The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-19
THE ARBITRATION TREATY.
The Senate Foreign EeIations Committee
After Making Several Amendments Re-
ports it Favorabiy-Speedy Action In the
Senate Expected.

The senate FOrejSE keIatfOne COmm1ttee
After Making Several Amendments Re
ports it Favorabiy-Speedy Action in the
Senate Expected.
Washington, March 1.-THE senate
committee on foreign relations spent
two hours this morning in the consid-
Grafton of the general treaty Of arbi-
tratfon with Great Britain and then
ordered a favorable report to be made
to the senate tomorrow. with amend
ments in line with those indicated in
these dispatches heretofore. The
amendments are administrative only in
character. The scope Of the treaty has
not been touched.
Much of the public criticism against
the action of the committee during the
last session was due to the alleged
fact that the committee had emaScula-
ted the convention and made it practi-
cally a mere shell.
The amendment to the first article,
that no question relative to the for
eign or domestic policy of either party
should be included, which was preyi-
ously gwen such prominence, has dis
appeared entirely. The same result Is
reached, however, in a very different
manner
The designation OF King Oscar, Of
Sweden and Norway, as the umpire,
has been stricken out, as has been all
references to the justices of the SUI
preme court Of the United States as
members Of the tribunal established
under the treaty. In place OF this des-
ignatiOn, it is stipulated that "~jurists
OF repute" shall be named by the pres
ident to act as such arbitrators.
The chief amendment to the conven-
ton, however, is found in the claus
! which reserves to the United States
the sanction of the whole treaty-mak-
ing power in deciding what questions
shall be submitted to arbitration. This
provision will make it necessary for
the president to submit to the senate
for it's approval all questions intended
to be submitted to the arbitral court.
The committee have acted in the belief
that it has only reserved to this gov
eminent the identical power reserved
by Great Britain, which, under the
treaty, decides through it's premier
what questions shall be arbitrated.
| Under the British form Of government,
one man alone, the premier, acting for
the crown. determines all matters Of
this sort and is the sole treaty-making
power of that nation. There is, under
| this general treaty, no deviation from
the universal rule Of the British gov
| eminent, and, reasoning thus, the sem
ate committee sees no reason why there
! should be any change in the prac-
tices-based upon the stipulations OF
the written constitution-that have
! governed such questions with us since
the foundation Of our government. In
| other words, both powers are made
| equal and the subsequent proceedings
| under the treaty after it shall have
| been ratified, will proceed according
| to the laws of the respective govern
| ments Of the contracting parties.
| 1t is needless to point out that un-
der the treaty as thus amended no ar
| gument can consistently be advanced
| that the senate is relinquishing any Of
| the prerogatives given it by t~heconsti-
tuition. 1t will, by ratifying this treaty.
| endorse and subscribe to the doctrine
! OF universal arbitration, to which the
United States stands pledged, and then
cave all questions as to details con-
| nected with the submission of specific
subjects to the constituted authorities
| Of both countries.
| Acting chairman Davis will urge as
| speedy action in the senate as posi-
| BILE. It is quite likely that much of the
! time during the next two weeks will be
| spent in executive session. Pending the
| arrival Of the tariff bill in the senate
| the treaty will be discussed, together
! with the consideration of presidential
| nominations, and it is the confident
| expectation of the committee that 1t
will be able to have this convention
| out of the way by April LIST.