidera-
ton and calm discussion the Senate shall
take a different course from the one
| urge of course, like a laval biding citizen
l shall cheerfully acquiesce in it's judg-
| ment.
Those who have objected to the treaty
| have first suggested that the organiza-
| tion of the joint high commission with
| the power given to either party to secure
! a reference of a controversy to ii, for con-
4 e. a a hrna6ar
| OF war. l confess myself unable to follow
| the force of such an argument. The diff
/ culties connected with the Initiation OF
proceedings under any treaty, and the
| appointment OF six commissioners with
| the expense and worry attendant upon II
| are all likely to prevent an invitation tc
| a cumbersome negotiation like this Wher
/ the ordinary channels OF diplomacy are
| open.
| but the main and chief objection, IL
/ understand it, to the treaty is that tht
| Senate cannot agree tc abide the judg'
1 ment of a joint Sigh commission like this
| as to whether a difference between the
| two countries comes under the descrip
ton contained in the first clause, and is
therefore, arbitrable. BY doing so. it il
/ said the Senate will in some way par,
with the power conferred upon it by the
| Constitution and which 1t is forbidden te
| delegate. II is not d1sputable that the
| Senate may agree to arbitrate a class o1
| questions in advance of their arising ir
| the future. AT least IL would not lie with
| the present Senate 10 dispute this, be
| cause IT has already made many treaties
| in which it has agreed to arbitrate all
classes of questions except certain classes
| which are specified. II II has the right to
| agree to arbitration I'm the future upon
any class OF questions and be bound by
| such an agreement, it is impossible to es-
| cane the conclusion that It may be bound
| to arbitrate the question of the construc-
| tion of a treaty in the future.
L
Monroe Doctrine Not Involved.
| .tOb1ection has been made to the agree
ment of this treaty that under the first
section 1t might be claimed that we would
be called upon to submit to arbitration
| the Monroe doctrine, our right to ex-
clude foreign peoples from our Shores or