The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-18
iMITATI0N OF ARBITRATION
so SECRETARY OLNEY CHARAC-
TERIZES PLAN PROPOSED BY
SALISBURY.
TEXT OF LETTERS EXCHANGED.
Net Result Shows That Vital Issues
Are Still Open Between the
Two Nations.

and Great Britain, respecting the es-
tablishment of a general system Of ar
bitration for the settlement Of any
disputes which might arise between
the two countries, and also for the set
tlement, by arbitration, of the dispute
over the Venezuelan boundary, has
been made public in the shape Of an
even dozen letters which have been
exchanged this year between Secretary
Olney, Lord Salisbury, Sir Julian
Pauncefote and Ambassador Bayard.
The correspondence is of great inter-
est as marking a sensible advance to-
wards the adoption, by the two great
English-spea6ing nations, of the prin-
c1ple of arbitration, as the means Of
settling disputes between themselves,
but the persons who have looked for
| ward, with hope and expectation, to
| the speedy conclusion of treaties en-
| bodying the arbitration principle for
| the settlement of either or both of the
| two great open issues between the two
| nations, are doomed to disappointment,
| for at the date Of exchange of the last
note, one from Secretary Olney to the
| British ambassador here, dated within
| month past, points to the most vital
nature in the case, not only of the
| Venezuelan question, but of the gen.
! eral arbitration proposition, as well,
were still the subject of discussion
without much expectation of an early
adjustment
The essential feature of the letters
and the net result may be briefly
summed up. Mr. Bayard, by instruc-
tion from Secretary Olney, proposed
negotiations at Washington respecting
the Venezuelan boundary dispute
Lord Salisbury broadened it into a
general arbitration scheme, following
| lead set by the late Secretary
Gresham, in the spring of 1895. Secre-
tary Olney later insisted upon disas-
soc1at1ng the two subjects, evidently
| fearing an entangling alliance other
WISE AS to general arbitration, the
issue which still prevents an agree
ment, is the indisposition of the Brit
| 1sh government to include territorial
| disputes, save with the addition of
| provisions that, in the estimation of
Secretary Olney, will render the at
tempt at arbitration nugatory, be-
| cause there are no means of making
the findings Of the arbitrators binding
upon the parties or of removing them
from the possibility of infinite appeals
AS to the Venezuelan matter, specifi-
cally-the territory upon which Bri-
tlsh subjects have actually settled
imitation arbitration" Is what Sec
retary Olney designates Lord Sails
bury's project, while the British pre-
mler crltlcizes Secretary Olneys plans
as calculated to result in evil worse
than war, in the institution of innum-
cradle suits to recover claimed terri
tory.
The correspondence, proper. begins
with a note dated Feb. 27 last. from
Mr.. Bayard to the Marquis Of Sails
bury, in which he says that "In order
to reach well defined agreemnt for
the arbitration Of the boundary dis
pute between British Guiana and Vene-
zuela, which seems to be almost unan-
imously desired in both the United
States and Great Britain" his instruc-
tions indicate an urgent desire to have
the question removed as soon as prac-
| ticable from the atmosphere of possi-
BILE controversy. Therefore he pro-
posed to enter upon negotiations at
Washington to effect this purpose.
SALISBURY DODGEs.
Within four days of the receipt of
this note, Lord Salisbury replied. read
lily concurring in the suggestion to be-
| gin negotiations. The day following
this note, March 5, Lord Salisbury ad-
| dressed a letter to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, in which he refers to the ex-
change of communications in the pre-
ceding spring between the ambassador
and the late Mr.. Gresham, upon the
establishment of system of interna-
tional arbitration, for the adjustment
of disputes between the two govern
ments, "the further consideration of
| which at that time was prevented by
circumstances to which 1t is unneces-
sary to refer" Lord Salisbury added
But it has again been brought into promin-
ence by the controversy which has arisen upon
the Venezuelan boundary. Without touching
upon the matters raised by that dispute it
appears to me that occasion is favorable for
renewing the general discussion upon a subject
In which both nations feel a strong interest
| without having been, up to this time, able to
arrive at common ground Of agreement
This diverted the discussion at once from the
specific subject Of the Venezuelan boundary
| dispute to the general arbitration proposition
and upon the later Lord Salisbury proceeded
to discourse in very interesting fashion as
follows:
The obstacle which has separated them (the
two governments) has been the difficulty of
deciding how far the undertaking to refer all
sides it is admitted that some exceptions
must be made. Neither government is willing
to accept arbitration upon which the issue of
national honor or integrity is involved. But
| in the wide region that lies within this bound
airy, the United States desires to 60 further
than Great Britain.
For the view entertained by her maiestv's q
government, there is this consideration to be
| pleaded; that system of arbitration is an
entirely novel arrangement, and therefore the
conditions under which 1t should be adopted
are not likely to be ascerta;ned antecedently.
! The limits ultimately adopted must be deter
mined by experiment. In the interests of the
idea and of the pacific results which are ex-
pected from 1t, il would be wise to commence
with a modest beginning. and not to hazard
the success OF the principle by adventuring Ii
upon doubtful ground. The suggestion in the
| heads of the treaty which I have inclosed will
| give opportunity for observing more CLOSELY
| the working of the machinery, leaving ii en-
| tireiy open to the contracting parties upon
| favorable experience. to extend its application
further and to bring under it's action controy-
ersies to which, for the present. 1t can only
! be applied in tentative manner and to a
| limited extent
/ aware that to the warmer advocates
Of arbitration this plan will seem unsatisfys
fers an opportunity of making a substantial
| advance, which q more ambitious arrange,
nlent would be unable to secure. and if under
! its operation, experience should teach us that
our apprehensions TO the danger of repos-
ing an unlimited confidence In this kind OF
tribunal are unfouEded ii will be easy by
dropping precautions that will have become
! unnecessary to ACCEPT and establish the idea
OF arbitration in its most developed form.