The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-07

Tho SENATE Of the United States has
not increased The respect Of the people
OF the United States for itself by. It's
refusal e. ratify tho treaty of arbitration
with Great Britain. The objections
made TO the treaty are really without
material value. They include fanci-
ful sources OF danger 10 this coun-
try that ought 20 have very niue
weight Who. for instance thinks that
Great Britain would think Of resortins
to the treaty as a means Of making the
United States government responsible
for the Confederate debt? or TO make the
State Of Virginia responsible for west
Virginla's share OF our old public debit
Yet these. and other such points cut
great figure, we have been Informed IN
the tete-a-tetc conference Of Senator'S
Such arguments are based upon the IDEA
that the executive government OF one
O. the greatest empires the world mas
ever seen. are, or will be, set of thin
bio riegors. playing at tho game of great
politics as though they were cheating
Gamblers. The suggestion is an UNI
worthy one that should never have been
allowed 10 claim one moment Of any
senator's time or attention.
The executive government Of Great
Britain Is not. and never will he BODY
Of sharpers playing politics for points
secured by fraud They are and VIII
probably continue to be. for many gene
rations. the leading men Of one Of the
most enlightened nations The world has
ever known. and they represent the best
and not the worst thought OF that nation.
But If the treaty had been ratified and
England had attempted to pervert II to
unfair uses, no one supposes for mo-
ment that this country would have held
itself bound by it, The treaty was made
to govern real and substantial causes OF
difference between the two countries and
not trumpet up or imaginary ones. II
1t were possible to imagine the British
government coming forward with pre-
postcrous demand upon the United States
government like that of a claim that 1t
should pay the Confederate debt, public
opinion here would be unanimous that
the treaty should be abrogated and re-
undated. Great Britain knows that
even If She were disposed to be dishonest
as we'll as we know it. and she would not
of course attempt any such game wish ~
If she had any desire TO keep the treaty
in force.
We look. however, upon the rejection
Of the treaty by the Senate as thing
that will cause no harm to any person
or thing except the Senate Of the United
States. That rody has lost large part
of its hold upon the respect of the Amer
lean people and fits action in this case
will only break one more Of the ties that
formerly bound it TO them. The belief
is very general amongst the people that
the rejection of the treaty is at bottom
manifestation of that unreasoning hatred
Of England that fills 80 many minds be-
cause she has the sense to stand rigidly
and firmly upon a single gold standard
and thereby to demonstrate, by her pros
perity, the absurdty Of the idea that a
nation can have two standards Of value
one Of which is only half as valuable
as the other.
But arbitration is an assured fact for
the two people There viii never more
be war between England and America.
We have n common destiny-to spread
freedom and civilization-and the people
Of the two countries will see that that
destiny is not defeated.