The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1896-02-06
Peace Congresses.

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Half a century ago some hun
dreds of good men and women d
both sides of tbe Atlantic believe,
that the dawn Of universal an,
perpetual peace had come, says th
Washington Post. Arbitration
was to be substituted for war
Swords were to be beaten int,
plowshares and spears into priin
ing hooks, and the nations. instea,
of expending blood and treasure il
wars, were to dwell tegethcr in tn
bonds of an all'embracing fraterni
ty, devoting their energies anc
material resources to the arts D
peace. Those excellent peopl,
held peace congresses and Ermu
lated a comprehensive plan for tht
amicable adjustment Of all interna
tional disputes. They had th,
support Of the press and the pulpit
and the good wishes of statesmen
The idea was so grandly beneficenl
that no one cared TO oppose il
But the booming OF field artillery
and the broadsides Of ships Of wal
broke in upon this beautiful dream
and thoroughly demonstrated its
impracticability. Since then wal
has devastated all quarters of the
globe, and the closing years Of the
nineteenth century of the era oI
the Prince Of Peace find ali Europe
an armed camp and all other coun.
tries depending on war as the
means Of settling international dis
agreements.
The only movement that died
out so disappointingly decades age
is now revived. We are assured
by the Boston Traveller that "ths
movement for the constitution Of 1
permanent to hear and decide all
controversies between nations gain:
steadily in strength, and that
eminent men, of all shades Of be-
lief on other subjects, on botl
sides Of the ocean, approve it, and
sooner or later il must be an &C.
complished fact, or some existing
nationaiities must be. crushed oui
Of existence +" The heart Of TIL,
Rockies, as represented by tbs
Denver Times, responds to tn,
voice Of the Atlantic coast will
the declaration that "arbitratior
should be the only medium for set
tlement of the present misunder-
standings and permanent cour
or board should be agreed upon By
all powers. Representatives of al
the leading nations Of the work.
should be chosen TO sit in conven
;ion or in a court before which al
controversies should be brought
With such a body, formed Of thi
men most eminent in the nstion
that they represent. the idea Of Ii
cersed murder and bloodshet
would become a thing OF the pas
which has tolerated many crue
and brutal customs. "
\ The above is all very nice, bu
something Is due to cold reason
Hard facts have their place in III
discussion also. In this connec
ton we quote a very sensible arti
Gle from the Sioux City Journal
"It Is a mere waste Of time 20
those few jealous gentlemen VIII
are beginning to concern them
selves in the matter 70 be pratinl
lof getting around the Venezuela
difficulty BY an agreement betweel
Great Britain and United States i
arbitrate all differences which d
not yield 10 diplomacy. The pro
position Is useless. II Is impossi
bic. We Americans will not ar
bitrate all differences with Grea
Britain. We would be idiots an
fools TO enter into such an agree
ment. Take The Monroe doctrine
for example, how conld we arbi
trate thatl Why, we have decide
that tor ourselAes, just as we Dc
cided on the Decl ration oi Inde
pendence. There Is nothing to Al
bitrate. The only thing for Grea
Britain TO do Is to recognize th
Monroe doctrine, to adjust itsel
to II, to obey 1t. II Great Britai
will not do this, then II becomes
question Of might. There is moth
ing FOR II but 70 fght. II We al
mightier. the Monroe doctrine wi
stand, II Great Britain, then ths
doctrine will fall. Besides. VIII
would be the arbitrator I ccrtainl
none ol the European powers, e
in a sense il IS a1tagonistic 10 q
or them, al least in their notions