Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 May 1899 — PEACE TALK BEGUN. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PEACE TALK BEGUN.

CZAR’S GREAT CONFERENCE CALLED TO ORDER. Hatch Minister Welcomes the Envoys to The Hague—Baron He Steal la Chosen to Preside Over the Congress —Sessions Are Secret. Tbeassemblying at The Hague of representatives of all the civilized nations to consider propositions designed to prevent war is one of the important events of the closing years of the nineteenth century. Despite skepticism as to immediate results and despite imputations of insincerity on the part of the Czar and many of those who take part in the conference, it seems a harbinger of the decline of militarism. As the conference opened it was accepted as settled that little would be done in direct furtherance of the main object, as stated in the call of the Czar —disarmament. But as a result of the conference a mighty impetus is likely to be given to the cause of international arbitration, which, in the end, will lead at least to partial disarmament and to the lessening of the burdens of militarism. The discussions in the conference, as indicated at the opening, cover three principal lines. The first relates to restrictions of armaments and military expenditures—the least hopeful topic of the three, so far as anticipations of immediate results are concerned. The second deals with the laws governing civilized warfare, and the third with mediation and arbitration. In both these lines some specific results should come from the conference. The proceedings will be watched with interest by the entire civilized world. , With a brief formal session Thursday afternoon the international disarmament conference, summoned by Russia’s ruler, began its deliberations. Representatives of all the foremost governments in the world were gathered in the Huis Ten Bosch when Mr. De Beaufort, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, called the gathering to order. Mr. De Beaufort spoke of the high honor of the choice of The Hague as the meeting place for the conference and extolled the noble initia-

Ke of the Czar, saying that it would be a Hd letter day in the history of the century ■d expressing the hope that his Majesty Kuld be able to look back at the day as Be most glorious day of his life. |Bjaron De Staal, the Russian ambassaTOFto Great Britain, and the head of the Russian delegation, was selected president of the conference. In assuming the chair he said that his first duty was to express to Mr. De Beaufort his sincere gratitude for the noble terms in which he had referred to his august master, adding that his Majesty would be deeply touched as well as by the spontaneity with which the high assembly had associated itself therewith. After the selection of nine secretaries and the sending of a message of greeting to Czar Nicholas of Russia the conference adjourned until Saturday.

MEETING PLACE OF THE PEACE CONFERENCE.