The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-02-11

diplomatic agency has failed 20 settle
such difference. Sir Lyon plnyfalr
Remarked that the time, ar favorable
u such a course, since "lhe whole world
l. startled at the n'H urpe't Uf war,
which the progrs ol science II making
"a huge engine for lh' buichery of men
and the wantpn waste Of property
lie added, the startling fact, that during
the last ten years the cost Of maintain
ing Europcon arm es has increased at
least twenty-five per cent
The President responded In n sympa-
thetic manner. and expressed the hope
that arbitration might one day be
generally adopted.
1t is fitting that such = subject should
be taken up by the two great Anglo
Saxon powers. aud thatan effort should
be made by enlightened nations 10
devise peaceful method Of settling
the disputes which are con stantl y aris-
ing between formidable powers.
Tho most striking example ever set
In this direction was that Of the United
States and England. when they agreed
that the claims for the deprGdatiOns Of
the priyateer Alabama and other Con-
fedcrate cruisers should be submitted
10 u court Of arbitration, with author
ity not merely 10 determine how much
was due to this country by Great Brit
ain, but 10 decide if any thing was due.
Thus IL was commissioned To sit in
judgment upon the conduct Of proud
and independent government That
subject had long threatened to bring
about n war between the two countries;
but when the arbitration was agreed To.
and the court at Geneva adjudgcd that
/ England should pay the United States
fifteen and one half millions Of dollars
for the damage done by the Alabama
and other vessels, the decision was
promptly acquiesccd in. and the money
was paid over without murmur.
One Of the great obstacles in tho way
Of the adoption Of arbitration for the
settlement Of international quarrels is,
that no nation is willing TO submit u
question in which its honor" is con-
cerncd To such court. II IL still the
prevailing doctrine. that il nation
has been "insultcd by another. the
shedding of blood can alone preserve
its honor 1t is TO large degree owing
to this feeling that all Europe is to-
day burdened with enormous mill
tary armamcnts. and that treasures
and the pockets of the people are boing
drained To support them.
One strong argument. however, in
favor Of arbitration is. that wars very
rarely sottle the disputes which have
provoked them. Thousands of men
are slaughtered; millions OF money are
squandered; territories are do5Olatcd;
industries are ruined; and yet at the
end of it all. the seed of future quar-
rcls and future wars remain. Two
hundred years ago. a French king
seized and added u German province
/ 10 his realm The Germans were not.
however, made content 10 lose it by
defeat; aud in 1870, they rose mp and
took the province back by force. With
this again. the French are not satisfied (;
and are at this day watching their OPP
portunity 20 rccouqncr the province.
Many more examples might he taken
from history to show how useless even
long and bloody wars are To bring
about final settlements between ma
tons. The history Of peaceful settle
ments. on the other hand. by diplomacy
or by reference To u court of arbitra-
tion. shows that disputes which are
brought to an end in this way usually
entirely disappear 1t may he that
wars i'm defense of national honor may
cease to be wagcd, just IA ducling,
to satisfy the honor of mdividu Is, has
ceased to he rracticed, to large de.
gree, in England and America Arbi-
traton, il il could bc adopted. would
! be an unspcakablr blessing To all the
world and the example of England
and the United States. settling their
differences in this way, may result in
great good to all the world. 49, IOuths
Companion
o