Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-01-28
GEORGE T. EDMUNDS
On the AnRIo-American Arbitra-
ton Treaty.
A Review OF Objections RaIsed-Ths
Taree Principal Points Against the
Treaty Taken Up and Pound to be
Without Foundation.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22.-Ex-Uuited
States Senator George F. Edmonds,
OF Vermont. one of the leading au-
thorities on constitut ional law in the
omitted States, has written the follow.
fng letter to several gentlemen here
who sought his opinion on the arbi-
IratIon between the United States and
Great Britain Mr.. Edmunds says:
The three principal criticisms OF the treaty
are:
/ That it commits this governments to sub
Knitting to arbitration questions that may
arise IN connection with the Monroe doctrine.
WIN sincere respect for the gentlemen who,
u IS said, have suggested this objection,
think that IL is quite unfounded, and that
those who have advanced il must have failed
70 observe the careful language used in the
Sreaty- The words upon which the criticism is
O4Seo are founded in article four, as follows:
All other matters in difference in respect
OF which either Of the higI contracting par
ties. shall have rights against the other under
the treaty otherwise
What then are rights against the other"
In the theory of the municipal te and Of ell
ats autonomy, the rights Of one citizen against
smother are essentially and exclusi. ely those
things that the law Of the state enjo... upon
S2cn N regard to the other. This Is L whole
definition Precisely the same is tru; in in
Gernational law and the centuries Of inter-
course between nations.
This, believe, ali writer's on natural law
and international law agree on To illustrate
these propositions: take il that the United
States has no rights against Great Britain in
regard TO her operations in Abyssinia, nor
would she have any rights against il
would attempt to share in the PARTITION Of
Africa In the case Of Turkey, if we were TO
seize The whole OF Asia Minor and establish
peace and order there (as the British have
DONE In substance. In Egypt we should have
invaded no right Of any power except Turkey.
Is ~
sPeet of relations and conduct with
the states Of the western hemis-
phere under the Monroe doctrine or
under any other policy that We NAV think it
Just to adopt 1t was, then. the clear and per-
rectly understood distinction between the
rights OF one nation against another. and their
interests and policies in regard to other IA
lions. that doubtless led to a separate treaty
I'm regard to the Venezuelan question; for
both governments know that the affair could
not possibly come within the scope OF the gen.
erai treaty You will see, therefore that the
phrase OF the treaty which is criticised is the
most apt possible to mark the boundaries Of
arbitration, and thattt leaves the Monroe doc
triue unaffected.
The second objection is the fear that the
treaty may affect our attitude in regard to the
Nicaragua canal. in which the interests OF the
United States are SO deeply concerned What
have already said disposes of that soIIcitude
have not time TO go into detail about it.
The third and last objection I have heard is
the supposed danger OF leaving it 10 any Eu-
Eopean power to name umpire in certain
contingencies 1t is enough TO say that
50 lar as our considerable experience
has gone in such matters. we have
never had occasion to complain of the action
OF any sovereign in naming an umpire or in de-
Gliding a dispute In the great arbitration
treaty OF 1871 We agreed that three members OF
the general tribunal should be named by three
6oVeretgnS two OF them European, and that
any or all Of these sovereigns should fail to
name these members. the king OF Sweden
should name them all And, in the same treaty
we did not hesitate to submit the very import
ant question Of our boundary on the Pacific
coast to the German emperor.
am an intense supporter OF the Monroe
doctrine believe the building of the Mica /
ragua canal under the auspices of the United |
states TO be of urgent necessity. 1 believe |
most earnestly in international arbitration to |
the utmost extent that civilized Just and !
self-respecting nations can co. and 1 most |
earnestly hope that the senate will ratify the |
treaty as it is proposed, as the first step. very
great and suspicious. toward the obtaining Of !
peace among nations.