Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-20

said he was sure the whole country would
congratul the government and the United
States on the very felicitous ending Of the
Venezuelan negotiations, adding that the
country might have reason In the future to
be proud of the steps taken in the direction
OF international peace by the treaty of arbi-
tration.
Hon. Alfred Lyttleton, in secondlng the
address, congratulated the marquis of Sails
bury on the arbitration treaties.
HARCoURT SPEAKS
Sir William Vernon Harcourt said he
thought the reference in the queens speech
to the relations between Great Britain and
the United States was the most important
and satisfactory point of the speech adding;
Friendship between the two countries must
always be the first cardinal principle OF
English policy"
Continuing the liberal leader commended
the treaty of arbitration as good example
to the rest Of the world and expressed the
opinion that 1t might do something to re-
liove us of the senselesS armament which
oppressed the world.
When business resumed in the House of
Lords the marquis of Bath moved the ad-
dress in reply to the queens speech. In so
doing he referred feelngly to the Sixtieth
anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria
and to the arbitration treaty with the United
States (which he classed as being one of the
greatest and most illustrious attainments of
her majesty's reign.
Lord Kenyon seconded the address and
made a similar reference to the arbitration
treaties. He added that the Venezuelan dis
pute was in a fair way to settlement.
The earl of Kimberly, the liberal leader in
the House of Lords, congratulated the mar
qus Of Salisbury on the arbitration treaty
with the United States. saying that it cannot
fail to have great effect throughout the
world.
SALISBURY'S IDEAS.
The marquis of Salisbury said that in re-
gard to Armenia the powers had agreed that
the present condition of things must be
changed, but he added, they also feel deeply
what a terrible calamity a European war
would be. Continuing the premier remarked
that one of the objects of the occupation of
Dongola was because it was on the high road
to Khartoum
Touching upon the eastern question, the
premier said the powers We're doing their
utmcst to bring about remedies by which
the sultan's empire might be saved. They
had generally agreed, he added, that II the
ma,ssacres continued pressure would have to
be applied. 1t was his own conviction that
unless some very essential reforms were
adopted the doom of the Turkish empire could
not be much longer postponed.
The marquis of Salisbury then turned his
attention to the arbitration treaty concluded
between Great Britain and the United States
and said: 81 cannot speak as freely as ]
desire on the arbitration treaty because it
has not been ratified. But | do not think
need to eXpend much effort in convincing
Lord Kimberly on that subject. He probably
agrees with me as heartily as anybody con-
ceining the advantages such treaty may
confer and | am bound to say | am picking
up the thread which fell from his hands about
two years ago. / can only observe that you
must not think we are indulging in millen-
NAL anticipations If we hope that something
will be done by the treaty of arbitration to
diminish the risk of war. ] do not say it
Will remove the greatest risks of war. do
not cay It will restrain a Napoleon or a Bis
marck. But diplomacy is full of an infinite
number of small differences which are caught
by the people and press of both countries
and If they are written upon exaggerated
and enlarged. they tend to diminish the
friendship between the countries and give
birth to feelings of dissatisfaction and re
sentiment.
"The power OF going Immediately to a
tribunal to settle those things Will prevent
process so injurious to the good will of ma
tions. especial between the nations which
understand each other, unfortunately too
well, that II we are not friends We should
be enemies.
"But there is still a greater advantage
in the existence of the arbitration treaty
and that arises from the prevalence of pop
ular institutions in most of the countries
of the world, where there are ministers who
govern and members of Parliament and
others who criticise them, and this body
generally contains one class of whom / desire
to speak with all respect. They are known
popularity as jingoes.
JINGOES CRITICISED.
"Thay are very patriotic and their warmth
OF patriotism sometimes clouds their appre-
clation of details. But they exist In all
countries. and you will always find that one
Of the principal subjects that occupies the
minister is how to furnish an account of the
matter which is satisfactory and soothing
to this very eXcitabe portion of his critics.
1t Is my belief that a we'll working arbtra-
tion system will prove an invaluable bulwark
10 defend the minister from such criticism.
IL would be impossible to accuse him OF
trting with the honor of his country or
surrendering a substantial advantage if he
could say that he had submitted the matter
to an impartial tribunal, and unfortunately
the decision had been against him. II Ia i'm
possible not to feel that ministers could ne
gotiate with freer hand and more deter
minatlon If they were absolutely secure from
danger of such interference. / do not say
this with reference to our country, because
here, less than elsewhere, is a minister's
hand forced by such"
Lord Salisbury then dwelt on the ncreas-
ing military burdens of the countries of the
world and the danger that the nations would
rush into war to end their suffernEs He
concluded by saying: II do not say that an
arbitration system will end this but while
an effort to devise some system which will
In some degree, be a substitute for this
rulnous necessity, and which will apply to
public law that remedy which was applied
to private war centuries ago.
Il believe that the measure that we have
taken VIII be principally of value in this
ana VIII lead to other measures of the same
kind. And we, or those who come after u.s.
viii have the advantage of seeing the neces-
slty of vast armaments gradually disappear
before the growth of what we came within
the bounds of our own nation to consider
a necessity of civilized life, namely, the sub
stitution OF judicial decisions for the dread
arbitrament of the sword.
II hope this effort small as 1t Is, will be
successful, and those who come after us
will have the happiness of carrying similar
effort to an equally successful conclusion in
future days"
Tho premier's closing sentences were
greeted with prolonged cheers.
EARTHQUAKE KILLS MANY PEOPLE.
Great Loss of Life Resulting from II
Seismic Disturbance.