The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-18

no appeal from the government would
induce the mover to withdraw his motion.
The American people. he said ought 10
have some indication Of the intensity OF
the feeling existing In the House OF Com
mons against the more suggestion of "A
war with the United States. The action
OF the American government had been
most patient and fOrbearing, and 10 ought
TO be made known to the Americans that
Lord Sallsbury's dispatches to Secretary
Olney did not represent the feelings OF
TO note the recent improved tone OF pub
lie opinion. Even Lord Salisbury had
turned his attention to insulting a some
what smaller nation than the United
States.
In the view of nine-tenths Of the people
of ireland the whole question ought to be
submitted to unlimited arbitration. II the
ministry tried to plunge the country into
a war for an unjust cause. by refusing TO
grant arbitration, he had the right to
claim that there would arise from mill
Hons of Englishmen and Irishmen a voice
OF the strongest possible condemnation.
(Cries of "Hear!' ''HearrO
Sir William Vernon Harcourt. the liberal
leader In the house, said he was glad that
the amendment had been moved In the in
terest OF arbitration, but he did not think
he could insist that the amendment was
the best way to attain the end I'm view.
OF course, such an amendment could not
be accepted by the government and must,
II pressed to division, be lost by n large
majority. II that happened. Il would go
forth TO America that the house had pro-
nOunced against arbitration. although he
was convinced that that was the end that
all wished to be attained. (Cries of Heart
'Hear.') What the House had to do was
TO show that there was no difference Of
opinion on the subject. He was perfectly
certain that both inside and outside OF
the House the concensus of opinion was IN
favor of peaceful arbitration. Their main
object ought to be to express such opinion.
il could not be done by Joining issue on the
amendment. He took the opportunity TO
deprecate the language sometimes used,
alleging that President Cleveland had act
ed from election motives. There seemed
to be a tendency in certain quarters to In
fer that the United States had acted in a
sudden offensive manner AS a matter OF
fact. they had been pressing for a settle
ment of the question for the last ten
years. always in most friendly spirit.
(Cries of Hear "Hear'D Every effort
ought to be made to remove all causes Of
irritation, lie trusted that no further de-
lay would occur and that everything
would be done to bring about a speedy
settlement. Sir William said that the
points Of difference between Great Britain
and the United States were insignificant
and could easily be settled by the cabi-
nets Of both countries. but " the populace
on both sides were allowed to raise eX-
citement, through ignorance OF the real
matters at issue. there would be great
danger Of strife He appealed to Mr.. Ath-
erly-Jones to withdraw his amendment,
which was done, the speaker checking a
movement on the part OF the Irish MEM
bers TO continue the discussion.
In its issue OF tomorrow, the Daily
News viii remark the gravity of Mr. Bal
fours statements I'm the House OF Com
mons this evening anent Mr.. Atherly-
Jones' amendment, and Will add that as
a matter of fact that delicate negotiations
are now in progress between Great Britain
and the United States.
The Times will tomorrow say that II
regards as being of great Importance the
plan of the settlement OF the Venezuela
dispute sent to II by its American corre-
spondent, G.. w. Smalley, who says II
would be accepted by the United States
or proposed by the United States II they
had reason to believe that Great Brit
ain would accept IT. The plan is sub
stantially the creation OF q new joint
commission to consist of two Englshmen
and two Americans, who would be charg-
ed with ascertaining the facts and with
reporting thereon to the British and Amer
lean cabinets. If a majority of the com
mittee could not agree on a report neu-
trail fifth member might be summoned.
The commissions finding on matters of
facts would be binding on both countries
and would serve as the basis for subse-
quent negotiations between all concerned.
Should the negotiations fail, there would
be an ultimate arbitration tribunal, to be
composed, for instance, OF the chief JUS
tices of Great Britain and the United
States with, perhaps a neutral third
member. The Times contends that the
scheme will need the most careful con-
sideration, but recognizes with unqualified
satisfaction that it Is such that Great
Britain could accept Il. The chief diff
Guilty about arbitration relates entirely to
the settled districts, prescriptions in inter-
national law counting for nothing. If in
this case international arbitration could
be made to resemble municipal law so that
the fact of a settlement would count as
in ordinary courts the greater part OF
British objections TO arbitration would
disappear.