Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-07-27
STEAD REVIEWS THE
PEACE CONFERENCE.
Declares More Has Been Accom-
plished Than the Most San
guine Expected.
REPRESENTS VAST PROGRESS
Establishment of Permanent
Court of Arbitration "a Result
None of the Delegates
Dared Hope For.

The Hague, July 27.-(Copyright,
1899, by the Associated Press III have
seen the American delegates, and they
talked freely about the conference, but
results before the conference rises. The
following, however, may be accepted
as fairly accurate summary of the
views they entertain:
The conference achieved a great sue
cess-much greater than the delegates
anticipated and the result was
achieved largely by the amour propre
of capable men from all parts of the
world, determined to accomplish some
thing worth their assembling together.
The result surprised all of them, and
the magnitude of the gains is perfect
ly understood, even by the conference.
The establishment of permanent
court of arbitration on the American
principle of revision, plus the French
declaration of the duty of nentrals to
recommend disputing powers to resort
to the arbitration court rather than
to war, Represents vast progress in
the evolution of human society. The
recommended duty to represent to dis
putants the desirability of resorting to
the arbitration court entails no obliga-
ton on the Americans inconsistent
with their traditional policy This is
made absolutely clear by the declarai
tiou signed by the American delegates,
read in full at the conference yester5
day and entered on the records.
Mr.. Low was busily engaged ycster1
day upon the elaboration of the final
act recording the work of the confer
ence. Mr.. Hollis has achieved position
of influence much greater than that of
many of the first delegates, and Cap
tain Crozier is much admired for his
plucky fight in support of his amends
ment to the Russian resolution on the
dum-dum bullet.
The relations between the American
and other delegates, notably the Eng
fish. German and Russian, have been
extremely friendly. The Englishmen
and Americans acted throughout al
most like joint delegation. This was
due to no arrangement or direction,
but solely because both nations found
common ground in the questions of
common interests, civilization and hui
manity.
The only point in which the Eng
fish delegates failed to support the
Americans was the resolution forbid
ding the capture of private property at
sea. To this the English representa-
tives We're not opposed, but their
opinion being divided the delegates
had instructions regarding the matter
and abstained from taking action.
After the arbitration convention is
signed it will probably be opened to
the adhesion of all other powers not
represented at the conference on con-
diton that no original s,gnatory of the
committee object. This in effect being
Il blackball OH any power wishing to
| Join the convention, was insisted upon
by Italy in order to prevent the adhe-
sion of the pope, and by England on
account of the Transvaal. 1t is hoped
| that all the South American states will
come in.
1t is the unanimous opinion of all
| the American delegates that the con-
ference begins a new epoch, and that
the good seed now sown will bear a
| rich harvest hereafter.
William L. Stead.
AT the plenary sitting OF the confer
ence yesterday afternoon, i'm order to
| secure unanimity, the Danish dele
gates consented that the reference to
| the landing of cables be struck out of
| the list contained in article SO of the
| convention on the laws of war.
| Turkham Pasha made formal adj
| hesion to the arbitration condition
| that Turkish recourse thereto be pure
ly optional.
| 1T is said that about half the powers
including those from the dreibund,
| will sign the convention.
Praises Americans
London, July 2G.-1he Hague CORE
| spondent of the Times pays trib-
ute to the high esteem i'm which the
| American delegates are held by the
whole conference on account of the
| manner in which they conciliated con
| ficting views and soothed away fric-
| ton, and says: "Today's American
declaration of Monroeism, sets at
nauoht the basest insinuations of
those continental politicians and jour
nalists who represent the United
States as elated over their victory over
| Spain and as eager to mix in Euro.
pean affairs"