River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-12-14

Washington, Dec. 7.-President Taft
today sent to congress a special mes
sage on foreign relations. The mes
sage follows:
The relations of the United States
with other countries have continued
during the past twelve months upon
basis Of the usual good will and
friendly intercourse.
Arbitration.
The year just passed marks an i'm
portant general movement on the part
OF the powers for broader arbitration.
In the recognition of the manifold
benefits to makind In the extension of
the policy Of the settlement Of inter-
national disputes by arbitration rather
than by war, and in response to a
widespread demand for an advance in
that direction on the part Of the peo-
pie 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 ex-
pressed in the preamble of these
treaties, to extend the scope and obi
cations of 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 ex-
pedited the negotiations with signal
good will. The new treaties have 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 will receive prompt
and favorable action.
Claim of AIsop & Co. Settled.
l am glad to report that on July 8
last the American claim of Alsop IL
Co. against the government of Chile
was finally disposed OF by the decision
of his Britannia majesty George ", to
whom, as amiable compOsiteur, the
matter had been referred for deter
minat1on. His majesty made an
award of nearly $1,00O,0OO to the
by Chile. The settlement of this con-
troversy has happily eliminated from
the relations between the republic of
Chile and the United States the only
question which for two decades had
given the two foreign offices any seri-
Gus concern and makes possible the
unobstructed development of the rela-
tions of friendship which 1t has been
the aim OF this government in every
possible way to further and cultivate
Affiliations.
IN further illustration of the practi-
cal and beneficent application of the
principle of arbitration and the under
lying broad spirit of Cancellation, l am
happy to advert TO the part of the
United States in facilitating amicabIe
settlement of disputes which menaced
the peace between Panama and Costa
Rica and between Haiti and the Do
ruinican republic.
Since the date OF their independ-
ence, Colombia and Costa RIGA had
been seeking solution of a boundary
dispute, which came as heritage
from Colombia to the new republic of
Panama, upon its beginning life as an
independent nation. Although the dis
putants had submitted this question
for decision to the president OF
France under the terms of an arbftra-
ton treaty, the exact Interpretation
of the provisions OF the award rem
dered had been a matter of serious
disagreement between the two coun-
tries. both contending for widely diff
ferent lines even under the terms of
the decision. Subsequently and since
1903 this boundary question had been
the subject Of fruitless diplomatic ne
gotiations between the parties. In
January, 1910, st the request of both
governments the agents representing
them met in conference at the depart
ment of state and subsequently con-
cluded protocol submitting this long
pending controversy to the arbitraI
Judgment of the chief justice of the
United States, who consented to act
in this capacity. A boundary commits
sion, according to the international
agreement, has now been appointed,
and it is expected that the arguments
will shortly proceed and that this long
standing dispute will be honorably
and satisfactorily terminated.
Again, few months ago it appeared