New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-03
A TANGLE IN THE SENATE.
MANY OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF THE
GENERAL ARBITRATION TREATY.
PROSPECTS OF IT'S CONSIDERATION AT THIS
SESSION DIMINISHING - MANY IMPORTANT
MATTERS DEMANDING ATTENTION
THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
fly TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.


tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuNE1
Washington, Feb. 2.-The tangle in which the
Senete's legislative programme Is at present IN
volved must be admitted to make the prompt
consideration OF the General Arbitration Treaty
with Great Britain practically Impossible. the
opponents Of the Nicaragua Canal bill are car
rying on a flibustering fight against that meas
ire and threaten to continue their dilatory war
fare until the middle or end Of the month. The
friends of the Bankruptcy bill are watching
eagerly for a chance to fierce the consideration
Of their long postponed scheme for general
bankruptcy system. Senator Lodge has hght
on his hands to secure "a vote on the conference
report on the House and Senate immigration
restriction bills and the Apr OPERATIONS Com
mittee will be ready in a day or two to push
forward many bills which have come from the
House and which Will demand the attention OF
the Senate for the greater part Of what Is left
Of the short session.
That in the face Of these embarrassments the
arbitration convention can secure the fuil ana
careful hearing which the Foreign Relations
Committee will demand for 1t Is greatly 70 De
doubted. The opposition In the senate 10 the
ratification even Of the amended instrument IS
known 10 be formidable enough TO bring It's Ill
innate rejection dangerously within the range OF
political probability, while in the present crush
OF urgent legislative business it is clearly In
the power Of half dozen Of the stoutest OPP
ponents Of the Olney- Pauncefote agreement TO
obstruct IT'S consideration almost indefinitely.
The prospect Of final action on the treaty at
this session Of Congress is indeed growing every
day more and more nebulous
The text Of the amendments to the genera!
treaty Of arbitration which the Senate will prob
ably make public tomorrow shows no changes
other than those published in these dispatches
last Saturday. when the report was ordered TO
be made 10 the Senate. The chief OF these IS
the addition Of Article l. which, copied from the
confidential print is identical with that In these
dispatches referred to, as follows: But no
question which affects the foreign or domestic
policy OF either Of the high contracting parties
or the relations of either to any other state or
Power by treaty or otherwise shall be SUD-
iect for arbitration under this treaty except by
special agreement
Article X which relates TO the selection or
King Oscar of Sweden and Norway as umpire
Is stricken out as has been published, aud
wherever reference to this matter is made, as in
Articles III and V. it is also eliminated
Article III of the original treaty. providing
court of one arbitrator for each nation ana an
umpire for the settlement Of claims rot ex-
cpeding f1O00O0 has been changed so as 10 re-
ouire a court composed of two arbitrators Tor
each Government. and wherever throughout the
treaty the word person is USED, az referring
n the umpire. the word umpire has Deeh
substituted. 1T,
A safeguard has been thrown about Article
VII 50 as 10 eliminate any possible reference 90
territorial claims. and to make IL p3ss.Dte ~
declares It is excluded under the provisions OF
Article as amended