The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-25
GREAT MEETING 1T WILL BE.OF
LAKE.MOHONK CONFERENCE.
in Relation to International Arbitration
History of the Movement,

been represented by sue men as Ly-
man Abbott. Edward Everett Hale, and
DR.. Theo L. Cuyler. Our diplomatic SER
vice has contributed Hon. John a. Kas-
son and Hon. William L. Scruggs, Minis
ter to- Venezuela, and agent for Vene-
zuela before the Boundary Commission
appointed by President Cleveland. Ma
turally the legal professor is specially
interested in the work of the conference.
The New York Bar Association has been
represented by a, number OF its strong
est members. among them Frederick w.
Hollis, delegate to the Hague, and MEM
Der OF the Hague Court for Siam, and
Walter S. Logan and w. Martin Jones.
who constituted the subcommittee of the
Bar Association which reported a plan
for an International tribunal which was
adopted by the association and formed
the basis Of the American proposals sub
mitted to the Hague Conference which
as every one knows are In large mea-
sure embodied in the final act establish
ing the Hague Court The bench has
contributed Judge Robert Earl and Judge
Andrews, Of the New York Court Of APP
peals, and Chief Justices Stiness and
Matteson, of the Rhode Island Supreme
Court; the business world has been rep
resented by such men as John crosby
Brown. Of New York: Samuel B.. Capen.
OF Boston and Mr.. Isaac Clothter. of
Philadelphia.
AIMS AND OBJECTS.
The Conference is often referred to as
peace conference; this is accurate. Such
themes as the horrors Of war. or the alb
stract morality Of war. are; exc Gu as
impra ctical and controversial The Con-
ference is working for the abolition Of
war. War is the result of injustice; there
are two ways to abolish It. One is to
teach men to turn the other check to IN
Justice: this is on-resistance-one OF
the methods advocated by the peace So
cities The other Is to provide some
better, surer way Of obtaining justice:
this is arbitration-the method exclusive
Nv advocated by the Conference. The
former Is at best the ideal Of the distant
future: the latter is the practical posi-
bility of the present. The wisdom or
this course has. been plainly demonstrat-
ed Men of all shades of opinion from
the Quaker to the professional soldier,
meet and work tremendously for ar
bitration. The only person WHO would
feel at home ct Mohonk Conference is
one Of those queer people who believes
that war is necessary to maintain our
manly courage, on the same principle that
IN occasional fire is desirable in order 70
maintain the esprit de corps Of the hook
and ladder company. The conference
shows equal sense in refusing to forfeit
half its Influence by taking action In re-
gard to particular wars which are al
ready in progress at the time of the
meeting, and concerning which the MEM
bers hold widely differing views. There
are other places to denounce the injus-
tice of the impolity of wars already IN
progress the mission of Mohonk is TO DO
its part toward preventing future wars
by educating public sentiment among all
kinds of people, and by securing obllEa-
tory arbitration treaties which will take
away, both excuse. and opportunity for
war.
IT is PRACTICAL.
Never forgetting the best the Con-
ference has not despised the merely
good. It has constantly endeavored to
be practical in its pursuit of the ideal.
At the close of each Conference a plat
form is adopted which crystalizes the SEN
timent of the meeting. and points the
way to what the Conference believes to
be the next step in advance. Frequ emily
a committee is appointed to urge these
recommendations on the Government.
These platforms, which have been SO
conservative as to secure the unanimous
approval of the Conference reflect in
a very interesting way the history OF
arbitration during the last eight years.
The first platform in 1895 called atten-
ton to the circumstances which render
ed an arbitration treaty with England Pc
culiarly appropriate. and called upon the
Government of the United States to ne
gotiate such treaty. Before the next
meeting Of the Conference the threat OF
war with England over the Venezuela