Canal Bill became a
law, mutterings have been heard of the possibility that the United
States would refuse this request of Great Britain to refer the
point in dispute to The Hague Court. But such a policy would be
most unwise for the United States to pursue. No better means to
injure our foreign trade and relations could be devised. Apart,
however, from the material aspect of the question, our national
honor and credit would suffer if we refused to refer the matter for
judicial settlement at the Bar of The Hague International Court,
especially as we have a treaty agreement with Great Britain to
refer many forms of possible international dispute to that very
tribunal in case ordinary means fail to settle them. In acceding to
such a solution of the point of difference between the two Powers,
the honor of the United States and Great Britain surely will be as
safe in the hands of their respective counsel as the honor of a
private individual is in those of his lawyer in a suit before a
Municipal Tribunal.

The Alabama Arbitration which involved a large and important part
of the rights and duties of neutrals and belligerents towards one
another, was a notable advance in strengthening the power and
majesty of International Law among the Nations of the world. The
present dispute will turn on the correct interpretation of a treaty
concerning whose meaning various parties and persons have offered
different views. It seems to be clearly a case for a judicial
decision.

At the proper time, let the question be argued before The Hague
Court, and whatever the decision may be, which both parties will be
pledged in advance to accept, another triumph will have been won
for the Law of the Nations. Another step forward--and International
Law and Justice can only advance a step at a time--towards the
distant goal of universal peace through the expansion of the Law of
Nations will be accomplished to the substantial gain and credit of
civilization and humanity. And new honor and glory will accrue to
the United States, which ever since the signing of Jay's Treaty in
1794 have done so much, probably more than any other Power, to
promote the cause of justice among the Nations."

Cambridge:
PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY, M. A.
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Panama