Sir Wilfrid Laurier's strong, independent attitude at the colonial conference in London on the matter of Canadian-American trade does not presage any loss to American business. There are many things, said the Canadian Premier, which Canada could exchange, concession for concession, with the United States, but the Dominion, in general, stands with the motherland. Canada is prepared, he continued, to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in order to make trade flow, not north and south, but east and west. Even hundreds of millions of dollars, however, cannot offset natural laws, and, commercially as well as politically, the destinies of the United States and Canada must ever remain closely bound together. Peace in Dominican Congress on May 3, marks a new departure in the relations of the United States to the smaller republics of the Western Hemisphere, it will be well to recapitulate briefly the history of our treaty relations with Santo Domingo. In the latter part of the year 1904, it will be remembered, while our Government was pressing for a settlement of the claims of American citizens against Santo Domingo, a revolution broke out in that republic. President Morales being hard pressed by the revolutionists and desiring the moral support of the United States, entered into an agreement with Captain Dillingham, of the American Navy, by the terms of which Dominican custom-houses were to be occupied by Americans, and the foreign indebtedness of the country paid by these American officials out of the customs receipts. This convention, or treaty, was rejected by the United States Senate. On March 31, 1905, however, a modus vivendi was agreed upon. An American collector was placed in charge of the custom-houses and 55 per cent. of the custom receipts were deposited with a New York bank, to be turned over to the foreign creditors of Santo Domingo. Active hostilities in Central America have finally been termiAmerica. nated by the real treaty of peace, signed at Amapala, on April 24, by the envoys of Nicaragua and Salvador, and the situation in Honduras has been improved by the organization of a provisional government. The several treaties ending the present troubles will be reconsidered and embodied at a later date in a new instrument to be discussed at a coming conference at Corinto. A threatened war between Mexico and Guatemala, arising out of a disagreement over the extradition of some Guatemalans who had committed crimes on Mexican soil, was avoided through the dignified moderation the little republic. Up to the present more of the Mexican President. The authenticity than $3,000,000 has been deposited in the of the interview attributed to President Diaz, New York bank to the credit of Santo Dohowever, in which he suggested a joint Mexi- mingo, and this will be used in discharging can-American protectorate over Central the foreign debt. The Dominican Minister America, has been denied. A confederation of Finance (Señor Frederico Velasquez), of the five republics, each one with the status of a state under American protection, is also being discussed. It cannot be said that the time for such a joint movement on the part of the two larger republics of the continent has actually arrived. But, as the wars between these republics increase in frequency, it seems more and more possible that such a protectorate is the only practicable remedy for the intolerable state of affairs which has so long existed in Central America. What the This did not save Morales, howUnited States ever. He was defeated by the Engages to Do. revolutionists. The result, however, was highly beneficial to the finances of by hard work during the past two years, has succeeded in getting the European creditors of his country to consent to a 50 per. cent. reduction in their claims, for cash. A prominent New York banking-house has undertaken to advance the money for this purpose, accepting 5 per cent. fifty-year bonds in return. The new treaty provides for the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a receiver of customs to collect the Dominican revenues as long as the bonds already referred to are outstanding. The treaty also guarantees the protection of the United States to the receiver and his assistants. It further pledges the Dominican Government not to increase its public debt or to modify its import duties without the consent of the United States. Europe, in general, regards the treaty with approval. The most notable diplomatic event of the past year was the visit of the American Secretary of Plans As a preliminary step, a most of the ambitious plan of reorganization New Director. and extension for the bureau was submitted to the Third Pan-American Conference, held in Rio de Janeiro last summer. This was approved by the conference. Following this, Mr. Root made his famous diplomatic tour of the South American continent, visiting all the principal capitals, and realizing, as no American statesman has heretofore realized, the magnificent opportunities for the extension of American commerce and influence in all Latin-America. Before his return to the United States he had secured an appropriation from our own Con State, Mr. Root, to this and other Latin repub- gress of $200,000 for a site and building for lics. That eminent statesman brought messages the bureau's new home, to which fund the of cordiality and friendship from the American other republics also contributed. Describing people and their illustrious President, Mr. Roose- his hopes to Mr. Carnegie, he persuaded that velt, and made statements on every possible occasion which could only have the effect of assist- philanthropist to give $750,000 for a building in the progress of the republics and bringing ing, making a total of $1,000,000 for about closer relations between them and the location and structure. Mr. Root's next United States. The visit of Mr. Root has already move was, in conference and harmony with begun to bear fruit in the genuine friendship established, in a better understanding, frank relations existing between Argentina and the United States and the firm desire of both republics to promote their mutual commerce. The International Bureau of the The Bureau of American American Republics, of which Republics. Mr. John Barrett has just been made director, is an institution founded about seventeen years ago as a result of the First International Pan-American Conference, held in Washington. The late James G. Blaine was the leader in the movement, and saw great possibilities in an establishment of the ministers of the Latin-American republics at Washington, to select a new director for the bureau. The choice fell upon Hon. John Barrett, United States Minister to Colombia, who has also previously been United States Minister to Panama and to Argentina, and before that delegate of the United States to the Second Pan-American Conference, at Mexico. In December last Mr. Barrett was formally elected director of the bureau to succeed Hon. William C. Fox, who has been appointed United States Minister to Ecuador. In discussing the future of the bureau, Mr. Barrett says that its this kind for developing commerce and great purpose will be not only to build up friendly relations among the republics of the Western Hemisphere. Since then it has led a dignified and honest existence in Washing. ton, having such distinguished men as its directors as the celebrated newspaper correspondent, William Eleroy Curtis, and Hon. W. W. Rockhill, now United States Min trade and commerce among all the American nations, but to promote more friendly relations, better understanding of each other, and the general prosperity and well-being of all the countries of the American continents. For this purpose he desires the co-operation of chambers of commerce, boards of trade, ister to China. It has not, however, ever commercial organizations, and other institu carried out to the extent planned the intentions of the founders. It has done a good work and has possessed a competent staff, but there had been lack of interest in the State Department of the United States and in the foreign offices of the governments of the other republics, until Secretary Root, with his masterful statesmanship and far-sighted policy, saw the necessity of immediately developing better relations with our sister republics and determined that the bureau should become tions interested in the extension of American influence and prestige abroad. The monthly bulletin of the bureau has already been greatly improved, and Mr. Barrett hopes for increased usefulness from this publication. The Situation in Cuba. An illuminating view of the Cuban situation from within, showing the economic and social currents and cross-currents which are helping or retarding the attainment of Cuban inceived from a keen student of politics and economics, of long residence in Cuba in capacity which has afforded him, during the past ten years, excellent opportunity for observing actualities. There are two main reasons, he declares, for the depression in Cuba. One is the lack of personal rights on the part of the inhabitants of the island, and the other the commercial unrest which is evident in the want of confidence on the part of both labor and capital. The moneyed man has, says the writer of this letter, no adequate security that he will ever get his money back.. He therefore charges inordinate interest and demands inordinate security. Usury is, accordingly, one of the curses of present-day Cuba. On the other hand, labor is almost absolutely unprotected. There is no such thing as the mechanic's lien or its equivalent. In Cuba the laborer is considered last. "Not until farmers and laborers are reasonably sure of the fruits of their labor will there be industrial tranquillity in Cuba, and commercial tranquillity will flow at once from industrial tranquillity." The principal difficulty in the way of securing these reforms, we are told, is the apathy of the conservative elements. They are relying upon the strong arm of the United States to maintain law and order, and are therefore quietly abstaining from taking any effective part in public affairs. Thus the very elements that must eventually govern Cuba, as every other nation, are contributing to delay the hour when the American troops can evacuate the island. Economic : tion, therefore, must largely depend for reform on one-sided statements, because of the lack of any representative party to set forth the other side in an organized manner. Recognizing that a prolonged occupation by the American authorities is necessary, the Provisional Government has begun to bestir itself about material reforms. Says this observer: The conclusion of the sugar harvest has left many laborers idle. A phenomenal dry season has so far made new planting impossible, and advantage is being taken of these conditions to push forward many public works of utility with the greatest economy possible. Among these is a well-considered plan for a great central highway which shall tap all the rich agricultural regions of the island with an artery of communi cation by which products can reach their markets. This will necessitate the disbursement of some $4,000,000, chiefly for materials and labor, among the very classes now out of employment. It will also relieve the industrial situation temporarily, permanently benefit the farmers of the island, and help to put into circulation the millions of surplus which the bankers refused to accept at 2 per cent. as a loan. The smaller towns are also being assisted to improve their sanitary conditions under the direction of American army officers, with further disbursement of public funds for works of general utility. interesting and significant that in this connection we offer no apology for calling the reader's attention to our contributed article on page 673 this month. Before the conference meets the interest is largely in personalities, and the governments of the world have in almost all cases appointed delegates whose names stand for dignity and progress. By the middle of May these appointments had been announced: The British delegates are Sir Edward Fry, a member of the permanent Court of Appeals at The Hague; Sir The writer of this letter insists Reforms in that it is already recognized by the Island. all intelligent Cubans that the island, being the key to the Panama Canal, can never be permitted by the Government of the United States to pass into hostile hands, or, by incompetent administration, to become a source of international peril." Ernest Satow, British Minister to China; Lord Reay, the president of the Royal Asiatic Society; Sir Henry Howard, British Minister to The Hague, besides military, naval, and international law experts. France sends M. Léon Bourgeois, former Premier of the Republic; Baron d'Estournelles de Constant, Senator and well-known advocate of international arbitration; and M. Louis Rénault, France's permanent representative at the Hague Tribunal. Italy will be represented Signor Guido Pompili, Under-Secretary of ble apathy about organizing, there remains only the late insurgent element to be heard from in Foreign Affairs, and Signor Fusinato, memany truly representative way. The Administra- ber of the House of Deputies and authority This being recognized, the conservative elements of Cuban society, without much regard to party, smile at the prospect of an end to the "Intervention." They declare that no end is possible and that, after all, it is not the form of intervention but the fact of American control of the situation which interests them. Hence these elements have thus far failed to perfect any organization to succeed the now defunct "Moderato party, leaving the "Liberales," so badly divided among themselves over the candidacy of various generals, to control the situation so far as permitted by the Provisional Government. These by Count Tornielli, Ambassador to France; having no organization and exhibiting considera on international law. The Russian delegates will be: Count Nelidoff, Prof. Theodore Martens, international law expert, and Dr. Charikov, Russian Minister at The Hague. Austria sends Privy Councillor Merey von Kaposmere, Baron von Maccio, of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Prof. Heinrich Lammasch, expert on international law. Dr. F. Hagerup, Norwegian Minister to Denmark, will represent his country at The Hague. Japan sends an impressive delegation, which includes Mr. K. T. Sutsuki, of the Foreign Office; Dr. Aimana Sato, Japanese Minister at The Hague; Rear-Admiral Shimamura, Major-General Akiyama, and Mr. H. W. Dennison, the American advisor to the Japanese Foreign Office. . 'The British Colonial The conspicuous result of the British Colonial Conference, Conference. which met in London in late April and early May, was the refusal of the imperial government to accede to the scheme. for colonial trade preference, a policy which was favored by all the assembled premiers, with the exception of Sir Wilfrid Laurier. All attempts to commit the federal government to the policy of protection, under the name of preference, were defeated, the Canadian Premier always voting with the government, and General, Botha, of the Transvaal, being on most occasions his supporter. The sensational events of the sessions were the speeches by Mr. Alfred Deakin, Premier of Australia, and Sir Robert Bond, of Newfoundland. Mr. Deakin, speaking at a dinner of the Pilgrim Society of London, predicted in the near future a tremendous struggle for the control of the Pacific. The British Colonial Office, declared Mr. Deakin, is farther from the colonies than the colonies are from the Colonial Office. He wished it to be noted, however, as unalterable Australian sentiment, that "England had not allowed a rival European nation [referring to the German occupation of the New Hebrides], to get a foothold close to Australia without a warning from the colony." During the last century the British Government had not been called on for a test of sea supremacy, but in a few years, Mr. Deakin continued, without mentioning nations by name, England would have to fight for the supremacy of the Pacific with Germany, Japan, and perhaps the United States of America. Sir Robert Bond presented the Canadian fisheries argument, claiming that the imperial govern THE FRENCH MINISTER OF LABOR. A snap shop of M. Viviani, the out-and-out Socialist of the Clémenceau cabinet. in order to favor the United States. In a Premier Clé- As a direct result of the May Day labor demonstrations in France, the position of the Clémenceau ministry is stronger than ever in the republic. On the first day of last month some minor demonstrations occurred, ending with the arrest of several of the labor leaders in Paris for disorder. The crux of the situation, however, was reached when M. Jaurés, the Socialist deputy in Parliament, followed by MM. Deschanel and Ribot, almost bluntly asked the government to disclose its labor policy. The attack of the extreme Socialists, led by Jaurés, turned upon the refusal of Minister Briand to authorize the formation of labor unions by the school teachers and other state officials. The Premier denied being antagonistic to the principles of laborunionism, but strongly opposed what he of the Confederation Générale du Travail objections advanced by German exporters. (General Confederation of Labor). After Certain reductions, also, are made upon heated debate the chamber expressed confidence in the government by a vote of 343 to 210. M. Clémenceau's vigorous and fairminded attitude has received the support of moderate people throughout the republic. While the sympathies of his ministry are with the labor movement in general, as testified by the presence in his cabinet of Ministers goods imported from Germany as permitted under the provisions of the Dingley tariff act. In German home politics the passage of the Colonial Ministry bill, early in May, was one of the chief happenings of interest. The attitude of the empire on the advisability of discussing at the Hague Conference the question of disarmament continues to provide a Briand and Viviani, the latter an out-and-out subject for discussion in the European press. Socialist, the moderate ground invariably taken by him in the suppression of disorder has won him the confidence, not only of his own countrymen, but of Europe in general. Economic and By the approval in the Reichstag, Industrial early last month, of the tariff Germany. modus vivendi between Germany and the United States, the trade interests of both countries have their relations fixed for another year at least and probably for an indefinite period in the future. This "Project of Commercial Agreement," as it is termed, extends to this country the benefit of the most-favored-nation clauses of the German tariff, in return for which certain concessions in the method of levying duties are made by the United States customs authorities to meet BELGIUM TO HER KING, Leopold: "My Congo!" The formal utterances of the Kaiser's representatives at the Dutch capital will be looked forward to with interest and concern by the entire world. It is a rather significant fact that, during the past few months, according to a statement made by Count von Posadowsky-Wehner, Secretary of the Interior, emigration from Germany has practically ceased. The Minister is reported to have said: Germany has definitely ceased to be an exporter of men. She has become an importer and on an increasingly large scale. Not only our manufacturers, but also our farmers, are now wrestling with the problem of where to find sufforeign labor is They are compelled to hire what ficient hands. obtainable, Russian, Polish, Hungarian, and Italian, while we have lately witnessed the strange spectacle of even England being drawn upon to ameliorate the abnormal conditions in our dock, arms, and ammunition trades. Political Move- Important elections under new ments in ranchise laws occurred in May Central Europe. throughout the Austrian Empire which will result in a Reichsrath of many widely different groups. Especially noteworthy has been the gains of the Socialists. In the last Parliament they had eleven seats; in the next one they will control more than seventy. The new Swedish Franchise Reform bill, which is now before the King for his signature, will largely extend the suffrage. It will also make a reduction of the property qualification for eligibility to election to the upper house. In Belgium the disagreement continues between the Parliament and the King over labor questions and the future of the Congo. The Smet de Naeyer ministry, after being in power for eight years, was forced out of office early in April because of the Premier's inability to reconcile the interests of the King and Parliament. It would appear that a crisis in the affairs of the Congo were near, and the world will await with interest the decision of the Belgian people as represented in their Parliament Belgium: "No, not your Congo. My handmaid regarding the future administration of this From the Amsterdammer (Amsterdam). she shall be." great Central African domain. |