Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-13
THE ARBITRATION TREATY.
Amendment TO Meet Objections
Daniel Against the Convention.

Amendment TO Meet Objections
Daniel Against the Convention.
WASHINGTON, ID. c.. February H.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions will tomorrow morning endeavor to
frame an amendment that will meet the
objections that have been advanced In
debate against the general treaty Of arbi-
tration with Great Britain. that has been
under discussion in secret session for the
past week. Unless this amendment can be
satisfactorily framed ii is probable that
the consideration Of the treaty may not
be pushed until after the 4th of March.
The debate so far has shown that not
five men in the Senate look at this treaty
from identically the same standpoint IL
is charged with being ambiguous, but this
defect is found by different men in diff
fercnt portions Of the instrument. That IL
will be amended before being ratified Is
admitted by its best friends. The amend
ments are, In fact, the only things that
will save II, for few, IL any. agree with
Senator Turpie that the treaty is perfect
as 1t stands. Mr.. Turpie's position is
based upon his own construction OF the
terms OF the convention. and II the Senate
were able to bring itself TO think as Mr..
Turpe does. the treaty would be ratified
without a moments delay.
The Indiana Senator's speech has, how
ever. made strong impression. and his
ideas have suggested TO the committee
an amendment which will be patterned
after that which Mr. Morgan yesterday
gave notice that ne would offer at the
proper time This will change Article /.
so that il will provide for the submission
under this treaty for arbitration of all
subjects. subject 10 the limitations of this
nd
vlded by either OF the contracting parties
for the negotiation and ratification OF
treaties" This, 1t Is claimed, will make
the intent OF the Senate clear and pro-
vide that every subject to be submitted
TO this tribunal must be first submitted to
the President and by him to the Senate,
as now provided for in the case of origi-
nal treaties In this manner the objection
that the Senate is yielding its prerogative
is met, and that body maintains control
of every matter connected with the sub
ject of arbitration. This is the amend
ment which Mr. Sherman will submit to-
morrow, in an effort TO bring about speedy
action.
The debate to-day was begun by Mr..
Stewart, who laid some additional stress
upon the necessity for eliminating the
Alaskan boundary question: and pointed
out in what particulars he believed the
treaty to be too vague and indefinite.
Mr.. Blackburn. Of Kentucky, was
against the treaty, and was ready to vote.
Ii seemed idle to consume more time, for.
as he believed, every man i'm the Senate
knew just how he intended to vote. This
treaty went entirely too far in its scope.
Stll. he had no fear of war from any,
thing that might be In the treaty war
was more likely 70 come from the things
that were not included. 1t would be safe
enough to leave the question of arbitration
to the Senate when the cases arose, and
let the Senate then In existence deal with
the subject. ::
Mr. Hoar, of Massachusetts. said he
would vote for the treaty as IL reached
the Senate. or he would vote for 1t as
amended. What he wanted was a treaty
Of arbitration, and the sooner the Senate
ratified this treaty. the better, he thought,
1t would be for the country
Mr.. Chandler, of New Hampshire,
gave no decided expression as TO how
he stood. He might vote for the treaty,
II amended. He favored the committee
amendments. but intimated that others
might be necessary to make the in
strument perfect. ands TO thoroughly pro-
tect the interests Of the country. If
the amendments were rejected, he should
not vote against the treaty. Mr.. Chandler
was a wide divergence of opinion i'm
the Senate among several very able gem
tlemen as to what this treaty did or
did not do and he suggested that 1t
would be best to let II go over until a
more convenient session.
Senator's obligations required that
they should give this thing their care
full consideration. II should be carefully
discussed. and for this reason he urged
that it go over until the Senate con-
vened after March 4th. There would
then be two weeks when the Senate
would have nothing 10 do but consider
nominations, and plenty of time could
be given TO this treaty. and better
conclusion could be reached then than
now when the effort was being made to
hurry the consideration Of so important
a matter so as not to interfere with other
legislation.
Mr.. Daniel antagonized the treaty on
general principles. as being bsadvan-
tageous to the United States. Cases for
arbitration were not so numerous that
general treaty should be provided. Each
case should be met when IL came up.
He also criticised that provision which
makes the members of the Supreme
Court members Of the tribunal. The
members Of that court would In all
some time either before or after the
arbitration, to sit judicially on the same
or similar questions. To be compelled
TO act in this dual capacity would be
embarrassing TO the members Of the
court, and might initiate against their
sitting on the bench I'm certain cases.
Such a contingency ought not to be made
possible.
The treaty found one of its strongest
advocates in Senator Lodge, who urged
that action be taken. He declared that
he was not lrrevocably Joined TO the
committee amendments. He would favor
any amendment that might be support
ed that would remove the doubt exist
ing in the treaty If such amendment
would be conducive 10 action. He did
not believe the treaty could possibly be
ratified unless II was amended somewhat
on the lines of the committee amend
ment. He favored the treaty because
arbitration was the policy of this coun-
try. and he believed in the American
policy. He wanted the treaty TO pass,
and for that reason hoped the amend
ment that might be framed would be
satisfactory 10 the Senate
Mr.. Sherman then made the statement
that was construed as an intimation
that the committee intended TO consider
the treaty again I'm special session to-
morrow night. He said that II the dis
cusson went over until tomorrow he
thought the committee would be able
10 bring in an amendment or amend
ments that would remove all doubt and
ambiguity from the text Of the treaty.
When this was done. ne hoped the
Senate would be able 10 come to
speedy vote. II such proved not 10 be
the case. then Mr. Sherman would not
feel justified in pressing the considera-
tion OF the treaty further. TO the hind
- hn