The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-12-15
TAFT WRITES ON PEACE.

TAFT WRITES ON PEACE.
Second Message Tells Of Movement
to Extend Arbitration.
Washington, D. president Taf'
Thursday sent to congress q message
dealing With foreign relations Of the
United States. He says that the yeal
Just passed has been noteworthy for
general movement Of the powers fol
broader arbitration. He mentions
the settlement of the Alsop claims
against Chile and to the part the
United States played in facilitating
settlement between Panama and Costa
RIGA and between Hayti and the
Dominican republic.
The insurrection in Mexico and the
ensuing mobilization of United States
troops along the border are reviewed,
and the president makes public the
text of his letter of instructions to the
chief of staff of which he said:
cit seems my duty as Commander
in Chief to place troops in sufficient
number where, if congress shall d.
rect that they enter Mexico to save
American lives and property, an effec-
tive movement may be promptly
made. Meantime, the movement of
the troops to Texas and elsewhere
near the boundary, accompanied with
sincere assurances of the utmost good
will toward the present Mexican gov
eminent and with larger and more fire.
quent patrols along the border to pre-
vent insurrectionary expeditions from
American soil, will hold up the hands
of the existing government and will
have healthy moral effect to prevent
attacks upon Americans and their
property in any subsequent general in
ternecine strife. Again, the sudden
mobilization of division of troops has
been great test of our army and full
of useful instruction, while the ma
neuvers that are thus made possible
can occupy the troops and their Off
GERS to great advantage.
"The assumption by the press that
1 contemplate Intervention on Next
can soil to protect American lives or
property is of course gratuitous, be-
cause l seriously doubt whether |
have such authority under any circum-
stances, and if I had l would not ex-
ercise it without express congressional
approval. Indeed, as you know, /
have already declined, without Next
can consent, to order troop of caval-
ry to protect the breakwater we are
constructing just across the border in
Mexico at the mouth of the Colorado
river to save Imperial valley, al
though the insurrectos had scattered
the Mexican troops and were taking
our horses and supplies and brighten
ing our workmen away. My deter
mined purpose, however, is to be in q
position so that when danger to
American lives and property in Mex
leo threatens and the existing govern
ment is rendered helpless by the in.
surrection, / can promptly execute
congressional orders to protect them,
with effect"
The president reviews the incident
at Douglas, Ariz., in which Americans
were killed and wounded by bullets
fired by belligerents across the bound.
airy line, and tells of his unwilling.
ness. even under great provocation, te
order an invasion, and how it was
urged upon the people of Douglas that
they place themselves temporarily out
of the zone Of fire, rather than incur
the necessity for such action as might
have been followed by serious results
to greater number of Americans
living in Mexico.
The message urges the completion
of conventions between the United
States and the Republic of Honduras
and of Nicaragua, and adds: "Ir
considering the ratification of the con
ventions with Nicaragua and Hon
duras, there rests with the United
States the heavy responsibility of the
fact that their rejection here might
destroy the progress made and consigr
the republics concerned to still deeper
submergence in bankruptcy, revolu
tion and national jeopardy
The section of the message dealing
with the Far East has to do chiefly
with the conclusion of the two inter
national Chinese loans - one for the
construction of Hukuang railways and
the other for the carrying out of the
currency reform to which China wa:
pledged by treaty.