The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-07-18
ARBITRATION AFFAIR Off.
Negotiations Between Salisbury
and 0lney Without Result.
EARLY ADJUSTMENT IMPROBABLE.

"Imitation Arbitration" Is What secre-
tary Olney Dssignates Lord salisbury's
Project for the Settlement of the Dis
putes Between the Two Nations.
WASHINGTON July 18-The correspon.
dence which has passed between the gov
ernments of the United States and Great
Britain respecting tho establishment of
general system of arbitration for tho set
Element Of any disputes which might arise
between the two countries and also for
tho settlement by arbitration of the dis
pute 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 Am
bnssador Bayard.
This correspondence Is of great interest
as marking n sensible advance toward tho
adoption by the two English speaking ma
lions Of the principle Of arbitration as the
means Of settling disputes between them
selves, but the persons who have looked
forward with hope and expectation to the
speedy conclusion of treaties embodying
of either or both Of the two great open is
sues between the two nations are doomed
to disappointment, for at the date Of ex-
change of the last note, one from Secre-
tary Olney to the British ambassador
here, dated within month past, points Of
the most vital nature in the case, not only
of the Venezuelan question specifically,
but of the general arbitration proposition
as well, were still the subject of discus
sion, without much expectation of any
early adjustment.
Notable features of the correspondence
are the fact that whereas Mr.. Bayard, by
instruction of Secretary Olncy, proposed
negotiations at Washington respecting tho
Venezuelan boundary dispute. Lord Sails
bury broadened 1t into'a general arbitra-
ton scheme, following lead set by the
late Secretary Gresham in the spring of
1896; that Secretary Olney later insisted
upon disassociating the two subjects, evil
IDENTIFY fearing an entangling alliance
otherwise; that as to general arbitration
the issues which still prevent an agree
mont are the indisposition of the British
to include territorial disputes, save with
the addition of provisions that, in the es-
timation of Secretary Olney, will render
the attempt ut arbitration nugatory be-
cause there are no means of making the
findings of the arbitrator binding upon
the parties, or Of removing them from the
possibility of infinite appeals.
AS to the Venezuelan matter specifically,
the difficulty that cannot be overcome Is
the refusal of the British to subject to the
action Of the arbitration the territory upon
which British subjects huve actually set
tied. Limitation arbitration" is what
Secretary Olney designates Lord Sails
burys project, while the British premier
critioizes Secretary Olney's plan as calcu-
lated to result in evils worse than war in
the institution Of innumcrable suits to re-
cover claimed territory.
In the last letter Of the series, dated
June 81, Secretary Olney says the vital
difference between tho two proposals is
manifest Under the British plan the
parties enter into arbitration and deter
mine afterwards, when they know the re-
suit, whether they will be bound or not.
Under the United States proposal the
parties enter into an arbitration, having
determined beforehand that they will be
bound. The latter is genuine arbitrG.
ton the former is mere imitation. The
plan of Lord Salisbury is that all the
forms and ceremonies of arbitration
should be gone through with, but with
liberty for either party to reject the
award if not to its liking. 1t is respect
fully submitted that proceeding of that
sort must have IL tendency to bring all
arbitration into contempt; that each party
to dispute should decide to abide by an
award before entering into an arbitration,
or should decide not to enter into it at all,
and, once entering into it, should be- ir-
revoCably bound.