The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-25
AN ERA OF PEACE.

AN GNfA VI h-SN>A-
Tho eighth annual Lake Mohonk Con-
ference on International Arbitration VIII
be held at Mononk Lake, N. Y. May 2ss.i
and 3oth The Hon. John w. Foster will
preside and a large number OF prominent
men and women will be in attendance.
International arbitration has MADE
gratifying progress Of late The prln-
cple has long been recognized. but II is
only within comparatively recent years
that it has taken on definite form. va
rious questions of an international cnaf-
acter have been submitted from time 10
time 10 arbitration, but the greatest
triumph Of the principle was IN the
Hague Conference in 1899. with the rat1-
fcation of the action OF the conference
in 1900 and the subsequent appointment
Of members of the fifteen s1gnatorlal
powers in interest, including the great
nations of the earth. Few cases nave
been referred to this national cour. OF
arbitration. but there have been re"
questions for the court to act upon, ana
lit is fair to presume that the existence
of this court has had the effect to pre-
vent disputes from arising, or at least
to pursuade nations to agree on points
of dispute without going into court.
On October &c. 1901, the Pan-American
Conference convened in the city of Mex
leo and the conference unanimously
agreed that the nations constituting the
e~iy fhAir 26ler-s
ence to the treaty establishing the Hague
Court thus bringing practically the en-
tire world within the jurisdiction OF the
tribunal Arbitration under the orig
inal Hague treaty is entirely voluntary,
but the American republics have gone a
step farther in agreeing that an appeal
to the Hague shall be obligatory IN al
cases arising out of .-ie claim OF private
citizens of one State against the gov
eminent of another.
Senior Mariscal, Mexican Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, called this the most no
table achievement of the conference.
This agreement is to run tor flVe years
and will doubtless be renewed II found
satisfactory, Most of the foreign COM
plica tons of the South American repub-
lies arise from such claims. Finally ten
of the nineteen States represented at the
conference signed an obligatory arbltra-
ton treaty. providing for the reference on
all difficulties to the Hague. And just
| now comes the news that Spain instruct
ed her minister at the City OF Mexico
10 take advantage of the presence OF the
Spanish American diplomats to nego-
| tate a series of arbitration treaties be-
| tween Spain and her former colonies.
! Nine of these treaties have already been
signed They provide for special trlo-
| lnal composed of Spaniards or Spanish
! Americans, and failing such tribunal Tor
| reference to the Hague. They lncludc
all nossible subjects of difference. Last
h,,+ NOT least. in ultimate significance
| two treaties have been negotiated during
| the year-one of them our treaty with
| Denmark regarding the cession OF the
! Danish West Indies, which contain
| clause binding the signatory nations TO
| refer any questions arising out OF the in
| depreciation of the treaty when 1alls
| to Weld to diplomacy to- the Hague. me
Importance of this lies in the fact that
| if this clause should be Incorporated IN
+, sufficient number of treaties, it will
! gradually come to be a general principe
| Of international law, applicable even
| where not expressed, and one of the most
| frirh+f,,ls causes of war will be banished
| forever.
! international arbitration is a necessary
4 result of complete civilization. In the
/ savage state there Is but one law. and
that is the law OF force. Let him catch
/ who has the power and let him keep
who can. But that "good old rule is
not to be tolerated. and is not tolerated
/ in civilization. In all civilized lands
the rights of individuals are recognized
| and the law protects every man in the
| endowment of his rights, Of his right
/ TO liberty, of his right to do as he VIII
1 as long as he does not trespass, of his
| right to acquire property and hold it rs
his own. The strong man may not
1 take the property of the weak man. II
t~A3AO 49,
! there be a contest between individuals
as to property rights appeal must be
made to the courts, and there the decision
is made in favor OF him who has right
and Justice on his side.
1 The same rule should prevail in civili-
cation among nations. A strong nation
may not in justice and fairness do VIC
lence to the weak nation. When there
are questions Of a,spute between them
they should be referred to a nationa
court for final adjustment.
We have made great strides in the di-
rection of peace within the past de-
cadc. There is not the same warfare in
business that there formerly was. Some
men have deplored the fact that the ten.
:. dency of tho age is to destroy compe-
tition. There is competition between
man and man and there always will be
8 in the struggle for supremacy. But the
days OF cut-throat competition, as It Is