Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-18
LET Us HAVE PEACE
The Prevailing Sentiment of
Americans.
But While War Exists Be
Prepared for 1t.
International Arbitration Advocated
by the Meth0dists.
President Harrison Addresses the Ecu
nenical Council-Secretaries FOs-
ter and Noble Also Make
Short Speeches.
Associated Press Dispatches.

ecumenical Methodist council today.
Hon. Charles Foster, secretary of the
treasury, made a short address. The
announcement OF Bishop Wayman, OF
the African M. E. church, that the col
ored churches had decided in favor of
organic union, was received with APP
plause The general topic of the day
was War and Peace.
Just as the discussion was being
opened, President Harrison and Secre-
tary Noble entered the hall. Every
body in the church stood up, and there
was burst Of applause as the president
assembled the platform. He was pre-
scented to the chairman, who in turn in
troduced him to the assemblage. An
other burst of applause followed, and
when this died away the president
stepped forward and said:
81 came here this morning to make
an expression Of my respect and esteem
for this great body of delegates assem-
bled from all the countries of the world,
and much more to give manifestation of
my respect and love for that greater
DOQy VI OuIlcbldn 1uGu anu MOUucu lOI
whom you stand. [Applause.]
'Eyery ecumenical conference is dis
tinct step in the direction, not only of
the unifcaticn OF the church. but of the
unifcation of humanity. 1t is the nat
ural order that the subdivisions should
be wiped out before the grand divisions
of the church can be united. You have
today as theme of discussion the sub
ject of international arbitration, and
this being so, the public and enlarged
use of the word perhaps makes my pres
ence here as an officer of the United
States especially appropriate. APP
plause.l The subject is one which has
long attracted attention, and think l
may say has as greatly attracted the in
terest and adherence of the United States
as that of any other Christian power in
the world. [Applause.l 1t is known to
you all that at the recent conference OF
American states at Washington propo-
sition was made and adopted by the adj
herents of all, or nearly all, the govern
ments represented, that, as applied to
this hemisphere, all international dis
putes should be settled by arbitration.
IApplause.l
''Of course there are limitations as yet
in the nature of things to complete the
contamination and general adaptation
of such a scheme. 1t is quite possible to
apply arbitration to boundary dispute.
1t is quite impossible, it seems to me,
to apply it to the case of an interna-
tional feud. If there is present dis
position to subjugate an aggressive spirit
to seize territory-a spirit of national
ACKNOWLEDGMENT that does not stop to
consider the rights of men and other
people-to such case and such spirit,
international arbitration has no, or if
any, remote and difficult application.
1t is for Christian sentiment manifest
ing itself in the nation, to remove for
ever such causes of dispute, and then
what remains will be an easy subject of
adjustment by fair international arbi
tration.
"But 1 had not intended to enter into
discussion of this great theme, for the
setting forth of which you have ap-
pointed those who have given it espe-
cial attention. Let me therefore say
simply this, for myself, temper
arily in a place of influence in
this country, and much more
for the great body of its citizenship, to
express the desire of America for peace
with the whole world. [Great applause
1t would have been vain to suggest the
pulling down of the block houses or the
disarmament of the settlers on hostile
Indian frontier. They would have told
you rightly that the conditions were not
ripe. And so it may be, and is proba-
bly,, true that full application of this
principle is not presently possible. The
devil still being unchanged laugh
teri we will still have. our gun foundries,
and probably best promote the settle
ment of international disputes by arbi-
tration, by having it understood that if
the appeal be to fiercer tribunal, we
shall not be out of the debate. [Ap-
plause.
''There is unity of church and of hu-
mainly, and the lines of progress are
the same. 1t is by this great Christian
sentiment, characterized not only by a
high sense of justice but by spirit of
love and forbearance, mastering the
civil institutions and the governments
of the world, that we shall approach
universal peace, and adopt the arbitra-
ton method of settling disputes.
''Let me thank you, Mr.. Chairman,
and you, gentlemen of this conference,
for the privilege of standing before you
for moment, and for this most cordial
welcome you have given me. 1 beg to
express again my high appreciation of
bH0 CudTdCbeI VI Uu6Se u6l6gdL6b, anu VI
the membership of the great church
from which they come, and to wish that
in your remaining deliberations and
your journeys to your far distant homes
you may have the guidance and care OF
that God whom we all revere"
As the president concluded and passed
out OF the church the entire conference
rose and applauded his remarks. Sec
rotary Noble, who was introduced, made
a few remarks. Sir Julian Pauncefote,
the British minister, was also pre-
scented, but made no address.
The discussion of the subject of the
day was then resumed, and Mr.. T.
Shape, OF Liverpool, read an essay on
International Arbitration He spoke of
the growth of this idea in the last dec
ade and its Importance. He made
reference to the declaration of the PAN
American congress and the suggestion
OF that body, through Secretary Of State
Blaine, to the governments of Europe,
that they should enter into a similar
treaty. Switzerland, however, he said,
is the only European power that has
given favorable reply. 1t is greatly to
be regretted that among the govern
ments which ignored the proposal is
that of Great Britain; the more so,
because in the arbitration debate in the
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