The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-19
THE PEACE CONFERENCE
M. De Staale Elected President of
the Congress.
TO BE SECRET
Warmly Welcomed to The Hague-A
Message OF Congratulation Sent to
the Czar-Programme to Be
Arranged Saturday.

The Hague, May 1S.--The peace con-
ference called by the czar of Russia
was opened this afternoon in the hall
of the "house in the woods" two miles
from The Hague. NJ. de Beaufort,
president of the council and minister of
foreign affairs of the government of the
Netherlands, delivered the inaugural
address and welcomed the delegates NJ
de Beaufort spoke of the high honor of
the choice of The Hague as the meet
ing place of the conference and extolled
the noble initiative of the czar, saying
this would be a red letter day in the
history of the country and expressing
the hope his majesty would be able to
look back at the day as the most glor-
ious day of his life. He concluded with
calling attention to the allegorical
group over the doorway, peace en-
tering to close the temple of Janus,
and added: IT trust this beautiful allie
CORY will be an augury of your labors,
and that after you have completed
them, you will be able to say peace
whom art introduced to the hall left it
to spread it's blessings among the
whole of humanity
The delegates decided to send the fol-
lowing telegram to the czar:
THE peace conference lays at the feet
of your majesty it's respectful congrat-
ulaltions upon the occasion of your birth
day and expresses it's sincere desire to
cooperate in the great and noble work
in which your majesty has taken the
generous initiative, and for which it
begs you to accept its humble and pro-
found gratitude
NJ. de Staale. the Russian ambasSa
dor to Great Britain and head of the
Russian delegation, in formally assum-
ing the presidency of the conference.
held his first duty was to express to
M. de Beaufort his sincere gratitude for
| the noble terms in which he had re-
ferred to his august majesty, adding
that his majesty would be deeply
touched as well by the spontaneity
| with which the high assembly has as
ISOLATED itself thereabouts.
| Continuing he said: Though to the
czar is due the initiative of the confer
ence, we owe much to the queen of the
1 Netherlands for inviting us to her cap
| ital. 1t Is happy augury Of success
that we have met under the auspices of
| the young sovereign whose heart is
open to everything great and generous.
|
with the cause which brings us here.
| 1t is on the historic soil Of the Neither
| lands that the greatest political prob
| lens have been discussed
| After a reference to the history of the
| peace treaties concluded at The Hague
| and expressing regret that M. de Beau
fort had not accepted the presidency OF
| conclusion:
| Il cannot consider my election other
wise than inspired by my position as
| plenipotentiary of the emperor who
| was the initiator of the conference. On
| this ground I accept with deep graft
| tude the distinguished honor and l snail
use every pndeavor to justify your con-
fdence. 1 am perfectly aware that ad-
vanced age is alas a sad privilege and
a weak auxiliary, but / hope that it will
| at least constitute a claim upon your
indulgence
After making his address M. de
Staale, in behalf of the conference tele-
graphed to the queen of the Neither
| lands as follows:
| "The members of this conference, as
sembled for the first time in this beauti-
full Huis ten Bosch, hasten to lay at the
feet of your majesty their best wishes,
praying you to accept their homage and
gratitude for the hospitality you have
graciously deigned to offer them
| The reading of the message was
warmly applauded.
M. de Beaufort was appointed honor
ary president and the leading Dutch
| delegate, A. p. c. Van karnobacll.
former minister of foreign affairs and
| deputy, was appointed vice president.
After the appointment of nine secre-
taries, M. de Staale's proposal that the
| sessions be secret was adopted.
The next session will take place on
| Saturday, when the delegates will ar
range a programme and appoint COM
mitteees. The conference then ad-
| journed.
The session to-day only occupied 25
minutes and the apparent unanimity
displayed was considered to augur well
for the outcome.