Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-13


all of the senators and representatives to
attend a meeting to be held in the half OF
the House of Representatives this evening
to consider, among other things, a request
for an appropriation of about $50. 600 for the
entertainment of the Interparliamentary
Union which is to meet in st. Louis in Sep
TENDER.
The invitation, which was signed by Mr..
Bartholdt as a member of the executive
council of the Interparliamentary Union,
reads as follows:
Washington. D. c., January 0, 1904.
by authority of the Interparliamentary
Union for international arbitration desire
to extend to you a cordial invitation to at
tend a conference of senators and repre-
sentatives to be held in the hall of the
House of Representatives on Wednesday
January IS, 1904, at 8 o'clock pm. for the
purpose of organizing an American group
for international arbitration and OF max
ing arrangements for this years conference
of the InterpariamentarY Union in Septem-
ber the first to be held on American soil,
and to which the President has called the
attention of Congress in his annual mes
sage
Messages Of Sympathy.
The following message was read from
Mayor Mcclellan of New York:
II deeply regret that the press of public
business keeps me from meeting with you,
whose influence is cast for humanity in the
plan of international arbitration.
"In this age, when men and ma tons look
hopefully to a future of universal peace,
every endeavor to faSten upon all couii-
tries a code for the amicable adjustment of
international difference must win the es-
TEEN of all mankind
Among those who are to address you are
men of many achievements for the world $
good, yet doubt If any of their works have
looked to a nobler purpose than that which
now engages you
Other letters of regret at inability to be
present and hearty sympathy with the pur-
pose of the meeting were received from
John Mitchell, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, the governor of Cali
fornia, the mayors of Chicago, Baltimore,
Boston and other cities and several from
private citizens. From prominent citizens
of California there was read letter eX-
pressing their hearty accord with the sem
timents of the meeting, their sympathy
with the conference and their desire that n
treaty with Great Britain could be arranged
for that would send all questions of con-
troVersy to the tribunal at The Hague for
final settlement.
From Ex-President Cleveland
The following letter was received by the
convention from former President Cleve-
land:
Il have received, through Mr. Straus.
your very courteous invitation to attend
18th of January next, and to preside on
that occasion.
Il need not say to you how much 1 am
interested in the object which the confer
ence has in view and which the contem-
pla ted meeting is called to further And
yet, much to my regret, l am obliged to
say In response to your invitation that en-
gagements already made and an unusual
pressure of work will prevent my attend
ing the meeting. Thanking you for the
cordially of your invitation, l am,
Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND"
Mayor Carter H. Harrison of Chicago sent
the following:
Owing to the terrible calamity which has
been visited upon people here in Chi
cago, and the demands upon my time in
consequence it will be impossible for me
to be with you. much as l would like to.
I'm my opinion arbitration should always
be resorted to between civilized countries
when differences arise. The world is sure
ly far enough advanced by this time to be
willing to make an appeal to arms the last
resort where nations fall out. Christianity,
humanity and all of the higher motives of
men make 1t imperative that before war
is declared that every peaceful means of
settling matters in controversy should have
been employed That arbitration is not a
mere word, but living principle. has been
proved over and over again The settle
ment of the Alaskan boundary question Is
one of the late examples of the wisdom of
arbitration. When nations, az well as in
dividuals. ready to listen to the die
tates of reason and prudence before en-
barking in war as means of settling
grievances the world will have advanced
immea surably toward the higher civiliZa-
tion.''