The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-27
A DREAM OF PEACE.

Tn a recent paper or speech Secretary Taft expressed the hope the question of arbitration may be taken up by the Senate next winter. and that some method may be adopted by which gen. erai arbitration treaties may be promptly applied to international dif- ferences," etc.
 The sentiment is . proper one. but the hope Is vain. we fear. All lovers of their kind must wish that the time may speedily come when there will be no more war, but we may as well wish for the millennium at once. Tn fact. that happy time will already be here. when the world reaches such condi- tion that nations will neither learn nor practice war any more, for human mind can hardly imagine . more per- feet state on earth than for the entire human family to be at peace. We may not be prepared to so quite so far as old pr. Franklin does when he de- clares that 'there never was a good war or a bad peace." but we can admit that most wars are unjust on one side or the other. and frequently on both.
 For many months humanity has been shocked at the sacrifice of human life in the East, and we have no assurance that the end Is very near. Earnest ef- forts are going on to bring about a settlement of the differences. but like all other great movements this one moves slowly. Even when the con- ference actually begins, the issue is at least doubtful. for there are grave questions to be considered and impor- tant differences to be adjudicated, which may at last end in irreconciii- able dificulties and nothing be accom- piished. Even if we were sure that satisfactory agreement could be reached. a considerable time must eIapss before peace can actually be made.
 Meanwhile, two great armies con- front each other, and no one may say when they will meet, for what may be the final struggle. The Japanese are elated and buoyant by reason of almost continued success on land and water, and will go into battle with the belief that they are invincible, and with determination to keep up and add to the splendid record already made. The Russians are smarting under many de- feats and ought, if they do not, to fight with desperation and with firm re- solve to retrieve their reputation and regain at least portion of their lost prestige. Actuated by such different, but dominating, sentiments, If the two armies do engage. we may reasonably expect one of the most desperate and bloody battles of the age.
 Looking at the matter dispassion- ately, it does seem that such scenes of blood and carnage might be obviated without loss of honor to any nation. To prevent constant strife and deadly fights between individuals we have laws and courts to settle differences and disputes, else there would be no peace in the land. Might would take the place of right, the stronger would overcome and spoil the weaker. and neither life nor property would be safe in the land. To prevent and preclude conditions of such savagery wise men make laws by and through which hu- man differences may be adjusted, and we have courts to execute the laws so that there may be peace among the people, otherwise we would soon be 1it- tie better than the brutes below us.
 What is done to preserve the peace of communities might be enlarged and extended to nations. The theory is as good in one case as in the other. but the application Is not. If all the civ ilized nations of earth would enter into a solemn agreement that none would engage in war until the subjects or questions in dispute were submitted to a competent Board of Arbitration, and the decision of that tribunal made binding upon all parties, then war would eventually cease, but the first and greatest difficulty lies in getting the nations of the earth to enter into such an agreement. The great powers are intensely Jealous of each other and each is all the time watching the oth- | CTS, lest one might get an advantage. None of them wants to give up any of its powers and privileges. Ambition. love of rule, lust of conquest and the | like are always standing in the way of arbitration and peaceful solution of differences, and we much fear that the | secretary's visions of an universal Board of Arbitration will not material | ize, even if our own Government takes the initiative.