The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-02-11
URGING ARBITRATION.
The Work Of Mr., Cremer, the Brit
ish NJ, P, in Washington,
NEGOTIATIONS ALREADY OPENED.

These Negotiations Include Proposal for
Universal Arbitration Treaty, and Sew
eral Senators See in Such Proposition
a Menace to Our Institutions.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE recent visit
to Washington of Mr.. Cremer, the British
member of parliament who was charged
with the presentation TO our government
of memorial signed by about $50 of his
colleagues in parliament urging the nego-
tiation of an arbitration treaty with Great
Britain, has resulted in stimulating inter
est in that project, which had rather Jagged
since the introduction of the Allison reso-
luton some years ago. In congress the
proposition has taken tangible shape in
radical joint resolution submitted by Sen.
ator Sherman and referred to the commit
tee on foreign relations, fully authorizing
the president to move in the matter. While
this resolution has not been entirely ac-
ceptable to the advocates of the scheme, it
has served its purpose of forming the basis
of consideration by the committee.
But meanwhile negotiations have been
opened, as yet only preliminary in nature,
between our government and the British
ambassador that will, it is said, if they
result in the consummation of treaty, be
fraught with the gravest consequences so
FAR as the United States is concerned In its
present shape the proposition is extremely
broad, though it may be narrowed as the
negotiations progress, for it contemplates
nothing less than treaty, to which the
United States and all of the great Euro
pean powers shall be parties, by the terms
OF which any matter in dispute between
any of the signatory powers which can
not be adjusted by the ordinary methods
of diplomacy shall be submitted to an ar.
bitration.
There is nothing substantially new in
this proposition. which has been discussed
for many years in various shapes, but the
fact that negotiations have actually begun
and is at last really within the reach of
possibility, has had the effect to draw the
attention of certain senators who must
pass upon any such treaty to grave conse-
quences that might be expected to follow
its ratification For instance, it has been
urged that the Monroe doctrine, upon
which our predominance in this hemis-
phere depends, would be speedily dismissed
as of no force in an arbitration. Each of
the signatory powers would be represented
upon the arbitration commission and as
the European powers would be largely in
Gne majority Gnere could be but one result
| should any question be submitted involv-
ing the application of this doctrine, to
which they have never subscribed and have
! tolerated only because of the ability of the
| United States to maintain against any
single power.
Another objection that has been ad
Vanced is that the arbitration treaty would
| absolutely deny the right of revolution
and this might be very serious matter
to the United States. In the event that
Canada should cast off allegiance to Great
Britain it would probably be impossible
for this country to recognize her independ
| ence, much less annex the Dominion, ever
upon the unanimous application of It's
| people OF late years the major part OF
our negotiations with European powers
has been made up of the settlement OF
difficulties growing out of our insistence
upon the recognition of the citizenship OF
naturalized Americans. On this issue the
United States is at variance with almost
all of the European countries, and if such
q question were submitted to arbitration
the United States would certainly be de
feated in its contention, and there would
be no safety for our naturalized citizens
anywhere outside of the United States.