Evening star., 1897-01-27
Important Meeting Held in the Grand
Opera House.
DISTINGUISHED PERs9NS PRESENT
Speeches Favoring the Principle of
the Pending Treaty.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED

The people of Washington have sent
message of good will to all the world and
have declared they are ready to welcome
a universal peace and relegate the arts of
war to barbarism.
Assembled in mass meeting yesterday
afternoon at the Grand Opera House the
people of this city, together with repre-
sentative men from over half the states
of the Union, adopted unanimously the fol-
lowing resolution:
'"The citizens of Washington in public
meeting assembled, desire to attest their
appreciation of the great principle OF in
terna tioral arbitration, embodied in the
treaty between this republic and Great
| Britain now pending in the Senate. Be-
| lieving this treaty to be distinct ad-
vance toward the best civilization, and
| trusting that 1t may prove helpful ex-
| ample to other nations, we shall hail with
joy and patriotic pride It's confirmation by
| the Senate of the United States.''
Distinguished Gathering.
1t was distinguished audience that
gathered at the Grand Opera House yes
| terday afternoon at o'clock. There were
| men who have achieved fame in the field
| of diplomacy, in craftsmanship, in litera-
| ture, iE science, in the pulpit, and on the
| battlefield There were men who repre-
1 sent great COUllHeTC.dl enterprises, WHOSe
| business sagacity is counted high in the
| boards of trade throughout the land. 1t
| was such an audience that had gathered
| to pay tribute to sentiment, and wanted
| to realize the dreams of poets OF all ages
| a universal peace.
The call for this meeting to indorse the
| principle of arbitration and to influence
| favorable consideration by the Senate of an
| arbitration treaty with Great Britain was
| signed by Gardiner 8. Hubbard, eX-Sec-
! retary John w. Foster, Chief Justice Mel
vile w. Fuller of the Supreme Court of
| the United States, John Hay, Commissioner
| George Truesdell. Bishop John F. Hurst.
| Bishop Henry Y. Satterlee, Rev. Samuel H.
| Greene, Rev. B. l.. Whitman. president of
Columbian University; Rev. DR.. D. j. Staf-
ford, Beriah Wilkins. w. J. Boardman.
Crosby S. Noyes, Henry E. peIlew, a. T.
| Britton. Myron NJ. Parker and Rev. Dr.
| Teunis S. Hamlin. Although the hour of
| House held large and representative au-
| dience when eX-Secretary Foster called the
assemblage to order. Many ladies were
present. Among others there were on the
| stage NJ. G. Emery. w. b. Gurley. Comms-
sioner Truesdell. c. c. Glover, Clarence r..
| Norment, Rev. S. H. Greene. John Joy Ed
son, Rev. Byron Sunderland, Louis John
son Davis, Simon Wolf. Associate Justice
| Brewer of the United States Supreme
Court. Rev. J. G. Butler, Rev. Il. S. Ham
lin, ex-Civil Service Commissioner Lyman,
Rev. B. L. Whitman, Thomas Nelson Page,
| ex-Ser ator John B. Henderson and Rev.
| Alexander Mackay-Smith. Rabbi Stern of
the Eighth Street Synagogue was in the au-
| dience. There was a notable abserce OF
senators and representatives. hut Repre-
| sentative Morse OF Massachusetts Was pres
ent. The theater was rather uncomfort-
ably cold and many Of those occupying
places on the stage turned the collars OF
their coats up and shivered. In the audi
ence number of men not only kept their
| Cvercoats tightly buttoned, but Kept their
hats on a protection. from icy breezes;
The opening Of the meeting was slightly
I, ,l>arc, f,f
the rational board OF trade time to reach
the Opera House, and large portion of
the orchestra chairs were : reserved for
them. Ladies occupied all the boxes and
| the galleries also having sprinHllng OF
| spectators.
Ex-Secretary FO~ter's Opening Re-
| marks.
! Ex-Secretary Foster called the meeting
to order. His brief address was impressive
and noteworthy for the statesmanlike
character of the views expressed. Eight
months ago." he said, there was as
sembled in this city a conference OF
representative citizens of almost all the
states of the Union to promote the
establishment of a system or method
of permanent arbitration between the
United States and Great Britain. A
national organization was then enected,
| and the movement was universally regard
| ed as a pdlTlOtlC anu nuN1dHe WOIh.
when. by the transmission to the Sen
ate of the recently signed treaty, 1t was
made public that the President and Sec
| retaIy of State had agreed with the gov
erlment of Great Britain upon a conven-
ton which gave promise of an early real
iZation OF our long cherished hope, we,
who participated in that conference, felt
| that it was eminently fitting that the
, | friends of arbitration resident in this city,
gathered from the various states OF the
Union, should be afforded an opportunity
| to come together and manifest their graft
ticatior at this important step taken In
the direction of permanent peace between
the two great English-speaking nations
| and, If they saw fit, to express the hope
that the Senate Of the United States would
place the stamp of it's approval upon this
great instrument.
; But 1t is proper 10 say that in calling
this meeting 1t has not been in any spiri,
of criticism or impatience. We recognize
the fact that under provision OF the Con-
. stitution. which experience has proved t6
, , be a wise one, the Senate is made part
of the treaty-making power and has a
duty to discharge coordinate with the ma.
tional executive. We also recognize that
this nation has great interests on this hem.
isphere which should not be made the sub
ject of arbitration with any European ma
| ton. 1t is believed that these interests
have been carefully guarded In the pending
treaty, but If after mature consideration
| the serate should find it expedient and pos
| sible to make the language of the treaty
more explicit In this respect, such actor
should be regarded as prudent statesman
ship. l, however, venture to express thi
hope that the final action of that body vii
not be such as to defeat the treaty, as Il
would thereby disappoint the hopes of tht
: great majority of the people of the United
States, and discredit cur government II
the eyes of the civilized world.
Mr.. Gardiner G. Hubbard Presided.
n Gardiner G. Hubbard, president Of thu
q American GeographicalI Society, then tool
y the chair presiding officer. and Loui
Johnson Davis was chosen secretary of th'
meeting. On taking the chair Mr.. Hubbard
j, made thoughtful address.
j. I'VE are not here" he said. speaking o
n the treaty pending in the Senate, ito dis
!. cuss its provisions. orSto criticise its de
u fects. We admit its imperfections and it
iDcompleteness, but we believe these yer!
imperfections and this incompleteness at
test its integrity. its earnest purpose an,
noble aim. Every treaty, whether betweel
individuals or nations, must, from Its natur
be a compromise. yielding of minor point
= on the one side and on the other, that tn
vital principle may be confirmed and es
tablished. Sir Julian Pauncefote. on tn
one hand, and Mr., Olnev on the other, haV