The herald., 1898-09-04

one OF the mOSt lntereSIiis o.Ao "
pressive events that will take place ae
the time of the coronation OF Whnel-
nina, the Queen of Holland, Will De the
assembling Of the International Con-
gress of History at the Hague. on the
first, second, third, and fourth OF sep
tember.
The coronation of the young queen
will be announced to her SUBJECTS ny
the release of large number OF NOM
ing pigeons, which will fly back 10 their
towns, or hamlets, or farm houses, as
fast as they can after their pinlons
have been freed, at the moment tnal
the Queen takes the oath of office. rms
is perhaps the most poetic lncloelIt
promised at the coronation. In dif-
ferent way the Congress OF Hlstory
NAV record the events Of the reign
whose auspicious dawn the homeward
flight Of the pigeons will proclaim 10
the loyal people Of the Low Countries.
The history of a nation. cannot be
written with plume from dove s
wing; the goose quill and the iron pen
are still required, but 1t Is to be hoped
that no member of the Congress of His
tory. that now assemblies to do Wilhel-
nina honor will ever need other than
a QOVC pluIuc W ACSOA0 AASA ~ANfPS
life.
No more fitting time or place could
have been chosen for the gathering OF
this international congress. SO much
history has beer made in the past few
monthe, and so much is likely to be
made ir the months Immediately ahead,
that the advantage to be derived ny
this meeting of the men who write the
Ill
overestimated. There is no doubt that
the views now held by many will be
broadened by the contact with other
minds and other points Of view. The
American historian, now that peace Is
virtually concluded, may shake hands
with the Spanish historian, and quiet
half hours talk may serve to eradi-
cate many false or extreme impressions
on the part of BOTH Good feeling must
be engendered and many benefits result
| from the pleasant intercourse.
AS to the fitness of the Hague as a
place for the assembling Of such con-
gress there can be no question. Its
story cannot be told without telling
something of the history of every coun-
try of Importance in Europe, and,
through Hollands Colonial possessions,
| IL has dooOSlaLS0 AtoOAA NAIAA SAAS Ava
east and with the New World. It was
here in this quaint old town of the
Hague that Laurence Roster first dis
| covered the art of printing, which was
afterward perfected by Gutenberg. II
the world owed the Hague nothing
more. here is a debt that is incalcula-
| BILE.
ITO unite the diplomats, historians
80 1ntf Of mi
countries in order that they may dis
cuss questions of international his.
tory" is the object Of the Congress
And the nations have responded to the
invitation Of Holland by sending as
guished men.
What a subject painter might find
in the dignified and solemn assembly
of the historians of the world! Wha
an impressive picture the very though
conjures up of grave men with broad
foreheads, beneath which keen eye!
search in the past, and, peer, seer-like
into the blank Of the future, theil
hands smoothing their white boards a!
| they speculate on the next move to b.
made by the nations in the never end
ing game of statecraft. It only need.
entering the dusky hall to make the
picture perfect.
Dignified cardinals, scholarly priests
experienced statesmen and suave diplo
mats-all will be there, with the mer
who have led in battle as we'll as thos'
who have set down their deeds. 1t will
be a meeting of those who make his
tory as we'll as Of those who write 1t
| nf Iar
of the world. The meeting Of thes
men may we'll serve as an incentiv,
and warning to the girl-queen who's
coronation they will witness, for soone
or later the truth Is given out by thes
students of people, progress and events
To the congress will come represen
tatives of all the great states of Eu
| rope. America may we'll be proud O
the men who will represent her at tn,
Hague.
First among these Is Cardinal Glib
bons, a man whose name is known ant
respected as well in Europe as IL
Amer a, one of the men whose names
have been mentioned as possible can
didate for the Papal throne when Let
shall have quilted 1t. In any event
Cardinal Gibbons will be one of tn,
men who will select the Pope's success
sor.
Cardinal Gibbons has found time, no
only to direct the Catholic Church i,
America. but to write a number of ad
mirable books, notable among theologi
cal works for their profound though
and broadness of mind.
The Hon. George F. Hoar, the We.
eran statesman and orator, whose nam