Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-14
At PEACE WITH ALL nations
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

Washington, Dec. THE first Of Pres'-
dent Iaft's promised special messages
was read IN congress today. It deals en-
JlreIy with foreign affairs. The message
IN part follows.
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
pCrtant general movement on the part Of
the powers for broader arbitration. In
the recognition Of the manifold benefits
70 mankind In the extension Of the policy
Of the settlement of international dis
putes by arbitration rather than by war.
ana IN response to widespread demand
Tor 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 oDNgauOIS Oh
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 It's alliance
with Japan and the French government
also expedited the negotiations WITH sig
nal good will. The new treaties nave
been submitted to the senate and are
awaiting its advice and consent to their
ratification All the essentials of these
important treaties have long been known,
and It is my earnest hope that they viii
receive prompt and favorable action.
Claim of Alsop G. Co. Settled.
I am glad to report that on July last
the American claim Of AIsop s. co.
against the government Of Chile VS.
finally disposed of by the decision Of his
Britannia majesty George v, to whom,
as amIable COmpOsiteur. the matter had
been referred for determination. His
majesty made award of nearly SlUJ0,-
200 to the claimants. which was promptly
paid by Chile. The settlement or TINS
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
sn the two foreign Offices any serious
concern and makes possible the uhooss
5tructed development Of the relations OF
friendship which it has been the aim or
this government in every possible way 70
further and cultivate.
Affiliations.
In further Illustration of the practical
and benehcent application Of the prlnci-
pie of arbitration and the underlying
broad spirit of Cancellation 1 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 Rtca and between
Haiti and the Dominican republic.
Since the date of their Independence,
Colombia and Costa Rica had been seek
Ing a solution Of boundary dispute
which came as a heritage from COlompld
beginning life independent ma
ton. In January, 1910 at the request or
both governments the agents represent
ing them met in conference at the depart
ment of state and subsequently conclud-
ed a protocol submitting this long pend
Ing controversy to the arbttral Judgment
OF the chief Justice of the United States,
who consented to act In this capacity. A
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 eong- standing dispute will be honor
ably and satisfactorily terminated.
Again a few months ago it appeared
that the Dominican republic and Haiti
were about to enter upon hostlues be
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
4 friendly interposltion Of good otlces,
succeeded in prevailing upon the parties
to place their reliance upon some form or
pacific settlement
Mexico.
Tbe recent political events in Mexico
received attention from this government
because of the exceedingly delicate ana
difficult situation created along our south
arn border and the necessity for taking
measures properly to safeguard Amerl-
cau interests. The government OF the
United States. in its desire to secure
proper observance and enforcement or
the sO-CaIled neutrality statutes OF the
federal government, issued directions 70
The aDDrOpriate officers to exercise dill
gent and vigilant regard for the REQUIRE
ments OF such rules and laws. AiIhouSh
A condition of actual armed contuct eN-
Igted there was no official cogniuOn Of
heIHgerency involving the technical neu-
trality obligations of International law.
on the 9Th OF March last, in the alb
sence OF the secretary of state, had
personal interview with Mr.. Wilson, the
ambassador of the United States to Mex
leo In which he reported 10 me Jhat lhe
conditions in Mexico were much more
critical than the press dispatches DIS
slpsed that President Diaz was on a vol
aauO of popular uprising, that the small
sy,fbreals which had occurred were only
Gvmptomatic of the whole condition; that
A very large per cent. OF the people were
IA sympathy with the Instruction. that a
general explosion was probable at any
lime in which case he feared that the
40 900 or more American residents IN
Mexico might be asSailed, and that the
very large American investments might
De injured or destroyed
After q conference with the secretary
n war and the secretary of the navy, l
thought It wise to assemble an army
division Of fun strength at San Antonio.
Tex a brigade of three regiments at
Galveston brigade OF infantry IN the
Los Angeles district of southern cali
fornia together with 81 squadron OF bat
Heshfps and cruisers and transports at
Galveston. and g small squadron or SHIPS
at San Diego. At the same uTne. through
saIlr representative at the City of Mexico
EXPRESSED to President Dtaz the hope
that no apprehcusiOns might result from
tarv maneuvers. and assured him that
fbsy had no significance which should
rause concern to his government.
I am more than happy TO here record
the fact that all approximations as to the
eject Of the presence of so large mill
tary force in Texas proved SToundlesSi
no disturbances occurred
Erorn time to time communications
were received from Ambassador Wilson,
who had returned to Mexico. confirming
the view that the masStnE Of American
troops in the ueighborhood had had good
effect
The instruction continued and resulted
IN enEagementS between the regular
Mexican troops and the insurgents, and
this alOng the border so that In SeVera
Instances bullets from the cOntendine
forces STRUCK American citizens engaged
IN their lawful occupations on American
soil
Proper protests were made against
these IuvasionS Of American rights to the
Mexican authorities.
The presence of a large military anC
naval force evailable for prompt action
near the Mexican border proved to bt
the most fortunate under the somewhat
trying conditions presented by this lnva
sion Of American rights.
The policy and action Of this govern
neut were based upon an earnest friend
illness for the Mexican people as a whole
and 1t is = matter Of qualification to not,
that this attitude Of strict impartiality q!
70 all factions in Mexico and Of sincer'
WARTS S1fn-wfriNs