The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-14
1HE BOARD IS CLEAR
r.,,.a States and Great Britain
W. Have an Understanding
!, veyA1IOlS QUESTIONS SETTLED
-. rxo Great English Speaking
- Nations Stand Together
,sxfzuELA THE KEYSTONE.
!, vfyA1Ious QUESTIONS SETTLED
VENEZUELA THE KEYSTONE.
,,er All Differences VIII DC
md Commercial In
terests Left Undisturbcd.


washington, December ls'-The nesotia-
,,o. between the United states and Great
w. for A treaty of general arbitration
'..,,ns all subjects Of difference between
,wo English speaking nations. present
md prospective, has advanced to a stage
Condolences far beyond what the pub
". h.v had reason to believe. The pur-
.,.s o, Secretary olney and Sir Julian
,,ofote Is to conclude the negotiations
Is.h,r the next three weeks. All of the
Nlh-,an,Ial features of the treaty have been
s.sod on From the present status IF the
Ha,,a,,ons il is believed the following Viii
" ,he important terms of he treaty
", term OF five years from the date of
,,s exchange of ratification within which
ne treaty shall be operative.
. The submission to this tribunal OF all
,serences between the two nations, low
sard,nr or to arise within The period Of
fsa Years. this not to include tie bering
g.. question or the Venezuelan question
nm before Independent commissions, but
- include the boundary between Alaska
md British North America.
The completion OF this treaty VIII mark
an important epoch in the relations between
tho two English speaking nations, fnd in
ne Judgment OF those who have been most
Msntlfied with its contamination, it Viii be
he most important document of a peaceful
,haracter in the history Of their mutual
ssallngs.
The president made passing aliusion 10
ne subject in his recent message. 1t had
hsn understood, however. that the main
ruroso Of Mr.. Olney was to reach an
,grsenent with Venezuela and that having
,eeomplished this. the larger question OF
,rhi.rating all differences would require
considerable time for its complete dcvcl-
cpment But the negotiations have pro-
teeded with surprising '.nanini,y 20 that
hose engaged in the work confidently be-
Ns,e that it will be fully agreed upon and
he signatures of the contracting PARTIES
placed TO the documents within three
weeks. This will give fully two months
for the consideration and ratification Of the
treaty at the present session Of the United
States senate and unless some unexpected
obstacle should arise IN that quarter there
a0ery reason to anticipate that the treaty
nay be made effective before the close of
he present administration. AT least this
d the confident hope and expectation of
these most concerned in The negp ittlons.
Aside ilon the features mentioned above.
4 can be stated in general way that the
terms Of the treaty are such as to clear
The board of all the veXatious questions
vhch have arisen between .he Gated
States aud Great Britain. These have been
numerous in recent years and some of them
have threatened serious consequences But
those familiar with the exact terms of the
regulations say that not one of these
causes OF friction will remain. Some of
them are withdrawn from the operation
o. the treaty from the fact that other
Methods OF settlement are already agreed
upon. This is the case with the Venezuelan
question, which, by the recent agreement
PERTAINING to that subject alone, is COM
Fitted to special court OF ar6itr ltiorl.
The Boring sea claims are now before
commission created by special treaty, so
that this, too, Will not fall within the scope
q the new treaty. Other questions have
mn similarly disposed of, and considering
len all, it is said by those familiar with
mem, that the Alaskan boundary will be
ee only pending controversy likely to come
within the scope of the treaty.
Inc main purpose of the treaty. how
yer is 10 guard against future difficulties
lIeaiening a rupture. and in this the ne
tellatofs believe that the terms of the in
tuument will be such s to avoid all posi-
ili'y OF International conflict for the iu
are
This is regarded as the main achieve
TENT II is said to be particularly ad
Inlage0us To the commercial interests o.
M'h countries. assuring them against ru-
eois oil war OF the serious prospect of war.
AZ ole of those concerned in the negotia-
VIE sums W the result:
Nhen serious difficulty arises between
ae Two countries, instead of a public feel
Ms mat may result in consequent unset
ullg Of g0f1tpfrgfoI "a
cured during the Venezuelan crisis. the
paoic viii know beyond all possibility Of
lsaior or report that the difficulty is one
sa'h VIII be settled by arbitration In
s'saa OF a possible resort to arms, This
ti.'hs sentiment against alarm is felt to
DO less beneficial as one of the features
sGsuFel by The treaty, than the plan OF ar
u,raiion itself,
A.. me reasons for limiting the treaty TO
I'VE years are doubtless to place a measure
" nus extent on fair trial. after which,
1ne results are as good as anticipated,
Bent
~ Is felt that he character OF men on
~. a court will remove it from the usual
=. " nsohS based purely upon the nationality
lue arbitrator or moreover majority
CURED.
yet it can not he stated definitely
,sl'lner the treaty will cover differences
TT,n9Nlhg national honor and Sovereignty.
a, As was point Of disagreement early IN
as negotiations II is probable, however.
y, .-. an exception Will occur in this respect
we treaty ia meant to cover the usual
~ ~. ordinary differences, which arise be-
"e'n nations rather than such cxtra0ful-
~ events as an insult to the ilas or arg