The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1911-12-14
President Taft Sends in Special Message
Reviewing Our Relations With
Other Countries.
Important General Movement for Broader Arbitration On
Part of Powers is Noted--Mexican War Dis
cussed---Merchant Marine Needed.


dent Taft's promised special messages
was read In congress today. 1t deals en-
tirely with foreign affairs. The message
The relations of the United States with
other countries have continued during the
past twelve months upon a basis of the
usual good will and friendly intercourse.
Arbitration.
The year just passed marks an i'm
portant general movement on the part or
the powers for broader arbitration In
the recognition of the manifold benefits
to mankind in the extension of the policy
OF the settlement of international dis
putes by arbitration rather than by war,
for an advance in that direction on the
part of the people of the United States
and of Great Britain and of France, new
arbitration treaties were negotiated last
spring with Great Britain and France,
the terms of which were designed, as
expressed In the preamble of these treat
les, to extend the scope and obligations or
the policy of arbitration adopted in our
present treaties with those governments.
To pave the way for this treaty with the
United States, Great Britain negotiated
an important modification in its alliance
with Japan and the French government
also expedited the negotiations with sig
nal good Will The new treaties have
been submitted to the senate and are
ratification. All the essentials of these
important treaties have long been known;
and 1t is my earnest hope that they Will
receive prompt and favorable action.
Claim of AIsop G. Co. Settled.
/ am glad to report that on July last
the American claim of Alsop 81 Co.
against the government of Chile was
finally disposed of by the decision of his
as amiable compositeur, the matter had
been referred for determination. His
goo to the claimants which was promptly
paid by Chile The settlement of this
controversy has happily eliminated from
the relations between the republic Of
Chile and the United States the. only
question which for two decades had Civ
en- the two foreign offices any serious
structed development of the relations of
friendship which it has been the aim of
this government in every possible way to
further and cultivate
AFFILIATIONS.
In further illustration of the practical
and benefcent application of the princi-
pie of arbitration and the underlying
broad spirit OF Cancellation, I am happy
to advert to the part of the United States
in facilitating amicable settlement of dis
putes which menaced the peace between
Panama and Costa Rica and between
Haiti and the Dominican republic.
Since the date of their independence,
Colombia and Costa Rica had been seek
ing solution of boundary dispute.
to the new republic of Panama, upon It's
beginning life as an independent ma.
ton. In January, 1910, at the request OF
both governments the agents represent
Ing them met in conference at the depart
ment of state and subsequently conclud-
ed protocol submitting this long pend
ing controversy to the arbitral judgment
of the chief justice Of the United states,
who consented to act in this capacity. y
boundary commission according to the
international agreement, has now been
appointed and 1t is expected that the ar
guments will shortly proceed and that
this long-standng dispute will be honor
ably and satisfactorily terminated.
Again, a few months ago it appeared
that the Dominican republic and Haiti
about to enter upon lOStllltleS De-
cause OF complications growing out OF an
acrimonious boundary dispute which the
efforts Of many years had failed to solve
The government Of the United States, by
friendly interpostion Of good offices
succeeded In prevailing upon the parties
10 place their reliance upon some form of
pacific settlement
Mexico.
The recent political events in Mexico
received attention from this government
because OF the exceedingly delicate and
difficult situation created along our south
ern border and the necessity for taking
measures properly to safeguard Ameri-
can interests. The government of the
United States, in it's desire to secure
proper observance and enforcement of
the so-called neutrality statutes of the
federal government, issued directions to
the appropriate officers to exercise dill
gent and vigilant regard for the require
ments of such rules and laws. Although
listed there was no official recognition of
belligerency involving the technical neu-
tTdIty ODuBdllOIS VI lultIudliOlidl law
On the 9th OF March last, in the alb
sence of the secretary of state, I had a
personal interview with Mr.. WILSON, the
ambassador of the United States to Mex
leo, in which he reported to me that the
conditions in Mexico were much more
critical than the press dispatches dis
closed: that President Diaz was on vol
cano of popular uprising; that the small
outbreaks which had occurred were only
symptomatic of the whole condition; that
very large per cent of the people were
in sympathy with the Instruction: that a
general explosion was probable at any
tine, in which case he feared that the
100000 or more American residents in
Mexico might be assailed, and that the
very large American investments might
be Injured or destroyed.
After q conference with the secretary
of war and the secretary of the navy /
thought II wise to assemble an army
Tex n brigade of three regiments at
Galveston a brigade of infantry In the
Los Angeles district of southern Cali
fornia, together with a squadron Of bat
tleships and cruisers and transports at
Galveston and small squadron Of ships
at San Diego. At the same time. through
our representative at the City OF Mexico
] expressed to President Diaz the hope
that no apprehensions might result from
unfounded conjectures as to these mill
tary maneuvers, and assured him that
they had no Significance which should
cause concern to his government.
I am more than happy to here record
the fact that all apprehensions as to the
effect of the presence of SO large mill
tary force In Texas proved BroundleSS,
no disturbances occurred.
From time to time communications
were received from Ambassador Wilson.
who had returned to Mexico confirming
the view that the massing of American
troops in the neighborhood had had good
effect
The insurrection continued and resulted |
in engagements between the regular |
Mexican troops and the insurgents. and |
this along the border that In several |
instances bullets from the contendng |
forces struck American citizens engaged |
in their lawful occupations on American |
soil.
Proper protests were made against |
these invasions OF American rights to the |
Mexican authorities.
The presence OF a large military and |
naval force available for prompt action |
near the Mexican border. proved to be |
the most fortunate under the somewhat |
trying conditions presented by this inva- |
sion OF American rights.
The policy and action OF this govern |
ment were based upon an earnest friend |
Illness for the Mex an people as whole, |
and IL ~ 81 matter Of qualification to note |
that this attitude of strict impartiality as |
to all factions Ia Mexico and OF sincere