The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-01-28

Washington, Jan. 27.-The Senate com
mittec on foreign relations to-day consid-
cred the treaty of arbitration without
reachlnG n conclusion. The general drift
oil the discussion was that the instru-
lnent must he amended so as to eliminate
any possible inclusion of questions con.
corning the domestic or foreign policy of
either of the contracting parties. 1t is be.
lleved by some that Il conclusion will be
reached Mt IL special meeting on SATURDAY.
ana that the treaty will be reported to
the Senate Monday.
While the treaty may he made satisfac
tory by one or two amendments, each
member of committee has his own idea as
to the exact language to be employed in
so doing. The rdent--friends of the Mic
araguan canal insist that, in some way,
that question he lifted bodily from the
treaty and guarded against.
The fear that Great Britain NAV be
seeking preteXt to interfere not ONLY in
our foreign policy but in domestic fairs
as we'll leads others to urge an additional
provision that no questions affecting
either the domestic or foreign policy of
the contracting parties shall be brought
within the provisions of the general
treaty This, it is contcnded, will also
carefully guard the Monroe doctrine
The designation in the treaty of the
king of Norway and Sweden us umpire is
causing the committee much concern,
and looking up the diplomatic history Of
tals northern country the committee has
discovered that n compact exists between
Great Britain and France on the one hand
and Norway and Sweden on the other in
which they all agree to stand bv the
weaker nation.
The designation of King Oscar will in
all probability be eliminated, and an adj
ditional amendment requiring the selec
ton of an American umpire for the Amer
lean side and I'M European.umpire when
the dispute is transferred to the eastern
hemisphere
1t is thought that when the treaty is
brought to the Senate Il motion to dis
cnss it in open session will carry
and it will he good for the country
to have this public debate.
The treaty between Sweden andNorway
on the one hand and Great Britain and
France on the other, which it is claimed
forms such ii close alliance between the
two governm ents rs to preclude the idea
of fairness, was ratified by the two gov
crnments in 1900. 1t binds Great Britain
and France to aid Sweden with their mil
ltary force, If necessary, in repellins Rus
SidH aPSrcSSlOu. w nlie There Is an nj
most universal sentiment in the Senate
i'll regard to the principle of arbitration.
in no such form, it is believed, can the
treaty be ratified. The discussion in the
Senate whether IN secret or in the pres
ence of the public. promises to be some
what protracted.
Senators on the committee who have
given the treaty careful consideration
will he called upon to eXpound it's pro-
visions and throw all possible light upon
the subject. 1t has been the custom in
the past for the Senate to be guided en-
tirely by the report of it's committee in
acting upon the treaty, but in this case
there appears to be ii determination on
the part of men who have given but little
attention TO foreign questions to know
thoroughly what they are doing before
they cast their vote for ratification or re-
lection of the general treaty of arbitra-
ton.