The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-21

WASHINGTON. Jan. G-At toIay's
meeting Of the senate committee On for
eagn relations Secretary Olney EXPLAINED
the provisions q the arbitration treaty be-
tween tee United States and Great Brit
ain He supported mis- assertions that the
treaty was n no sense n derogat tton or
sEnse-vlencs OF the Monroe doctrine.
pointing cut that article expressly pro-
Hidsa tnat II. IN the course o. the ar5lsra-
ton Of the claim II was found the decision
involved disputed question or principle
OF grave importance affecting the national
rlshIs or sGca party. as distinguished
from the private rights OF which il was a
representative. the jurisdiction OF the
court OF simp.e arbitration. composed of
two arbqtratoTs and an umpire. shal
cease and that Il snail be dealt with oy
the more complex arbitration set down
for the settlement Of territorial claims and
composed OF judges Of the United States
and British supreme courts.
The secretary pointed out that in this
case question arising under the Monroe
doctrine would certainly De regarded as
excepted from the scope OF the simple
or original arbitration. Then, If il should
come before the second tribunal. an ad-
verse decision against the United States.
and consequently against the Monroe
doctrine. could be had only IN case FIVE
OF the six arbitrators so decided. an ut
teriy improbable contingency. In view OF
the fact that this would involve casting
two OF the three votes OF the United
States representatives against their own
country.
Then. TO quiet the apprehension that
the United States might suffer from the
selection as an umpire of King Oscar
who would naturally sympathize with the
European side of the case. the secretary
pointed out that after an the only harm
that could result TO the United States
would be a small financial loss. for the
king Is 10 name the umpire only in cases
involving the pecuniary claims and 9TH
er matters not involving any important
principle. and even in such cases either
power could insist upon substitute
for King Oscar in any particular case.
Another topic discussed by the secre-
tary and the members of the committee
was the possible effect of the treaty on
the Nicaragua canal. Mr.. olney ad-
znitted that any dispute arising over the
canal would be subject In arbitrament
under the terms of the agreement, but
he contended that the advantages secured
were more than sufficient to countersct
this defect. Again referring 10 the desig-
nation of King Oscar as umpire, Mr. OIL
ney said he was In nowise welded to the
selection. bat that IT had appeared better
TO provide an umpire than TO leave the
W0fk or aRreemeilt on disputed points 10
the arbitratOrs. and the Swedish SOW
ereign has been accepted as a fairly dis
posed man.
The committee expressed a dete-mina-
ton. after Mr.. Olney. TO take up the sub
ject at its next meeting With a view TO
disposing of IL at as early date as posi-
bic. 1t is considered probable that final
action can be reached az one more sitting.
but the members OF the committee assert
ha+ fz ~Hu m siiGnnSiriNn n
pone the report until the next session OF
congress. as for a time seemed TO be the
case. 1t IS generally agreed that the doc
ument wifi be amended in some particu-
lars. and this will neeessftate more or
less delay
While Mr. Oiney was before the CON-
mittee he was asked whether the Vene-
zuelan commission had ever made a re-
port 70 the state department, and he re-
piled that IL had not.