St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-20
ENGLAND HAD BETTER ACCEPT.
StubbOrnness May Result in Univer-
sal Arbitration.

b. .-tl p B.
LONDON, Feb. pa Washington
dispatch to the Times with reference
to the editorial in that paper yesterday
which was cabled to the United States
by the Associated Press says: "It is
agreed here that the governments
would only be bound by a majority of
the original members Of the Joint We
neZuelan commission" .a
The Times editorial referred to ex-
pressed the conviction that a proviso
to this effect would have to go with
the plan for the appointment of a Joint
commission.
With reference to the growing agita-
ton in America in favor of a board
OF international arbitration, the Wash
1ngton dispatch to the Times says:
The movement here will lend strength
to the, movement in England, and Lord
Salisbury will find himself face to face
with an organized effort. we'll led and
formidably supported with unusual
means of securing such attention and
support as will enable President Cleve-
land to renew and press his proposal.
All this might die peaceably away if
Lord Salisbury consented to the COM
plete arbitration of the Venezuelan dis
pute.
otherwise, he is likely to find him
self confronted with the necessity Of
saying yea or nay to some such scheme
as that now pigeon-holed in Downing
street. He knows we'll that the Amer
lean executive will welcome any good
occasion to revive his plan. He will
see that that plan, backed by the ex-
ecutive alone is one thing, burt backed
by both houses of congress and q
strong public sentiment, is another
and harder to put aside. 1t rests with
Lord Salisbury to. choose between
guarded, guaranteed arbitration con-
lined to Venezuela or an unlimited ar
bitration, opening the doors to infinite
mischief in the future
In an editorial commenting on the
foregoing, the Times contends that
the method of procedure now suggest
ed does not favor a rapid disposal of
the disputed question, but would rather
deal with a detailed investigation of
dlferent districts. which would be
work OF time. AS to an acceptance
OF the general principles" the editorial
continues, the regular course would
probably be that the United States
should formulate them for the consid-
Grafton OF the queens government
Which cannot be blamed for waiting
for some more authoritative presenta-
ton than has yet been made. Nothing
is more harmful than to assume more
exact and defined agreement than real
ly exists. What is wanted now is
an exact understanding as a basis for
the conditions on which an arbitration
ought to proceed. On the other hand
1t is not necessary to wait until we can
formally ratify an agreement on the
whole question. 1t is highly probable
that if the proposal for a joint com
mission were officially submitted, Eng
land would accept forthwith with lit
tie or no modification. This would
save time and would draw the two
governments closer.
1t is quite a mistake to imagine, as
they seem to do. in Washington. that
general arbitration has any terrors for
the British government A. J. Bal
tours recent remarks in parliament
ought to dispose Of that idea. But
general arbitration could never any
more than partially induce either Eng
land or the United States to forego
the right of sovereign states to define
by negotiation the case to be submitted
to the arbitrators."