The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-26

with numerous senators of the United
States and it's chairman conferred also
with President Cleveland and Mr.. Olney.
the Secretary OF State, under whose au-
spices the treaty Of arbitration between
the United States and Great Britain,
which was transmitted to the Senate for
its ratification, Jan. II, 1897, was negouat-
ed.
The great advantage OF the method
embodied Ia the before mentioned treaty,
is that il Is the result of long and very
careful consideration by two eminent men,
Lord Salisbury and Mr. Olney. whose
official position made ii their duty TO
consider the question and decide upon it,
1T seems to your committee that divers
tiles Of opinion on the treaty should now,
for the sake of harmonious and concerted
action, be laid aside. ana that it IS in the
interest of International arbitration that
the influence of this and kindred assOcia-
tons should be brought to bear in favor
of the adoption Of substantially the plan
embodied in the treaty. This seems to
your committee still more clear in view
of the fact that the treaty received a
majority vote in the Senate although not
the necessary two-thirds' vote to complete
the ratification"
The committee then reoites the terms Of
the treaty and then says:
1T thus appears that the rights of both
parties are carefully protected. If Great
Britain should have a territorial claim
against the United States, the award
should not be final unless The British
counsel should succeed in convincing two
American judges that the claim was just
and vice versa
1T seems to your committee that the es-
pecial advantage of the ratification Of
such a treaty is this: The claims that are
difficult to settle by negotiation are those
that give rise to angry feelings on one
side or the other. Popular governments
are necessarily somewhat influenced by
popular clamor. 1t was probably only by
the personal influence of Queen Victoria
that Lord Palmerstons dispatch in refer
ence to the seizure Of Mason and Sddell
was so softened down as 20 make 1t practl-
cal for Secretary Seward to negotiate and
finally to surrender the two prisoners.
whose arrest he was obliged to admit was
contrary to International law.
Certainly, at that time we had very
narrow escape, and it could hardly be ex-
pected that such an extraordinary circum-
stance should happen again with an arbi-
traticn treaty in force. 1T would not be ne
cessary under such conditions to make an
agreement for arbitration. The agreement
would be made in advance, the machin-
cry would be provided. and the natural
thing to do would be to appoint the arbi-
traitors and let the matter be discussed he
lay and before its announcement popular
excitement would measurably subside
'"The objection is often taken TO an arbi-
tration treaty that the court has no pow
er to enforce its decisions. But your COM
mittee believe that experience shows that
| this objection, which seems plausible first,
| is without solid foundation During the
past thirty years many controversies be-
tween the owners of capital and their
wOrkmen have been referred TO arhitra-
| tion. No law has ever been passed COM
pelling submission TO the award of arbi-
traitors under such circumstances 1t would
| be difficult and perhaps impossible to pro-
cure the enactment OF such a law. Yet
experience shows that these awards are
generally submitted to by both sides. The
very fact that obedience is not compul-
sorry, is the strongest possible argument
to the arbtrators TO make a just award
which shall command respect upon all its
! merits. The case is one of those so fire.
quent in history. in which liberty
OF action, secured hv law, has been of IT,
self a safeguard against hasty and un-
reasonable action. The exercise of liber-
! ty of hself tends to induce a sense of re-
| sponsibility.
your committee therefore recommend
for adoption the following resolutions:
| Resolved, That this association learned
| with much satisfaction that the treaty oil
| arbitration between the United States and
| Great Britain. which was transmitted e
the Senate of the United States Jan. Il
/ 1897, received the approval of a majority
| of the members voting upon the question
of ratification, even though that majority
was not sufficient to ratify the treaty.
Resolved, That the provisions of this
| treaty AFFORD a reasonable fair and ius
| method Of adjusting the differences be
/ tween the United States and Great Brit.
ain which are within the scope OF the
| treaty.
Resolved, That the President of the
| United States be respectfully requested tC
| take such measures, as may be within his
| power to secure the adoption either OF
| the treaty before mentioned or OF a simi.
/ lar arbitration treaty"