The herald., 1896-03-04
SOME RESULTS OF ARBITRATION

At the conference in favor of interna-
tional arbitration at Philadelphia, on Sat
urday, an address was read by Prof. j. B.
Moore of Columbia college on What Arbi-
tration Has Accomplished Between Eng
land and the United States. 1t began with
an account of the sending of John Jay to
England by Washington, and the negotia-
ton of the treaty of peace of 1888, since
which time every controversy between the
United States and Great Britain has been
peaceably settled except the complications
growing out of the Napoleonic wars. After
passing briefly in review the various settle
ments of disputes reached since that time,
the address says:
Now. what are these two nations that
have 80 signally demonstrated in the settle
, ment of their differences the practicability
and the benefcence of arbitration? Con-
sidering them merely in the extent of their
physical power and resources, we find that
their dominion covers almost third of the
habitable area of the globe; that their
population comprises almost third of the
earth's inhabitants; that their shipping, in
the aggregate of it's tonnage, is almost
| double that of all other nations combined !;
and that with the products OF their fields,
their mines and their manufactures they in
large measure supply many of the wants
of the civilized world. But, impressive as
| do not alone suffice to explain why it is
| that the statesmen of England and of
America have not only hesitated "to take
| on their consciences the responsibility, or
OH their characters the shame' of involv-
! ing their countries in destructive strife, but
have also sought to place their relations oD
| permanent foundations OF peace and friend
| ship. This fact can be fully appreciated
| only by recurring to the moral forces that
underlie their civilization and constitute its
| true grandeur.
| Our own Emerson, speaking of England.
declares that, ''if the ocean out of which it
emerged should wash it away, it will be re-
| tai laws, for the announcements of original
right which make the stone tables of lib
erty." And what is today the chief glory
of the American commonwealth, the land
of Washington? Is it not the fact that,
founding state on a priceless heritage of
| ''immortal laws" and announcements of
original right" it has brought to a high de-
velopment the union OF law and order
| with individual liberty? England, says
Lowell, may be called "a monarchy with
democratic tendencies, the United States a
| democracy with conservative Instincts
In matters Of form their constitutions diff
| fer; in essential aims they are the same.
| We may say, therefore, that England and
the United States are, first of all, the great
exponents of the idea of liberty secured
! and regulated by law.
But this common idea of legality is only
part of common civilization, proceed
ing from community of language, COM
munty of literature, and to great extent
a community of race. Though interest
may seem at times to divide them and
misunderstanding may give temporary
check to the offices of friendship, these
two great English-speaking nations cannot
be unconscious of their common origin
nor should they be foreetful of their CON-
mon responsibilities. "With regard to
whatsoever is important to the peace of
the world" said Daniel Webster, address
ing an English audience. 'its prosperity
the progress of knowledge, and of just
opoinions, the diffusion of the sacred light
of Christianity, 1 know nothing more i'm
portant to the promotion of those best in
terests Of humanity, and the cause of the
general peace, amity and concord, than
the good feeling subsisting between Eng
lishmen on this side of the Atlantic and
the descendants of Engllshmen on the
o.her.''
These words were not the mere expires.
sion Of sentimental feeling. They were
the expression of thought profoundly af
fecting the best interests of humanity
They gave utterance TO the idea that the
two great nations of which they were spok.
en- are in duty bound not only to abstain
from seeking each Others injury. but tc
fulfill a common destiny as the exponents
OF the highest freedom and the highest civ
ilization.
There are, it 10 true, in every land. per
sons who discOuntenance internationa
good will as the outgrowth OF q feeble cos