The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-11
URGING ARBITRATION.
The Work of l1r. Cremer, the Brit
ish M. P, in Washington.
NEGOTIATIONS ALREADY OPENED.

These Negotiations Include Proposal for
. Universal Arbitration Treaty. aud Sow
eraI Senators See in Such Proposition
Menace to Our Instltulious.
WASHINGTON, Feb, 1.-THE recent visit
to Washington of Mr.. Cremer, the British
member Of parliament who was charged
with the presentation to our governments
Of Il 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 a
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-
ceptible 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 contamination Of a treaty, be
fraught with the gravest consequences SO
far as the United States IL concerned. In its
present shape the proposition is extremely
broad, though it may be narrowed as tho
negotiations progress, for 1t Contemplates
nothing less than treaty, to which tho
United States and all Of the great Euro
pean powers shall be parties, by the terms
OF which any mattor 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 tho effect to draw the
attention of certain senators who must
pass upon any such treaty to grave COZ SO.
qucnces that might be expected to follow
Its ratification. For instance, it has been
urged that tho Monroe doctrine, upon
which our predominanco in this hemis.
phere depends, would be speedily dismissed
as of no force in an arbitration. Each of
the sgnatory powers would be represented
upon the arbitration commission, and as
the European powers would be largely in
the majority there could be but one result
should any question be submitted involy-
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 tho event that
Canada should cast of allegiance to Great
Britain 1t would probably be impossible
for this country to recognize her independ-
ence, much less annex the Dominion, even
upon the unanimous application of Its
people. OF late years the major part OF
our negotiations with European powers
has been made up of the settlemont 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
aquestion were submitted to arbitration
the United StatS would certainly be do
feated In It's contention, and there would
be no safety for our naturalized citizens
anywhere outside of the United States.