The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-05-07
LIES AT
OUR DOOR
BINDING OF THE WORLD COULD
BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THREE
GREAT POWERS.
E. A. MEADE, OF BOSTON, DE-
LINERS STIRRING ADDRESS
AT CHICAGO CONFERENCE.

Chicago, May Aft Great Britain,
Germany and the United States be-
gan today to act, with reference to
ornaments, in accordance with the
spirit and purpose of the Hague
conferences, the peace and order
of the world would be assured to-
morrow, said Edwin D. Mead, of
Boston, in his address at tonight's
session of the Second National Peace
Conference. 1t is Unnecessary to
go further, the speaker said, be-
cause these three nations control the
situation and they are the chief sim
ners. Mr.. Mead continued:
"In 1898 Great Britain spent on
her navy $124,OOO,00O. Last year
Great Britain spent $4,000, 900;
Germany, $s3,O0O,0OO, and the
United States, $4,000 900. The
increase in precisely the ten years
when there should have been de-
crease was enormous. Our own army
expenses last year were as great as
our navy expenses. Our navy ex-
penses this year will be 100000, 900
greater than last year. We are to-
day paying for expenses Of past
wars and preparations for possible
wars 65 per cent, practically two
thirds of our total national revenue,
leaving barely one-third available
for all constructive purposes. This
is what has come about in ten years
in these three nations because the
Hague Conference in 1899 did
nothing about the reduction or ar
rest of ornaments.
1.-THE continued and rapid de-
velopment during the decade Of pro-
visions for the peaceful settlement
of international disputes has been
something unparalleled in history.
"The failure to decrease the ma
chinery Of war as we increase the
machinery of law, above all the ac-
tual enormous increase of armament
at such times by the nations party
to the Hague convention is rank In
fidelity to the spirit and purpose Of
these conventions. One thing alone
could justify or excuse it-some OBJ
vious new danger. Is there any such
danger? We need not now NEEDLE
with other peoples affairs. How is
it with ourselves? Our increase in
naval armament In these ten years
has been something portemtous. No
nation has worse record, perhaps
no other has SO bad a record, since
we, unlike England and Germany,
have no provocation or excuse. We
have no jealous neighbors, no great
merchant marine to guard, no con-
Germ about food supply, no exposure
to invasion or attack, we are in no
danger whatever Of we behave our
selves"
Mr.. Mead expressed regret that
the United States now takes the
lead in building larger ships than
any now existing, thus forcing up the
standard for all nations. Continn-
ing, he said:
so Tar from each new Dread
naught providing an added bond Of
security and peace. according to
the theory, each one of either side
proves a new menace, a new source
of suspicion, enmity and danger"
The speaker referred to the visit to
South America of former Secretary
of State Root, saying that he elicit
ed vastly more impression of friend
ship in every South American cap
ital, and accomplished things of a
vastly more constructive character,
than all the sixteen noisy battle
ships that by and by followed him.
Chicago, May 4.-Representative
Bartholdt, of Missouri, was one OF
the principal speakers here today at
the Peace Conference. The idea
which gave birth to the congress,
no said was tho praafoc+ mn oro I,