The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-08-11
THE OWOSSO TIMES.
EDMUND o. DEWEY. EDITOR.
.owosso, MICH: FRIDAY, Aye 1t, 1899,

The civilization of the world moves
on, much like the advance OF great
army, and once more America has
abundant reason to be proud of the
foremost places occupied by her sons
on the field, and of the world-strategic
points taken by them: in.the. Interested
humanity. Like the advance of great
army too, it does not seem to the casual
observer, the one who cannot see the
great plan running through it all, to be
continuous. For days and weeks all
seems to be idle, then points of SEEM
ing great Importance are seized and
held and one thinks he detects sign of
the advance, while perhaps miles away
in another part of the line is occurring
q movement so slight that no notice is
taken of it. Then comes what seems
crushing repulse and to the outsider
who sees the seemingly important out
posts lost again, all seems to be de-
feated there has been no real advance
after all. But, over on the other wing
the army which had entered the wedge
unnoticed has advanced in single day
under cover of the seeming defeat else
where and the point has been won
which was the real object of the cam
paign. 1t was not ali constant firing
and advancing. There was the wait
ing, the desultory firing of the skirmish-
ers with sometimes the advancing and
retreating. But in the end the point
was taken and the advance was made
So it has been with the epoch making
peace conference just held in the
"House in the Woods" at the Hague.
Called by the Car to devise means for
restricting naval and military arma-
ments' there was Power for Civiliza-
ton at work directing the course of the
conference in way it knew not of, and
to Americans 1t should be a matter of
wonderful pride that it was through
their representatives perhaps pre-
eminently that this Greater Power did
its work.
1t seemed like wonderful object to
b, attained-if it could be, which was
hardly believed even by the most
optimistic-the Russian proposal to lift
so much of the burden of war aud more
especially the constant burden of arma-
ment for war from the masses of man.
kind. And it seemed that grand adj
vance was about to be made, a wonder
fully strategic point in the advance of
civilization taken. Then the Geneva
rules as extended to naval warfare
were adopted by the conference after
full discussion though the recommended
ton is made that they be still further
amended. Then on one day came two
more advance skirmishes. Russia SUBJ
mitted the text for the proposed agree
ment restricting ornaments This was
along the line for which the conference
had nominally been called and seemed
the only possible way of accomplishing
anything. The United States delegates
on their part presented statement on
the subject of the exemption of private
property at sea during time of war.
This seemed to be aside. No one be-
lieved it could be carried through. 1t
seemed so improbable of accomplish
ment that little notice was taken of it.
Then came a surprise. The Russian
project was declared impracticable and
the American plan was promised at
least consideration and compromise
was reached that it should be taken up
by future conference, but it had won
recognition.
Then the subject of international
arbitration appeared as another advance
which seemed to meet with repulse in
the course it started on. Compulsory
arbitration was defeated. But the
American and the British delegates
labored on together until still higher
vantage ground was gained than COM
pulsory arbitration could hope. to be.
An optional arbitration relying on
national honor and commercial in
terests to enforce the DEGREES of its
court was submitted. Within four
months after the ratification Of the re-
suits of the conference by the nations
concerned, who have until 1900 in which
to do so, each power is TO name four
persons to act as arbitrators These
will from praiseworthy rivalry be the
best international law experts Of the