Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-12-13
NATION At PEACE
PRESIDENT INFORMS CONGRESS
ABouF RELATIONS WITH
OTHER COUNTRIES.
NEW ARBITRATION TREATIES
United States Helps In Anicable Set
tIement of Disputes-Events Con-
nected With the Mexican ReVolu-
tion-Need for Merchant Marine.

Element of Disputes-Events Con-
nected With the Mexican Revolu-
tion-Need for Merchant Marine.
Washington, Dec. Foreign affairs
are the sole subject of President Taft's
special message. which was submitted
to Congress today In part the docu-
y ment says:
The relations of the United States with
other countries have continued during the
| past twelve months upon basis OF the
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 dement's
to mankind in the extension Of the policy
of the settlement of international dis
| putes by arbitration rather than by war
| and in response to a widespread demand
| for an advance in that direction on the
| part of the people of the United States
! and Of Great Britain and of France. new
| spring with Great Britain and France,
J 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 negoTiatea
| an important modification in It's alliance
with Japan and the French government
| also expedited the negotiations with sig
| nal good win. The new treaties have
| been submitted to the senate and are
| awaiting it's advice and consent to their
! ratification. All the essentials of these
| important treaties have long been known,
| and 1t Is my earnest hope that tney win
| receive prompt and favorable action.
Affiliations.
In further Illustration of the practical
| and benefcent application of the princi-
| pie of arbitration and the underlying
| broad spirit of Cancellation, | 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 Rlca and between
| Haiti and the Dominican republic.
! Since the date of their independence,
J Colombia and Costa Rlca had been seek
! Ing. solution of boundary dispute,
/ to the new republic of Panama, upon its
! beginning life as an Independent ma
| ton. In January, 1910, at the request OF
| ing them met In conference at the depart
! ment OF state and subsequently concluo-
! ed protocol submitting this long pena.
| ing controversy to the arbitral 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 It is expected that the ar
! guments will shortly proceed and that
| this long -standing dispute will be honor
J ably and satisfactorily terminated.
| Again, a few months ago it appeared
that the Dominican republic and Haiti
! were about to enter upon hostiiities be-
acrimonious boundary dispute which the
efforts of many years had faIled TO solve
The government of the United States, by
a friendly interposltion or GOOD oIhces,
succeeded In prevailing upon the parties
| TO 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-caIled neutrality statutes of the
federal government, issued directions to
the appropriate officers to exercise a dill
gent and vigilant regard for the require
ments of such rules and laws. Although
a condition of actual armed conflict eX-
listed there was no official recognition of
bellgerency involving the technical neu-
trality obligations of International law.
After a conference with the secretary
of war and the secretary of the navy
thought it wise to assemble an army
division of full strength at San Antonio,
Tex a 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 a small squadron of ships
at San Diego At the same time, through
our representative at the City Of Mexico
l expressed to President Diaz the hope
that no approximations might result from
unfounded conjectureS as to these mill
tary maneuVeTS, and assured him that
they had no significance which should
cause concern to his government.
l am more than happy to here record
the fact that all approximations as to the
effect of the presence of so large mill
tary force in Texas proved groundless;
no disturbances occurred.
The insurrection continued and resulted
in engagements between the regular
Mexican troops and the insurgents, and
this along the border, so that in several
instances bullets from the contending
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 Mexican people as whole,
and it is matter of qualification to note
to all factions in Mexico and of sincere
friendship for the neighboring nation,
without regard for party allegiance, has
been generally recognized and has re-
suited in an even closer and more SYM
pathetic understanding between the two
republics and warmer regard one for
the other Action to suppress violence
and restore tranquility throughout the
Mexican republic was of peculiar inter-
est to this government. in that it con-
cerned the safeguarding of American life
and property in that country. On May
70. 1911, President Diaz resigned, Senior
de Ia Barra was chosen provisional presi-
dent. Elections for president and vice
president were thereafter held through
out the republic. and Senior Francisco l.
Madero was formally declared elected on
October IS. to the chief magistracy On
November President Madero entered
upon the duties of his office.
Honduras and Nicaragua Treaties
Proposed.
As to the situation in Central America.
/ have taken occasion in the past TO en-
phasize most strongly the Importance that
should be attributed to the consumma-
ton Of the conventions between the re-
pubiics of Nicaragua and of Honduras
and this country. and | again earnestly
recommend that the necessary advice and
consent of the senate be accorded to
these treaties, which viii make 1t poSsi-
bic for these Central American repuo-
lies to enter upon an era OF genuine eco
nomic national development.