The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-27

the proceedings was to gain time was
made evident by the fact that in few
days she made an attempt to invade
Ireland.
In ancient times treaties for peace
after war were dictated rather than
contracted. The treaty of peace of An
talcidas, B. G. 387, is a good instance
of SUCH Tirbazus, with the Persian
fleet in the Hellespont, summoned depu-
ties from the Greek states and read
them the terms of peace dictated by his
master, Artaxerxes. The terms were
rigorous, but as the Persian admiral
threatened a renewal of the war, the
Greeks were compelled to accept them.
In the middle ages treaties were often
contracted, seemingly for statesmanlike
objects, but were never meant to be
kept. Machiavelli wrote that leach
treaty plants the seeds of a new war,
and he not untruthfully reflected the
political morality of his times when he
stated, ga prudent prince will not and
ought not to observe his engagements
when it would operate to his disadvan-
tage and the causes no longer exist
which caused him to make Them"
Ever since tho publication of the
works of the early jurists, GentiIis and
Grotius, the current has been setting in
the opposite direction, and now the
question rather is how to enforce
treaty than how to break it. It has be-
come recognized that nations, like in
dividuals, have certain rights and re-
oiprocal duties, and international law,
the growth of recent times, has certain
well defined principles which are recog-
nized by all civilized nations lts of equal
validity with those universally accept
ed facts of jurisprudence which relate
to men as members of society and sub
jeots of the state.
Optimists are perhaps too sanguine
when they claim that all disrutes among
nations can be settled in court of in
ternationai jurisprudence. Still, it is
undOubted that serious difficulties be-
tween nations have been recently so ar
ranged which not SO many years ago
would in all likelihood have led to war.
An international court of jurisprudence,
whose jurisdiction all civilized nations
would recognize and whose decisions
they would regard as final, if it ever
shall become an actuality, is still prob
ably some distance off in futurity. Yet
affairs are so shaping themselves that
the seemingly impossible of today may
row.
Serious and important as is the work
of the peace commissioners, they sue
coed admirably IN varying the monot-
ony of their onerous duties. This is not
difficult to do in Paris. The theaters are
now in full swing, and the beautiful
city, just now at it's best, offers in
Vulnerable attractions to all sorts and
conditions of men. On the afternoon Of
the 4th the Spanish and American peace
oommi ssioners were received by Presi-
dent Faure in the magnificent Elysee
palace, the official residence Of the
president of France when in Paris.
The Spaniards were received first and
the Americans afterward, the latter be-
ing presented by General Horace Por-
ter, the United States ambassador. He
introduced Judge Day and the other
mem bers of the commission separately,
and Judge Day then handed President
Faure a cable message from President
Mckinley. After reading it the French
president ex-ressed his appreciation Of
the cordial sentiments uttered, and fur
ther remarked that every thing possible
/ would be done for the comfort of the
comm issioners. On the afternoon of the
day following General Porter gave a
dinner in honor of the American COM
missioners, and next week will similar
~ entertain both commissions at the
United States embassy.
There is less excitement in Paris ct
present than heretofore, since it is
known that the authorities have deter
mined upon a course of action relative
to the Dreyfus case more agreeable to
the wishes of the majority of the popu-
lation. It would be a mistake, however,
to suppose that this attitude of the pub
lie mind is symptomatio of any friend
illness toward DreyfUs. Those who were
opposed to him in the past land they
include nearly all the people of the
city, are against him still, and they
desire the re-opening Of the case not be-
cause they wish fol his acquittal, but
from the hope that some explanation
may be Forthcoming of certain mysteri-
GUS circumstances and questionable
methods connected with his trial and
conviction.
NJ. Godefroy Cavaignac, who lately
resigned the portfolio of the war min
istry because of his opposition to re-
sz it,.