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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1914)
wywnfir' The Commoner JULY, 1914 13 w ' '" party was at -fault. The estrangement exists, -and this jg the fact that must bo dealt with. Colombia has all along insisted upon arbitra tion. If this nation were willing to arbitrate, it would not be necessary to discuss terms of settle ment because in the case of arbitration the parties accept the finding of the arbitrators and settle their differences according to the terms prescribed. It is not the policy of nations, how ever, to settle by arbitration questions like those arising between Iho United States and Colombia, and as arbitration is not resorted to, the .settle ment must bo made by direct negotiations. Our nation, being much the larger nation and hav ing refused to arbitrate, takes upon itself the responsibility of doing justice to Colombia. Not only is it our duty to do justice to Colombia, but in case of doubt as to what is just, we must re solve the doubt against ourselves and in favor of Colombia. Colombia feels that she has been aggrieved, and whatever may be said as to whether or not this feeling is justified, no one will deny that she has sustained great financial loss in the separation of Panama from her. Before the separation took place, this government offered Colombia $10,000,000 for the canal route and $250,000 a year for ono hundred years. This annuity might be capitalized at about $7,500, 000, so that this government's estimate of the loss suffered by Colombia could not bo less than about $17,500,000. But that estimate was made upon the supposition that Colombia would re tain the state or department of Panama. The retention of Panama would have given to Col ombia not only the value 'of Panama, but the incidental benefits to be derived from proximity to the canal. We cannot deny, therefore, that the actual loss to Colombia was considerably moro than $25,000,000. But we have a later estimate to consider, namely, tWt placed upon the loss by the preced ing administration. "While there is a dispute as to whether Mr. DuBois exceeded his" authority in the proposition that he made, there is no doubt that he was authorized to make known to Colombia that the United States would offer, as the basis of a treaty, if assured of acceptance by Colombia, $10,000,000 for the Atrata river canal route and arbitration of the reversionary Inter est of Colombia in the railroad This reversion ary interest was valued at about $16,000,000, Which would have been the sum awarded to Colombia if the arbitration was decided in her favor. The $10,000,000 for the Atrata route and the $10,000,000 was evidently intended ., more as liquidated damages than as the price of the canal route--together with the value of the reversionary interest in the railroad would amount to $26,000,000.' But Mr. DuBois went further than this, and suggested arbitration of a canal lease, which might have added some $17,00,000 more, and then, upon his own responsibility in order to sound Colombia as to her demand, asked if she would .consider $25,000,000 with the arbitra tion of the reversionary Interest in the railroad and without granting any privileges whatever. This question, while unauthorized, could not but create in the minds of the people of Colombia the idea that this government was willing to go farther than Its formal offer. Reference is made to what has been done be cause former estimates created expectations which made it impossible to secure a treaty on more favorable terms than those embodied in the present treaty. The canal and canal zone concessions contained in the treaty are substan tially those embodied In the Root-Cortez treaty, which was not ratified by Colombia, and the ex pression of regret is identical ,in meaning and almost identical in words with the expression to be found in the DuBois memorandum. If cordial relations are to bo restored with Colombia, they must be restored on a basis that is satisfactory to Colombia'. Friendships can not .rest upon force; neither can they rest upon ac quiescence in the power of might. Even if Col ombia, under protest and against the judgment of her people, accepted a less sum than that which we offer, it would not restore the rela tions that ought to exist. Wo must satisfy their sense of justice, although a less sum might satisfy our sense of justice. In every settlement there muBt be concessions, and our government has not conceded more than tho requirements of tho situation demand. The ratification of the Colombian treaty will restore the friendly relations which for a cen tury preceding 1903 existed between Colombia and the United States. It will also enable Col ombia and Panama to settle their differences and deal with each other upon a neighborly basis. More than that, it will give prestige to the United State throughout Spanish.- America. This nation can afford to bo just; oven more, it can afford to be generous in tho settling ot dis putes, especially when by its generosity it cast increase the friendliness of the many millions in Central and South America with whom our re lations become daily more intimate. from himself, or olse made certain by. a personal investigation that thoy contained no injurious ingredients. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE OF WOOL INTERESTS On June 2 the conference of wool growers and manufacturers was opened with an address by Dr. B. T. Galloway, assistant secretary. It was pointed out in this address that tho annual wool clip of the United States had now reached a total value of $60,000,000. If proper methods of grading and putting up tho wool woro fol lowed, it is not unreasonable to expect that this total would be increased 10 per cent in a short time. At tho present time, however, there is little inducement to the individual grower to adopt this standard since buyors will not change their prices for small clips. It was large ly In order to stimulate growers and manufac turers to cooperative efforts in this direction that tho present conference was called. In this connection Dr. Galloway spoko of tho work that the department of agriculture had done in establishing uniform and standard grades for cotton. Sets of nine official cotton grades can now bo obtained from tho United States authorities at $20 a set and they are being more and moro generally used throughout the trade. The time should soon come, said the assistant secretary, when wool grades will bo equally standardized. Dr. Galloway also called the attention of the conference to the work of the biological survey in ridding sheep-raising sections of the country of predatory animals. The value of this work is now recognized as. being very great. The conference continued for three days and various topics of interest to the wool trade were discussed by prominent grow ers and manufacturers. As a result of the conference, growers and manufacturers are now urging a federal bounty system as a means to exterminate predatory ani mals on western ranges, the enactment of state laws to contrdl dogs in farm states, the standard ization of wool by tho department of agriculture, tho establishment of government sheep-brooding farms to determine the breeds, of sheep best adapted to various conditions, and the creation of wool colleges for the promotion of more scien tific methods in wool production. In a report addressed to the secretary of agri culture by a committee, it has been pointed out that the sheep industry of the United States is now valued at approximately $230,000,000, but that unfavorable conditions are causing the sup ply of sheep to decrease rapidly. THE AGRICULTURAL YEARBOOK The yearbook of tho department for 1913 has been issued and distributed to congressmen and such correspondents of the department as are entitled to receive copies. Tho new volume dif fers in several respects from Its predecessors. The articles that it contains are In general of a more popular and Instructive character, and al though the book itself contains a smaller num ber of pages, it is safe to say that it has as much valuable material in it as ever. In addition to the secretary's report there are 14 special articles by department experts and an appendix containing statistics of the principal crops; a table of the animals imported into tho United States for breeding purposes for which certificates of pure breeding have been Issued, and lists of the" agricultural colleges and experi ment stations In the United States together with the names of the state officials in charge of agri culture. Tho book is illustrated by 54 full-page plates, of which a large number are reproduced In colors, and by 21 tables, maps, and line drawings. ARSENIC IN JELLY AND CANDY The accidental presence of arsenic in jelly, candy and chocolate and of lead in cream tartar, has caused one corporation to bo fined $100 and three corporations to be Hned $50 each for the shipment of such adulterated products In inter state commerce. In every case the arsenic and lead appear to have found their way Into the products through either Ignorance or careless ness on tho part of the manufacturer. In order to protect himself, he should have procured ma terials guaranteed by his vendor under the food and drugs act, thus shifting the responsibility AMENDMENTS TO THE BIRD LAWS Amendments to the regulations for tho protec tion of migrntory birds have beon proponed t tako effect as soon ad the three months' notice required by law has expired. This will be on October 1, 1914. In the meantime, copies of the regulations can bo obtained from tho biological survey In tho department. Tho effect of one of these changes Is to per mit, on tho Missouri and the upper waters of the Mississippi, tho shooting of all migratory game birds for which there is an open soason from Octobor 1, 1914, to January 1, 1915. After the latter date tho prohibition will bo in force again. Other amendments doal principally with the closed soason for water fowl in various localities. WARNING AGAINST ALLEGED CURES Tho department has received evidenco of what appears to bo a well-organized campaign to doludo farmors throughout tho country into buying an alleged cure for hog cholera under tho impression that this has been investigated and approvod by 'tho United States government Articles praising this medicine, Bonetol by name, are being sont out broadcast to nowspapcra, Thcso articles are so worded that it appears ah if tho department of agriculture had received roports from tho stato of Minnesota showing that the medicine had proved most bonoficial. As t matter of fact the ono report received by tho de partment was an unofficial and unsolicited state mont sent presumably from tho promoters thorn selves. Tho department attaches no importance whatsoover to this statement. It has no reason to believe in tho efficiency of any proprietary cure for hog cholera and does not recommend any. Under certain conditions It urges farmers to protect their stock with anti-hog cholera serum, but that is all. In view of tho evidenco that tho attempt to create this false impression is persistent and widespread, all hog owners are warned to com municate with the United States authorities be fore accepting as true any statement that the government recommends any treatment Other than tho serum already mentioned. NO WATER MAY BE ADDED TO WINE A wine decision has been promulgated (dated Juno 12, 1914) which abrogates food inspection decisions 109 and 120, defines wine, and pro hibits the use of tho namo "wine" on products mado by tho addition of water to tho juice, pomace, or pulp of grapes. Wine is doflncd to bo "the product of the normal alcoholic fermen tation of the juice of fresh, sound, ripe grapes, with tho usual collar treatment." DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUREAU OF CORPORATIONS Part IV of a report on the lumber Industry has been submitted to the president by the corn missioner of corporations. It deals with th wholesale distribution of lumber, prices, and combinations among manufacturers and whole salers to fix prices. A subsequent part of thlf report will deal with combinations among retail dealers. Price combinations among lumber manufac turers have usually been affected through asso ciations. Many years ago they began organizing and today there is no important region of pro duction in which they do not have an association. Furthermore, they have an association that is national in its scope and which is a federation of a number of tho local associations. Tho prominent features of Part IV of the re port are; 1. While some of tho avowed purposes of the associations are to bring about and foster prac tices that are beneficial both to producer and consumer, the chief purpose apparently has bees to increase profits by advancing prices. 2. The wholesale prices of lumber have been higher because of the associated activities of lumbermen. 3. In the earlier years many of the associa tions openly attempted to curtail the output and to fix tho wholesale price of lumber; later, be cause of fear of the law, they disavowed any such purpose, but tho practices they professed to abandon were continued by subterfuge and indirection through the same groups of men who had formerly done them in the associations. 4. Tho national lumber manufacturers asso ciation has been active in its efforts to shape legislation. In 1.909 it maintained an aggre i i . n s , n