New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-10
AMERICA AT THE PEACE CONGRESS.

AMERICA AT THE PEACE CONGfhSS.
Iondon and Washington dispatches stimuli
+anaouslv announce that the United States
delegates to the international Peace Congress
have been instructed to advocate three leading
principles, to wit: The extension OF hrD'ra-
ton. for which 1t Is confidently reported ,he
British delegates will stand with ours; 'he
amendment of the Declaration OF Paris so as
10 EXEMPT all peaceful commerce from seizure
in war; and the extension OF the Geneva Con
yeption to war at sea as well as on lana. Inc
accuracy of the forecast Will be tested iater.
The entire plausbty Of 1t Ia beyond cnai-
lepge. For the three principles named are
American principles. 1t would be presumptu-
Gus to say they are purely or American origin'
Arbitration was practised before America was
discovered and before any existing nation OF
Europe was founded But 1t Is indisputaoie
that for the last hundred years this country
has been the foremost advocate Of those prin-
cipIes and that they have long been well es-
tablished as part OF Our National policy.
In urging the embodiment Of these principles
into international law, or In whatever other
action they may take, the United States dele
gates will occupy a place Of exceptional inter-
est at the conference Their country occupies
such q place to-day among the nations OF the
world. The United States has not often taken
mart In international congresses OF political
character. and the snguarity Of its doing SO
invests this occasion with some interest Still
greater interest arises from the fact that this
Is the latest of the great Powers to wage a
war with n civilized State and thus to exhibit
nractically the operations Of military science
From some points of view the browning con-
sderatjon vii, be that this Nation has within
the last year attained the foremost place in
tho worlds commerce, and at the same time
has risen from the rank of n negligible quantity
in warfare to that Of one OF the formioaDie
military Powers. thus at once taking leading
place in both peace and war
Bevond question. Americas influence at the
congress will be for peace. That when was
sophstically said Of Louis Napoeon's empire
may be truthfully declared OF the United states
The Republic is peace. It's traditions are
peaceful. It's policy has been and Is peaceiui
It's best interests lie in the path Of peace Even
in the rude event Of its latest war 1t exnioi'ed
according to the common testimony Of the
world. patience. forbearance ana re-
luctance to break the peace such ms have sell
dom been witnessed in the world. Today II
has returned with promptness to peaceful reia-
lions with the Power with when IL was re-
Gently Mt war, and is seeking only the main
tenance and strengthening OF like relations with
all the world. If the joint influence OF the
United States and Great Britain at the con-
gress shall be cast in this direction, the cause
of general peace will, we confidently believe, be
thereby vastly advanced. 1t will be Of little
avail to ask the Powers to cease from inven-
ton of new engines Of war, to disband their
armies or to scuttle their ships. To ask them
to decrease the probability Of their using those
ornaments, and, In case Of such use, to use
them as humanely as possible, Is practical, and
will be benefcent.