Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-07-05

In the years when this Republic was
still struggling for existence, in the face
of thereatened encroachments by hos
tile monarchies over the sea, in order to
make the New World safe for democracy
our forefathers established here the
policy that soon came to be known as
the Monroe doctrine. Warning the Old
World not to interfere in political life
of the New, our Government pledged
itself in return to abstain from inter
ference in the political conflicts of
Europe; and history has indicated the
wisdom of this course. We were then
too weak to influence the destines of
Europe, and it was vital to mankind
that this first great experiment in gov
ernment of and by the people should not
be disturbed by foreign attack.
Our government has consistently re-
fused to be entangled in European af-
fairs and although the vast increase of
our foreign trade and travel abroad,
modern transport, modern mails, the
cables and the wireless, have brought us
close to Europe and have made our
isolation more and more imaginary,
there has been, until the outbreak of the
present conflict, small desire on our part
to abrogate or even amend the old
familiar tradition which has for so long
given us peace.
In both conferences at the Hague in
1899 and 1907 we only pledged ourselves
to observe broad general rules of
deeency and fair fighting but we clear
ed ourselves of any responsibility in en-
forcing similar pledges on other nations.
Our second great tradition in inter
national relations has been our persis-
tent effort to secure a stable and equi-
table agreement of the nations upon
such maritime code as would assure to
all the world just freedom of the seas
This effort was born of our vital need
For although it was possible for the
Republic to keep aloof from the nine
teenth Gentry disputes that rent the
Continent of Europe, we could not be
indifferent to the way in which war was
conducted at sea. In those early years
of our national life, when we were still
but few communities ranged along the
Atlantic coast, we were a seafarlne
people. At time when our frontiers
men had not yet reached the Mississippi
the fame of our daring clipper ships hae
spread to all the Seven Seas. So while
we could watch the triumphant marcf
and the tragic countermarch OF
Napoleon S grand army with detached
| indifference, his Continental Blockade
and the British Orders in Council al
once effected the lives of our citizens
| intimately and disastrously.
In all cases we have steadily main
tanned this great policy and although
the other great powers have often beer
| at variance with us ON this point W.
have always urged the inviolability Of
private property at sea. In the cas-
of the Barbary Pirates we had no in
terest in the land quarrels and civil war
of the Barbary States, but we tough
them for obstrueting the freedom oi
the seas.
There has been in our diplomacy on,
more outstanding aspiration. We hav'
constantly sought to substitute juridiea
/ for military settlement of disputes be
tween nations.
The genesis of this idea from the dis
cussions over the Federal organization
of our Is original States, which wer
almost as jealous of their soyerigntie
as are the nations of Europe to-day
| The first great step toward the Leagu'
of Honor, which we hope viii at las
bring peace to the world, was takei
when our 13 States agreed to disarn
and submit all their disputes to the higl
| tribunal of the new federation.
We have taken a particular pride il
being in the vanguard of all movement