Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-23
IMPORTANT
PROPOSITION
Will be Made by the American
Delegates
TO THE PEACE CONFERENCE
1t Will Relate to the Settlement Of
Most International Disputes
by Arbitration.

New York, March GA dispatch to the
Herald from Washington says: There is
reason to believe that an important pro-
position looking to the settlement of in
ternational disputes by arbitration Will
be advanced at the coming disarmament
conference by the American delegates. 1t
is learned on high authority that the ere
dentais for and instructions to the Amer
ican delegates are now being prepared by
Secretary Hay and will be ready for sub
mission to the president for his approval
when he returns to Washington from his
southern trip. These instructions Will be
a complete exposition of the position of
this government on the question of dis
armament.
Sir Julian Pauncefote has been advised
of his appointment as senior member Of
the British delega ton. The British min
ister to The Hague will also be a member.
NJ. de Staael. the Russian ambassador to
Great Britain and leading representative
of the czar at the conference, will be as
sisted by Prof Martens, professor Of in
ternatiOnal law in the university at st.
Petersburg, and probably by the Russian
minister to The Hague.
Following the policy which it seems
likely that all the nations will adopt,
President Mckinley will accredit the min
lister of the Netherlands as one of the
American delegates. Ambassadors
White and Tower will probably be the
other members of the American dele
cation
1t was explained by a diploma having
knowledge of the present program of the
Russian government, that upon the as
~ 49, z.@.-
will be appointed to determine tbs sub
jects to come before the conference and
the order in which they shall be consid-
erred SO far as the proposition for a
general disarmament of the ma tions of
tho world is concerned, it will be the
duty of the American delegates to explain
and to show that the United States, from
n naval and military standpoint, is far
below the armament it should have and
besides it was explained to your CORES
pondent that this government does not
intend to hamper in any way the inven-
tive faculty of the people of this country.
Nor is it expected that Great Britain will
do so.
In fact, the most important results
which the officials expect of the confer
ence will be the adoption of some plan
for the reference of disputes to general
arbitration and the United States will
have a plan of this character as we'll as
ether HatOnS. The administration rs
Strongely in favor of arbitration as The
meanH for the settlement Of disputes be-
tween nations, and, while it appreciates
that there are number of controversies
that can only be settled by war, it is still
believed that many questions which arise
a1n! are causes of much friction may be
adiustd by arbitration.
The president is committed TO interna
tional arbitration by his inaugural ad
dress and by subsequent declarations,
but his administration has not attempted
to negotiate arbitration treaties-for one
reason because of the imminence Of war
with Spain. and the occurrence Of the
war. In view of the assembling of the
conference at The Hague, it is thought by
the officials that the time has come when
the adminislra ton can put itself on rec
ord before the world as favoring arbitra-