Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-06-06
DECISIONS IN THE RE.
CENT PAST.
APPEALS TO THE REASON
Judge Gray Looks Forward Hopefully
to a Settlement OF all international
Difficulties by Peaceful Means
Steady Growth of Sentiment-Arbi-
tration Confidence opens.


George Gray, chairman of the Lake
Mohonk arbitration conference, made
the opening address before that con-
ference yesterday. He declared that
the economic waste, consequent upon
the maintenance of the great and in
creasing military and naval establish
ments Of the world, is beginning TO
make its due impression upon the en-
lightened conscience and intelligence
of increasing numbers in all countries.
Continuing he said: 1--WE are not to
be discouraged by untoward condi-
lions. The car OF Russia, who sug-
gested the Hague tribunal, is involved
in internecine war that strains the re-
sources OF his empire, but the inter
national court of arbitration at the
Hague will remain an enduring monu-
ment to his wisdom, and shed more
glory upon his reign than any
triumph, however great his armies
may achieve. The establishment and
continued existence of the permanent
court OF international arbitration will
make il more difficult in the future
than il has in the past, for nations to
engage in war. l believe that its in
fiuence will grow slowly, but steadily,
and that each resort to its decisions,
will tend to form and strengthen the
habit of looking thitL erward, to set
tie international difficulties by an APP
peal to reason, instead of an appeal
TO arms.
There is good ground for thinking
that the project OF a treaty OF arbi-
trat.on between England and the
United States is in a forward state or
the treaty Ct 1897 by the senate viii
help, rather than hinder, the move
ment. Its rejection has served TO
concentrate public attention upon the
subject, and in the meantime free dis
cussiOn and criticism have served to
measureably mature a favorable pub
lie opinion on both sides Of the Allan
tic. What imagination is not kindled.
what heart does not glow, at the
thought of an arbitral agreement be-
tween the two great English speaking
nations Of the world. Too powerful
to be animated by any other motive
than a brave and worthy one, the
moral effect of their agreement Ia
such a treaty, could not fail to ad-
vance the cause of international arbi-
tration to a world wide acceptance.
As for ourselves, we are bound by our
own past. There is no more glorious
page in our history than that which
records its lists of arbitral agreements
and establishes its leadership in up
right diplomacy and peaceful settle
ment of international difficulties. That
international law is no longer the
sport of kings and a mockery of the
hopes Of humanity is largely due to the
assertion of its obligations by the
statesmen of our formative period.
When diplomacy secures an open port
from China it is not for American
commerce alone, but for the COM
merce of the world. A selfish, sordid,
aggressive, or merely a self-starVing
national policy will be more difficult
TO maintain in the future than it has
been in the past.
"Since the last meeting of this con-
ference a year ago, there has been a
notable triumph in the cause OF inter
national arbitration, in the submission
by the United States and Great Britain
TO an arbtral tribunal, of the difficult
questions arising out of the disputed
Alaskan boundary, which have so long
vexed the diplomacy and menaced the
peace of both countries. II is hard to
exaggerate the importance of this
submission, and of the judgment which
ensued. The question submitted was
not only one of long standing but in
volved many things irritating to the
inhabitants of both countries. Feel
ing and passion had become excited
en- both sides, and the conditions which
are generally antecedents of war, were
beginning to be manifest All that
has now passed away with the judg-
ment of the tribunal, and, notwith-
standing some unmanly cutlery from
our friends across the Canadian Dor
der, general acquiescence character
ICES the situation. Moreover, the
submission involved a territorial ques-
ton, and it was also thought, by ex-
cited patriots, 10 touch, to some extent,
the honor OF the two countries; in
other words. the submission covered
points which cautious friends OF arbi-
tration have been Over-careful to ex-
clude from its jurisdiction. The sub
mission to the Hague Tribunal of
the claims urged against Venezuela,
by two or three of the most powerful
nations of the world, is another not
able triumph. These two arbitrations,
and the contention by our state depart
ment for world open ports in China
are in line with the best traditions OF
I A arsfnov, TfpI,va.uvr auH pnHank owD.gse