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that kingdom should be put into the general German delegation。
On my asking why Brazil； though represented at St。 Petersburg；
was not invited； he answered that Brazil was invited； but showed
no desire to be represented。 On my asking him if he supposed this
was because other South American powers were not invited； he said
that he thought not； that it was rather its own indifference and
carelessness； arising from the present unfortunate state of
government in that country。 On my saying that the Emperor Dom
Pedro； in his time； would have taken the opportunity to send a
strong delegation； he said： 〃Yes； he certainly would have done
so； but the present government is a poor sort of thing。〃
I also had a talk with one of the most eminent publicists of the
Netherlands； on the questions dividing parties in this country；
telling him that I found it hard to understand the line of
cleavage between them。 He answered that it is； in the main； a
line between religious conservatives and liberals； the
conservatives embracing the Roman Catholics and high orthodox
Protestants； and the liberals those of more advanced opinions。 He
said that socialism plays no great part in Holland； that the
number of its representatives is very small compared with that in
many European states； that the questions on which parties divide
are mainly those in which clerical ideas are more or less
prominent； that the liberal party； if it keeps together； is much
the stronger party of the two； but that it suffers greatly from
its cliques and factions。
On returning home after dinner； I found a cipher despatch from
the Secretary of State informing us that President McKinley
thinks that our American commission ought not to urge any
proposal for 〃seconding powers〃； that he fears lest it may block
the way of the arbitration proposals。 This shows that imperfect
reports have reached the President and his cabinet。 The fact is
that the proposal of 〃seconding powers〃 was warmly welcomed by
the subcommittee when it was presented； that the members very
generally telegraphed home to their governments； and at once
received orders to support it； that it was passed by a unanimous
vote of the subcommittee； and that its strongest advocates were
the men who are most in favor of an arbitration plan。 So far from
injuring the prospects of arbitration； it has increased them； it
is very generally spoken of as a victory for our delegation； and
has increased respect for our country； and for anything we may
hereafter present。
June 2。
This morning we sent a cipher telegram to the Secretary of State；
embodying the facts above stated。
The shoals of telegrams； reports of proceedings of societies；
hortatory letters； crankish proposals； and peace pamphlets from
America continue。 One of the telegrams which came late last night
was pathetic； it declared that three millions of Christian
Endeavorers bade us 〃Godspeed；〃 etc。； etc。
During the morning De Martens； Low； Holls； and myself had a very
thoroughgoing discussion of the Russian； British； and American
arbitration plans。 We found the eminent Russian under very
curious misapprehensions regarding some minor points； one of them
being that he had mistaken the signification of our word
〃publicist〃； and we were especially surprised to find his use of
the French word 〃publiciste〃 so broad that it would include M。
Henri Rochefort； Mr。 Stead； or any newspaper writer； and he was
quite as surprised to find that with us it would include only
such men as Grotius； Wheaton； Calvo； and himself。
After a long and intricate discussion we separated on very good
terms； having made； I think； decided progress toward fusing all
three arbitration plans into one which shall embody the merits of
all。
One difficulty we found； of which neither our State Department
nor ourselves had been fully aware。 Our original plan required
that the judges for the arbitration tribunal should be nominated
by the highest courts of the respective nations； but De Martens
showed us that Russia has no highest court in our sense of the
word。 Then； too； there is Austria…Hungary； which has two supreme
courts of equal authority。 This clause； therefore； we arranged to
alter； though providing that the original might stand as regards
countries possessing supreme courts。
At lunch we had Baron de Bildt； Swedish minister at Rome and
chief of the Swedish delegation at the conference； and Baron de
Bille； Danish minister at London and chief delegate from Denmark。
De Bille declared himself averse to a permanent tribunal to be in
constant session； on the ground that； having so little to do； it
would be in danger of becoming an object of derision to the press
and peoples of the world。
We were all glad to find； upon the arrival of the London 〃Times；〃
that our arbitration project seemed to be receiving extensive
approval； and various telegrams from America during the day
indicated the same thing。
It looks more and more as if we are to accomplish something。 The
only thing in sight calculated to throw a cloud over the future
is the attitude of the German press against the whole business
here； the most virulent in its attacks being the high Lutheran
conservativeand religious！journal in Berlin； the
〃Kreuz…Zeitung。〃 Still； it is pleasant to see that eminent
newspaper find； for a time； some other object of denunciation
than the United States。
June 3。
In the afternoon drove to Scheveningen and took tea with Count
Munster and his daughter。 He was somewhat pessimistic； as usual；
but came out very strongly in favor of the American view as
regards exemption of private property on the high seas。 Whether
this is really because Germany would derive profit from it； or
because she thinks this question a serviceable entering wedge
between the United States and Great Britain； there is no telling
at present。 I am sorry to say that our hopes regarding it are to
be dashed； so far as the present conference is concerned。 Sundry
newspaper letters and articles in the 〃Times〃 show clearly that
the English Government is strongly opposed to dealing with it
here and now； and as France and Russia take the same position；
there is no hope for any action； save such as we can take to keep
the subject alive and to secure attention to it by some future
conference。
CHAPTER XLVII
AS PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN DELEGATION AT THE PEACE CONFERENCE
OF THE HAGUE： III1899
June 4。
We have just had an experience which 〃adds to the gaiety of
nations。〃 Some days since； representatives of what is called 〃the
Young Turkish party〃 appeared and asked to be heard。 They
received； generally； the cold shoulder； mainly because the
internal condition of Turkey is not one of the things which the
conference was asked to discuss； but also because there is a
suspicion that these 〃Young Turks〃 are enabled to live in luxury
at Paris by blackmailing the Sultan； and that their zeal for
reform becomes fervid whenever their funds run low； and cools
whenever a remittance comes from the Bosphorus。 But at last some
of us decided to give them a hearing； informally； the main object
being to get rid of them。 At the time appointed； the delegation
appeared in evening dress； and； having been ushered into the
room； the spokesman began as follows； very impressively：