Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-08-01
Results of Peace Conference.

primary purpose or deVlSlng means 70
ensure gradual disarmament of the
powers, or to at least arrest their ever
increasing armament, it has signally
failed in its essential object, simply
because failure in the circumstances
was Inevitable.
But in other respects the conference
has not been altogether fruitless. It
has taught the statesmen Of Europe
and those of the sovereigns in whom
is vested, or who arrogate to them
selves, the great prerogative Of deter
mining when there shall be war and
when peace, that the public senti-
ment in all lends is that peace should
be the normal condition Of humanity
and that war should be resorted to
only when every means consistent with
the national honor had been exhaust
ed to avert it. In this respect, toe,
the conference has been victory for
democracy for it has virtually admit
ted the right Of the people, whom war
most affects, who furnish its victims
and who provide for It's maintenance,
to have voice in the vital question
of deciding for war or peace.
In the dawning days Of the closing
century, ere Waterloo had yet been
fought or the ships Of the United
States had won those glorious fights
that shall ever shed lustre on Der his
tory, suen a conference would have
been impossible, and the very fact
that it has been held is in itself an
evidence Of the march Of intellect and
of the progressive thought Of our day.
It has failed to secure disarmament
Of the nations, but that It has seri-
ously discussed the question of arbi-
tration and indorsed it as principle
Of international ethics is alone a
triumph for the conference and a vast
stride in the direction Of universal
peace. True it is that no practical
result, such, for instance as the estab-
lishment of an international court of
arbitration, has followed the con-
ference's deliberations on this head.
but the principle of arbitration has
been admitted, and it will be for the
signatory governments to consider
later on the establishment of such
tribunal.
Aside from the moral effect of the
conference its net results have been
the Endorsement of arbitration by six
teen states, the prohibition of balloon
projectiles by seventeen, the prohibit
tion of asphyxiating gases by sixteen
and the prohibition Of expansive bull
let's by fifteen. This is. after all, a
good showing, and an adherence by
the signatory powers to the principles
thus enumerated must unquestionably
lessen the chances for war and miti-
gate its horrors if declared
1t must be matter of national
pride that the outcome of the DELHI
erations at The Hagu were deter
mined so largely by the United States
delegates. Regarded at the outset
somewhat in the light of intruders in
affairs in which neither they nor their
country were concerned, Ambassador
White and his colleagues, by their
ability to discuss every phase of the
several questions involved, by the
force Of their logic and by general
bearing towards the other members
of the conclave, not only dissipated
every vestige Of prejudice against
them but actually induced the con-
ference to dcquiesce in views to which
by environment and training they had
thefetoforc, been antagonistic.
This is a good record to be proud Of
and whatever the remote result Of the
conference may be the United States
has done duty to humanity and been
well and faithfully represented in the
most significant and possibly far
reaching international gathering of
modern Observation-Disclosures Times.
The extension from Brownsville