The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, January 17, 1891. PROPOSED DISARMAMENT.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 558, 17 January 1891, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, January 17, 1891. PROPOSED DISARMAMENT.

Bp' just and hjcr a.a?> Lot all ths thou aim’rt al ti toy 06wnfcry'», Thy God's, and brath's.

One pf ffre m<?st pleasing i,terns In the cablegrams of the pg,st week is the glgtement thatths Emperor qf Germany is desirous Of a conference between the Powers, to discuss the question of a geaeral disarmament, i'he value of is consideral ly discounted

by the knowledge that much the same sort of thing has been often heard before, without the suggestion ever taking any definite form. But no better time than the present or near future could be chosen to discuss the matter. There is now no indication of those irritated feelings among the nations which only a few months ago seemed likely to culminate in a terrible war. The sensationalist has now no better material to work upon than a squabble over a few sealskins. The great principle of arbitration and conciliation has been put to a practical test, and so far with eminently satisfactory results. The few individuals who kicked the traces and tried to complicate matters—such as Stanley on the one hand and Majors this and that on the other—have been quietly placed on one side, and now instead of shedding blood about a few thousand acres of territory, everyone is in a fair way to be satisfied. All this seems to be leading up to the greater object of a general disarmament, but the prospect of it is still remote. Conferences may be held, and the important question be discussed in a friendb’ spirit, but it will take years yet to efface the feeling of distrust which, rightly or wrongly, each nation still holds for the other. There is also another very important element to be dealt with—the thousands who would be thrown out of their occupation in case the navy and military of each nation were put on a very low peace footing. The ordinary soldier might prefer to be thus relieved, but the ordinary soldier counts for little ; the great body of officers would view with dismay any reduction in the preparations for war, and their whole influence would be used accordingly. The people themselves would be liable to overlook the economic phase of the question, and be alarmed at the prospect of a great addition to the number of producers. The ordinary mind does not readily grasp the economical phase of the question, and the military circles can bring such influence to bear, that were the principle of disarmament approved of, each country would find the details very difficult to grapple with. While for these and many other reasons there seems no present hope of a disarmament being agreed upon, a conference upon the subject should have a powerful influence for good in improving the relations between the Powers, and would probably pave the way for a gradual disarmament. The present armaments on the Continent are a crushing burden upon the thrifty tillers of the soil, and it adds to their discomfort to know that the great expense to which they are being put may be only to increase the danger of war. Unfortunately those upon whom the burden falls the heaviest do not always pay much heed to the matier beyond grumbling at the amount of the taxes,