The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-07-08
AMERICANS SUCCEED.
Our Delegates to the Peace Confer
ence Gain a Decided
Victory.

uelcgates scored great success
Wednesday in obtaining from the peace
conference unanimous vote in favor
of having the question of private prop
erty at sea In time of war dealt with
At a special conference TO be summoned
hereafter. Much diplomatic manage
ment was necessary and many obstacles
had TO be surmounted before this result
was reached.
In his discussion Of the question, Mr..
White. head of the American delega-
ton. warmly repudiated the suppose
! ton that the Americans were animated
by selfish considerations. They were
eminently practical. he said, but not
less prominently deroted to great
ideals. This he illustrated by referring
10 the enormous sacrifice made during
the civil war, and the devotion of the
Americans to arbitration. But the ques-
ton he was urging upon the delegates,
he asserted, was one of right, justice
and progress for the whole world. and
this all Americans felt deeply. Nor
could the acceptance OF the American
proposal injure any nation. On the
contrary, IL would strengthen all. He
concluded with an eloquent appeal TO
the jurists, diplomatists and statesmen
of all nations assembled in the con-
ference TO take the subject under care
ful consideration, declaring, in the
words of Count Hesselrode, that "the
addition of this principle TO interna-
tional law would be a crown OF glory
TO the worlds diplomacy"
Dol - a -. A.
supported Mr.. White, and suggested
that the governments favoring the idea
should conclude treaties among them
selves.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, head OF the
British delegation, said that British
opinion was divided on the subject, and
thai he had no instructions regarding
1t. I'm his personal opinion, the ques-
ton was outside the scope of the con-
ference. NJ. Bourgeois, head of the
French delegation, and Capt. Scheme,
of the Russian delegation, announced
that in the absence Of instructions they
could not vote. The resolution was then
| put and carried without opposition, but
with reservations on the part of Great
Britain, France and Russia.
The committee also adopted a resolu-
! ton that the question OF the determine
tion of the rights and duties of neutral
states should be placed upon the pro-
| gramme of the future conference. The
pienary conference assembled subse-
quently and accepted all the recon-
mendations of the committee.
The American delegation is much
gratifed at the result. The delegates
could not have anticipated a practical
issue at this time. The maximum sue
cess possible was full and free oppor-
tunity Of placing the American view on
record and of continuing unbroken the
tradition of a century of American pro-
test in behalf OF progressive ideas in in
ternational law. This result, which at
one time appeared impossible, owing TO
the almost insuperable difficulties, is
now triumphantly attained.
Washington, July 6.-The news from
! The Hague announcing the unanimous
vote of the peace conference I'm favor Of
holding a special conference hereafter
| 20 discuss the freedom from seizure Of
private property at sea in time of war
1 ~ ~ 0OhiNt VI kNhdihN FA'iHib'AiOH W
the administration. The American del
egates had more interest in this ques-
ton perhaps than any other before the
conference. There have been times
during sessions of the peace conference
az which ii appeared that this subject
would he passed over without favor
able action. and the officials had almost
| given up hope of anything in that di-
rection being accomplished.
Secretary Hay was shown copy of
the dispatch. He regarded il as a sub
stantial victory for the advanced po-
sition the American government has
taken on this matter, as the news indi-
Gated that the conference had accepted
the principle embraced in the PROPOSE
ton. The question of the freedom from
seizure of private property at sea be-
longing 20 the subjects of the belliger-
ent nations, the secretary said, was not
| i'm the list of subjects enumerated i'm
the ears call for the conference. but
il was embodied In the instructions
| given TO the American delegates. The
subject. the secretary said. is one i'm
which the American government has al
ways taken the greatest interest and n
most decided stand ever since the foun-
dation OF the government. The United
States refused to sign the convention
at Paris back In the sos because the
articles agreed upon did not contain a
declaration exempting from capture
the private property at sea belonging
TO the subjects of the belligerent ma
tions. In the presidents last message
to congress he urged that provision be
made for calling conference Of the
powers OF the world to consider the
question. Bills were introduced in both
houses having this Object in view, but
no final action was tal<el on them.
Not Candidate.
Columbus, o., July O. Hon. Allen w.
Thurman gave out an interview, the
| first since the Chicago conference re-