The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-09
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.

lations Of the United States with for
eign countries. The President gives
| full explanation Of the reasons why
tho United States troops were sent TO
| the Mexican border last Spring, and
shows that our relations with the Cen
trail and South American Republics con-
| tinuc on an amicablc basis.
Our relations with China include the
completion OF two international rail
| road loans in conjunction with BrltIsh,
| French, aud German capitalists Win
Japan VIC have concluded general
treaty superSeding the older treaties.
Mention is made Of the arbitration
treaties with England and France, and
the ratification of those treaties is es'
peciallv commended Nearly all of the
unsettled questions between this coun-
try and Great Britain arc adjusted.
The President commends the efforts OF
the International Opium Commission TO
restrict the opium traffic. and measur-
able success is reported therein.
Thc portion of the message that VIII
meet n point of irritation just now in
this country is that which deals with
| The passport system in Russia. The
President has made representations TO
the Russian Government of the unsatis-
| factory nature of the Russian treat
ment of American passports issued to
Jews. and he calls attention TO the
necessity OF correcting the dlscrlmlna-
| ton exercised by Russia against jew
ish. American citizens who may wish to
visit Russia for personal or business
reasons The President appears hopeful
| that success may crown his efforts to
| remedy this abuse. At the same time
the Russian position seems to he stlii
| and unyieldiDg. \ number of Amer.
can citizens are getting imPortunate
upon this point. and insist that, un-
less Russia gives full faith and credit
TO American passports issued to Jews,
We should give notice of the tcrmina-
tion Of the commercial treaty OF 1892
with Russia. ] is difficult TO see. how
ever. how that would cure the evil,
or afford any help. Suppose that treaty
abrogated. and no commercial treaty ex-
istiug between the United States and
Russia Who would be benefited by
that abrogation! Clearly no one, But,
on the other hand, a very great incon.
vcuicncc would cnsuc 10 American com.
mcrcc and commercial men. The all.
rogation of that treaty would settle
nothing, and neither wosld it bring on
! any such critical relations between the
Government of Russia and our own as
| TO even threaten war. OF course. no
one would want war; and really the
| abrogation Of that treaty would be no
| constructive force upon Russia what
| ever; on the contrary, the disadvant
age would he to us and not TO Rus
sia Our consuls to Russian cities would
have 10 be withdrawn, and with the alb
| rogaton OF the treaty would come the
suspension Of the treaty rights of all
American citizens to live or travel in
Russia for any purpose, or 10 trade with
| Russia on any account. But. this alb
rogaton could easily be overlooked al
together by Russia; and, as the ap-
parently inspired Russian official or.
gan says, Russia has Just as much right
10 refuse entrance TO those who may
be considered undesirable people as has
the United States. and that paper calls
attention to the exercise Of this uuas-
sailablc right by this country. And il
| follows. Of course, that any nation IL
the exercise Of this right has the Sc.
qucntiaI right to define. for itself the
class of citizens which il may keep out
rs undesirable
Those Americans who sccm TO
consider that the abrogaton Of the com
mcrcia treaty of 1892 between the
| United States aud Russia would at once
settle this passport question. arc talk
ing without reason. The better course.
dent Taft. in undertaking by diplomacy
to cure thc/cvil. II this fails the sug-
gestion ON this point which has been
made heretofore would seem TO be apt,
That suggestion is. that tho right o!
Americans. Jews, included, TO admis.
sion into Russia being Il treaty right
the article Of the treaty bearing on
this question ought TO he submitted tc
some tribunal, preferably 70 that a'
The Hague. for arbitration. In this
view also the pcrcmptorv abrogatiou
of the treaty would be n mistake since
upon that abrogatiou this country would
have no basis on which 10 work for
such arbitration.
On principle. of course there is nj
question al all about II; Jewish travel!
trs and business men are entitled IL
have the samc rights of entry and do
ing business in Russia under Amcri
caa passports as any other American
citizens have. II is their treaty right
to bc allowed such ingrcss. and to be
protected in their persons and prop
crty while in Russia under this right
But. IL is essential 10 have Russia con
ccdc this; and Il is impossible {,
imagine Russia conccdIng it if tn,
treaty Of 1882 is abolished. or oui
having any standing thereafter to de