New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-10
MR.. CREMERS CROCHET,
WHO IS MIR. CREMER? HIS MEMORIAL
FOR A TREATY OF ARBITRATIoN-wHo
SIGN IT AND WHY THEY SIGN IT.
THE OBJECT OF THE MEMORIAL.
London. January I.

Mr.. w. r. Cremer, NJ. p. sails In the Teutonic
,or New-yorIs as bearer Of Memorial to the
President and Congress Of the United States In
favor OF a Treaty OF Arbitration between that
country and Great Britain. The individuality OF
the bearer Of such Memorial has, perhaps. not
much to do with the merits or the Mehoriai' out
I may say that Mr.. Crener Is very suitable
person to have charge OF this Quixouc proposal
He belongs to that too numerous CLASS vi per-
sons with more zeal than judgment WHOM we
are wont to describe not too civilly as crahKs.
All his life long he has been associated with the
advocacy Of crotchets generally or an aHiaoe
but also unuckily Of foolish KIND. lie 49,
believe, Secretary to the Peace Society;-the
Peace at Any Price Society, would be more ac-
curate name for II. He Is Secretary 10 the IN
ternational Arbitration League. lie has other
titles to that mitigated kind of respect which We
are wont to concede to people Of good intentions.
1t might be rash to affirm that he has often put
M the service OF these excellent intentions either
good sense or knowledge Of human nature or OF
affairs.
This Memorial invites the President and Con-
o,es. n conclude. or rather to invite the English
Government to conclude. Treaty OF Arbitration
for a term Of twenty-five years. Ii Is signed we
are told by 354 members OF the House OF Co"-
MONS and a resolution in similar sense mas
been passed by that body. Let US give Mf'
Cremer the benefit Of his politcal Clergy Inc
sIgnatories include some men or real weight
though mostly on the opposition side or the
uouse Two OF its chief lawyers, Sir Henry
lanes and Sir Richard Webster, both ex-Attor-
ney- Generals, sign: circumstance which might
suggest that arbitration gives employ ment 10 the
Bar. Sir Richard Webster knows II by agree
able experience having been counsel for Great
rip A
IN Paris: where his services were not thought 100
highly naid by fee Of $4,000 Mr.. Leonard
Courtney very able man, is doctrinaire IN
nol,tics whether International or other. Sir
Albert Rot is a solicitor with turn ior 30
cialIsm Sir John Pender you know as chairman
Of the so-called Direct United states Gable COM
pany; and Of other telegraph companies; direc-
tor b. profession, so II speak sir Eo"ai~
Watkln a much more portentous parsonage ID
chairman of the Channel Tunnel Company -
man who would engage in that enterprise wouio
engage in anything. Sir Edward Is railway
magnate who during a long and prohtanie
career has known how TO subordinate the IN
terests of the public TO those OF the various con-
Germs which he managed or directed VI puohc
spirit he has seldom been suspected On no pup
lie question in which his own or MS coHpahies
nrivats interests were not involved has he ever
What has this railway Spectator. long used to
tvrannizing over the community from wncn ne
draws his revenue to do with International Ar
bitration? Or what has Sir Charles Dixie TO do
with any public matter for which an unstained
private character ought to be the frst condlton
OF useful support or OF any connection Whatever
with the business? Mr.. Labouchere appears az
an advocate Of International Arbitration. lie Is
in Imperial affairs one Of the few remaining
Little Enganders. and in politics performs
part which somehow always suggests that he mas
recently esca ped from the Geological Gardens
Are we to accept the dictation or the advice or
the Editor Of Truth" or OF the most nimble
guerilla in the House OF Commons? Does Ar
bltration consist in lying in wait fox your friends
behind hedge? Mr. Stansfei's name is to this
memorial For the sake Of his old friendship 10
America mention him and pass On. Mr. Num-
della Is there; fresh from that Nev-Zealand dis
aster which drove him from the Cabinet and re-
duces him 10 silence when he is publicly chal-
lenged in THE Times to say why he sold OUT
OF this company just before the crash 10 which
his direction had brought II. Perhaps the
strongest name on the Liberal lis, is that of Mr..
IIaldane. a lawyer OF much learning, OF an nom
orable position at the Bar and in the House.
whose strong point is certainly not that KIND or
public discretion. Of considered Judgment IN
high politics. which alone can make personal
opinion on such subject International Ar
btration Of weight with a people not his own.
These are the names on the published list.
which arr considerable whethe- for good or III.
! II is remarkable that they should be so rev.
Members OF the Government do rot sign; they
might commit the Government. which clearly
means to remain with free land. But even
| these have signed one may conjecture. with
I hatr
binds them TO nothing 1t is ike speech In
debating club Its value Is academic. and the ex-
! preston Of such an opinion cans Them perhaps.
! n little cheap popularity with the sentiment
alists There is no sign that with the English
| publc in general, still less With the tudcious.
there is any strong opinion or feeling on the sub
ject Leaving three personal questions aside-ahd
refer to them only because stress Is laid on
them by the memorasts-He are, thnS' en-
| titled TO object first OF al. 10 the form OF the
Memorial What standing have these EnShsh-
men on American soil? In what character do
they addr, SIS the President? On what preteNt
can a body OF foreigners appeal 10 the Cnlef
Magistrate OF the United States to do an act in
his official capacity? ! say ii with all respect
for many Of them indviduals,7they are In
truders Mr. Cremer is ar intruder More IMAM
that Ii Is an act of presumption. II not OF Imper-
! thence OF which they are guilty. Their design
| is TO teach the President his duty, TO teach
America her duty, to prescribe to us what we
ought 10 do In a matter which concerns first ~
| all us and our country. They should be told
that. civilly but plainly. Their Memorial errs
irs, OF all in form. II would have been easy Tor
them TO keep within the well-knswn limits Oh
diplomatic intercourse. They might, perhaps.
have expressed an opinion without indecorum'
But when they seek to impose specihc duty
upon the Government or the President, they De-
come transgressors. The only Mt answer to such
n NauoriaI is the pigeon hole.