Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-06-01

you direct if you wish from Walter
Luther Dodge & Co., Chicago, III.
States has established further claim
by providing two coaling stations on
the island. With so many ties of
Friendship firmly knit between them.
the way seems clear to the admission
of Cuba to the American union should
it happen that Cuban initiative will
eventually prove unequal to the task
of maintaining firm government.
The relation subsisting between the
United States and Cuba is similar to
that between Korea and Japan. The
independence of the Korean empire
was guaranteed by Japan by the pro-
tocol of February %. 1904; but on
November H., 1905 it was settled taht
he internal affairs of Korea should be
directed by the Japanese foreign Of
flee.
1t is not at all inconceivable that
the United States has at the back of
its head the idea of fixing relation
ship between itself and Mexico similar
in nature and import to that already
in existence between itself and Cuba
and Japan and Korea. The hope may
be burning in the American breast
of sooner or later seeing Mexico shorn
of part of it's fully-sovereign powers,
through being torn asunder by inter-
necine strife and struggle, and reduced
to the conditions of client state, with
America as its powerful and generous
patron. This would be the first step
towards ultimate incorporation in the
Union to which it would be a mighty
and valuable acquisitions; if for no
other reason than because of it's splen-
did strategic position in view of future
developments connected with the open
ing of the Panama canal in 1915. one
of the most important events of mod
ern days. So long, however, as Pres
ident Dfaz was enabled to hold the
reins of Office with sure and firm
grip and to enforce respect for estab-
lished order on his heterogeneous
subjects any chance of American en-
enactment was only remote. But
Diaz is now an old man, tottering to-
wards the grave, In the natural course
of things he cannot live many more
years and when the sceptre drops
from his aged hands 1t is scarcely pro-
bable that successor will be found
worthy to fl his place and preserve
continuity in his policy, with his
wonderful tenacity of purpose and
strength OF will. Diaz removed, for
midable obstacle to an understanding
with the United States would have
disappeared.
At the present juncture, however,
things do not seem to have arrived
at state of ripeness sufficiently pro-
nounced to call for American interven.
ton, and congress has declined to
advise such steps at present. So ser.
i0us is the question of Intervention
Of this kind regarded by the powers
that it is an axiom of international
science that armed Intervention can
only be justified on grounds similar
to those which would Justify war. No
state however powerful would think
of arrogating to itself the right Of
arbitrarily obtruding its presence in
another states quarrels, and settling
the matters in dispute for them gra-
tuitiously, unasked or unbidden, even
though its expressed Intervention was
to do nothing more serious than to
advise the belligerents towards yield
ing to persuasion with force in the
background.
1t is only those who have allowed
their knowledge to fall behind the
pace of the times who would now sub
scribe to the heresy implied in the old
proverb: "All's fair in love and war"
One Of those precious and handy tab.
loids of wisdom sal dto have been
compounded by philosophers for con-
sumption by the foolish. For, how
ever, it might be with with an "affaire
du coeur," where in the last resort
the matter Cor spirit) in dispute might
be finally satisfactorily decided, in
the absence Of any other recognized
method, by reference to those rules
80 Intimately associated with the name
of the famous Marquis Of Queensbury;
in matters OF war and pertaining to
war, elaborate and complicated sys'
TENS of rules and regulations are pro-
vided, a fact which blows the "alls
fair" theory into smithereens of mi.
croscopic proportions.
President Taft, It may be assumed.
is no believer in the "all's fair" theory.
and he must look to 1t that the game
will be played (as far as the world
will see it at all events) in accordance
with established principles and usage.
So long as the rights Of the United
States are not impaired in any way
Mexico will be left to settle its own
affairs in its own way and according
to its chosen methods. Both sides OF
the struggle may make up their minds
to appeal to the Jurisdiction of outsid-
ers-possibly America. Such q peace
full procedure would not be interven'
ton on the part Of the external power
but meditation or arbitration acord'
ing to circumstances.
Sometimes It MAY happen than on