The Portland daily press., 1896-04-23
ARBITRATION CONFERENCE.
Ex Senator Edmunfs Presided at the Sess
sion In Washington Yesterday.

Washington, April 22.-The first ses-
sion of the national arbit ration confera
enoe was called to order this afternoon al
Metzerott's Music hall.
The meeting was opened by Chairman
John W. Foster, ex-Seoretary of State,
and ex-senator George E. E1munds was
| selected as permanent president.
Mr.. Foster said: 81 cannot refrain
from expressing my pride at the record
with which our country has made in the
past century of unbroken peace with all
nations of the earth Of steady adher-
! ence to the settlement Of the internation-
! al differences by arbitration. You have
| not, therefore, assembled to recommend
to our government any new departure
in its policy on this subject. Compul-
sorry arbitration between nations presents
problems not easy of solution. 1t seems
u Utopian idea to anticipate a general
disarmament OF nations in our genera
tion. But certainly among people who
profess to be governed by the prin nciples
Of q common christianity a better method
OF adjusting the differences which must
arise between them may be found than
by the bloody arbitrament of war;"
Washington, April ga committee of
the New York Bar Association appointed
to prepare plan for the creation of an
international court of arbitration, called
on President Cleveland by appointment
yesterday afternoon, and presented
plan.
Mr.. Cleveland promised to give care
full consideration to the views presented.
The proposal is to establish a perma-
nent international court of arbitration to
be composed of nine members, each re-
DrnCa 81 hn iub
eat court of the nation he shall represent
and to be chosen by majority of his
| associates Each Judge to mold Office
during life or the Will of the court select
ing him. The court thus constituted is
to make its own rules and to fix its place
of meeting. COntroyerted questions are
to be submitted by treaty between the
disputing nations to the court with an
express stipulation that all parties shall
conform to whatever determination the
court shall make of the controversy.
1t is recommended that the President
ent tor at once into correspondence with
representatives of various governments.
Ex-senator Edmund in assuming the
chair, said the United States had the
least reason of any Of the great nations
n a mere selfish sense to wish for arbi-
tration.
A letter received from Chief JUS
tice Fuller was read. A letter WAS also
I6ttu lIOIt AHur6W Ohru6Rl6s dSklnG I'D
have his name associated with those who
favored arbitration, and enclosing a
check for $1,000 to be used for any pur-
pose the commission saw fit.
John Doliphon of Missouri moved that
the check of Mr.. Carnegie be returned
with thanks. Mr.. Carnegie, he said,
YVES contracting with this and other
governments for furnishing munitions
of war. He was charged with "stinting"
his employees. Mr.. Carnegie might be in
earnest in his desire for arbitration, but
he thought it would be humiliating to
accept the money from him. Mr.. Weeks
of Pittsburg defended Mr.. Carnegie The
motion was tabled
Tonight's session was we'll attended.
Chairman Edmunds introduced Hon.
Carl Schurz as the first speaker Mr..
Sohurz said: 81 am very sure President
Cleveland, when he wrote the Venezuelan
message did not mean to provoke a war
with Great Britain. But the language
of that message might have been con-
strued as such provooatiou by anybody
inclined TO do so. What did{the British
government do? The Queen turned that
message into expression of Willingness on
the part of the United States to cooperate
with Great Britain in thu adjustment of
the Venezuelan boundary dispute.''
Edward Atkinson of Brookline Mass,
was the next speaker. The last speaker
was Prof. Angel.