Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-22
DEPEW FOR PEACE
New Works Great Orator on the
Venezuelan Difficulty.
FIGHTING BLOOD UP TOO QUICKLY.
Flea for . Permanent Anglo-American
Court Of Arbitration-CleveIan Mes
sage Criticised; Also the House Cliaplain's
Prnyer-A Call to Lawyers to Make War
ImpossibIe-Senate Resolutions Not APP
proved by Hits House Committed.


ALBANY, Jan. a,.-The annual session
OF the State Bar association opened last
night ut Odd Fellows hall in the presence
OF large number Of auditors. President
William II. Robertson opened the meet
Ing and occupied the chair. The address
Of the evening was delivered by Hon.
Chaunccy u. Dcpow on patriotism and
Jingoisn: the Lawyers Duty" After
referring to the share-a large one-thc
lawyer had in the establishment Of this re.
public from the bcginng Of the revolt of
the colonies, and the equally large share
the profession has now in the government
OF the nation, he referred to the Monroe
doctrine. rs now In interpreted, as fol-
lows:
Mighty Easy TO Arouse Fighting Blood.
"Tho alarms of war agitate the world
The columns of our daily papers are filed
with cables and kilograms announcing the
rage of nations and the imminence of their
flying ut each others throats. The battle
blood which Is the inheritance Of the ages
Is nflamc for fight. Only one power keeps
tho nations Of Europe from instantly dc.
elaring war. The bankers and business
mon have become the arbitcrs between ma
tions. The only two nations which may
be said to bc free from this thralldom, be-
cause Of their wealth, their commerce and
credit, are the United States and Great
Britain. The events of the past few weeks
have demonstrated how easy it is TO arou SO
the fighting blood among our own people
Tho greatest ministers and lead
ers for peace whom ever met were the
generals whose fame fills the world, and
whose victories were in our civil strife
Grant and sherman and Sheridan.
War Righteous Only ON Rare Occasions,
There are occasions when war is both
right and :ncccssary and nation must
embark upon IL without counting the
consequences; but the issue of battle is
never certain, nor does the arbitramcnt OF
war always end in right or justice. Now
Is the time for the profession to perform a
great work upon the lines of the lawyers
Of the centuries in promoting internation-
al arbitratian. The present dispute be-
tween the English-speaking races which
is agitnting the world calls for both prac-
tical wisdom and legal acumen for its so
luton. There Is nodisscnt in this country
from the Monroe doctrine as promulgated
by President Monroe and interpreted by
jefferson, Madison, Webster and Calhoun.
Yet any one who studies the Monroe doc
trine will see how in each individual case
except where there is Il hagrant viola.
tion like the French invasion of Mexico
tho applicable Interpretation Of it should
be the subjcc. Of judicial determination.
Novel View of the Principle.
The presidents message to congress pre-
scnts % novel view Of the principle II
there Is n dispute as to boundary line
between South American republic and
q Europcon power-no matter how insig-
niicant the territory involved, 'or how
distantly IL affects the Independence of the
country, or how remotely 1t may interest
us-wc must demand that the two gov
ornmcnts arbitratc the line, and il they re-
fuse We must find out as best we can
what the line Is and enforce 1t by war
II, however, pending our inquiry, the two
parties agree. we have no further rights or
duties. This seems to surrender the doc
trinc. II Venezuela or Brazil chooses to
sell portion If its lands. A slight ex-
tension of the principle csmpcls us to as
sumo protcctoratc over all these rcpub-
lica