Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-10
THE CLOAK-ROOM HAHrTUE.
Gossip Of the Ante.Chnmberx-Ab
tine TroRfies.

THE CLOAK-ROOM HABITUE.
Gossip OF the Ante.Chnmberx-Abo
tire Treaties.
The next best thing to the cloak-room. and
sometimes even better thing, is one OF Welck-
er's cosy dinlng-rooms, with brace Of wood
cock, canvas-back duck, or even two, with
good wine, cigars, &C., &C., to induce a Con-
gresham to talk. When the glow OF sat STAG
ton spreads all over him, and the annoyances
of business are far from him, and the wine
makes him generous in mood, then he becomes
communicative. statesman recently. under
the genial effect of frank impulse and a di-
gestion smoothly performing it's work, unbo-
soned himself to the 'Habtue'' for the benefit
of The STAR, in words and figures about as fol-
lows:
''The treaties pending before the Senate will
| not probably be reported at very early dav,
with the exception of that with Nicaragua 1t
is clear to the friends Of the various reciprocity
treaties that will be wise to let them lie awhile;
to ripen. as it were, and gather strength. Delhi
Grafton. in the sense OF proceeding slowly is, as
| rule the strongest force In the world.
~.
1.-The friends of the reciprocity treaties
say that they can readily understand how haste
would endanger the success of measures which,
If adopted. will be of ilcalculable value to the
country; that. as their cause is good one, they
can afford to give the people time to thor
Oughly understand what is proposed II the
propositions had no inherent merit. the best
policy would be to push them from the moment
they entered the Senate, without pause until
the final vote was cast.
~.
"The instructive alarm which the business
portion of the community displayed at the first
suggestion Of such reciprocity as is proposed in
| the Spanish and Dominican treaties. was
| natural. SO radical change from a long es-
tablished policy could not but excite apprehen-
sion and even alarm And say the advocates
and managers of these treaties one-halr. or
more of the opposition that has been so far de-
yeloped. is que to the fear that the measures
were to be rushed through. They claim that
| these Instruments have gained in the past few
days; that consideration has brought forth fruit
and that in q very few months the opposition
VIII DE confined mainly to Congress, and will
| have very much dwindled there.
~.
''The hubbub of those who were SO readily
alarmed. and so much frightened, was so great
that for time the friends to the new departure
could not make themselves heard But time
has demonstrated that there are two sides. en-
phatically to this question. Not only has the
recent letter of the Secretary of State been
Timely and productive of much good but sober
second thought has made friends to reciprocity
from many of those who at first were most de-
termlned and vigorous opponents.
~
Extremes meet and the high protectonsts
and the free-traders unite in opposing reciuroc-
iS IL fa tn al
Extreme men are seldom right. and are always
in the minority. So the advocates of the trea-
ties argue that neither the free trader. who pro-
poses to grow wealthy by buying everything in
cheap foreign markets nor the protectOnst who
thinks that policy of swapping butter for eggs
over the back fence is the royal road to riches,
Will be permitted to decide the great question at
issue: III VIII be decided by the men of moder-
ate views who have learned by the teaching of
their own experience in a small way and of his
tory IN larger, that success and solid achieve
ment lie In the middle course. Nevertheless ex-
treme men are of great use in this world With
out these frowning headlands the mariner might
not be able to strike the still water and deem
channel that give safe passage-way between
them.
ut is difficult to say which is the most rdicu-
ious. the protectOnst who says that we must
all manufacture and produce: out we must not
Try TO sell our surplus; or the tree-trader who
Insists that We must have the world for mar
ket and be market for the world. and yet will
not consent that a beginning shall be made at it,
~
while elaboration is the watchword in Con-
gress, and it is true that the administration
would like to have these treaties ratified at once.
yet 1t does not follow that they have been en-
tered into by the President with undue haste
and unthinkngly. The Spanish treaty has been
maturing for more than eighteen months. More
than year ago Minister Foster returned here
from pain to advise with the public men of
both parties as to this very treaty. then only an
outline He found. among them all. no division
OF sent. ment; all heartily favored the scheme
And 1t s. remarkable that some of those in Con-
gress who are loudest now in opposition were
warmest then in support of the idea, although
1t was not believed then that so good terms
could be got from Spain
~.
"But the complaint is frequently made By the
friends OF the proposed new departure that
Great Britain does not oppose the Nicaragnan
treaty with halt the vigor that is desirable.
They roar US as gently as sucking doves over in
London. 1t is true that one or two of their
newspapers there have INDUCED in a limited
amount Of buster; but bless you. they haven't
our statesmen would like to have them furnish
US with. England isn't doing the square thing
by us. She could help us immensely if she
would only buster little.
~
"1n point of fact Great Britain knows yerv
well that she has not a leg to stand upon in
this matter. In the first place she is the last
nation In the world to require consideration ia
such a case. for of all the nations she has been
most conspicuous for a uniform habit of break
ing and violating treaties whenever she felt
that 1t was fer her interest to do SO. If there s
any binding force In the Cayton-Bu treaty
now it is certainly not because Great Britain has
kept the faith she pledged to it. There is no
doubt whatever that she violated it. as will be
amply demonstrated, / fancy, when the facts are
made known. 1t is poor treaty that won't
work both ways. If England is not bound by
1t certainly the United States are not. It can
not be maintained that its provisions are oblioa-
tory upon the United States while Great Britain
Is at liberty to play fast and loose with its cove
nants.
mo man can say what the decision Of the
Senate will be on this subject. but that they
must take this view seems to be self-evident.
But if it is not; if there is nothing in it. there is
more to be said. Things are not as they were
thirty-odd years ago. when this Clayton ulwer
abortion was brought to light The attitude of
fnfp bo ,fh .