The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-04-07
MAKING A TREATY.
The Five Stages in the Interna-
tional Transaction.
Ratification by Our Senate and
British Privy Council Needed.

snry to make II treaty entered into by
the representatives of two govern
mcnts fully binding and effective upon
the people of the countries concerned.
That such is tho case has been demon
strated by the wide divergence of
views expressed in the recent general
discussion in newspapers, in public
gatherings aud even in the Senate of
the United States of the Anglo. Amer
lean treaty of arbitration recently
signed in Washington. 1t is gener-
ally unde erstoOd, of course, tEat
treaty, signed by the properly accred-
tied representatives of Great Britain
md the United States, is still subject
to the ratification of the superior pow
ers OF each government, but the subse-
quent course of procedure of the re-
spective governments necessary to
make it an accomplished fact is by no
means SO well known.
In conversation with several officials
OF the state department, a Washington
Star reporter obtained some interest
ing data on this point. According to
the constitution and laws of the
United States n treaty of this kind is
not operative until it has gone through
al
der are; FIRST, signing by the repre-
sentative of tha president; second, rat
iiication advised by the Senate;
third, :ifcation by the president,
fourth, exchange OF ratifcations, and,
fifth, proclamatior OF the treaty.
In the case of the British govern
ment the modus operandi is somewhat
similar, with the most important ex-
ception that the entire proceedings
are practically within the discretion
and control OF the queen. All that
remains to DO done by the British
government to make the treaty opera
tive in British dominions is for its rat
iiication by the queen on the recon-
mendation of the ''most honorable
privy council" and its subsequent proc
lamation. Although treaties are not
subject to the ratification of the Brit
ish parliament, it is customary to lay
synopses of them before the legisla-
tive branch for its information, coin
cident with their ratification by the
queen sin council" The members of
the privy council are appointed by
the prime minister, with the approval
of the queen. Consequently the DOM
inant political party is in control, and
its action is practically controlled by
the premier of the administration at
present Lord Salisbury. The present
privy council numbers about 20 per-
sons and includes nearly all the lead
ing officials of the United Kingdom.
Its membership embraces the Prince of
Wales and all the male members of the
royal family, the lord high chancellor
and all the cabinet officers, the lord
president and the leading members of
parliament, the Archbishop of Canter-
bury and many prominent churchmen
and members of the British diplomatic
corps, including Sir julian Pauncefote.
The opposition is represented by a
large but powerless delegation.
One of the officials of the state de-
partment described the modus oper-
andi of a treaty for the benefit of
the reporter in the following terse
form:
"Great Britain and the United States
conclude trenty or convention for
specific purpose. 1t is signed in du-
plicate. These copies are the original
treaties. In the British copy the
British representative signs first, and
in the United States copy the Amer
ican representative signs first. The
British original copy is then sent to
Great Britain and laid before the
privy council, which passes upon it.
If such action is favorable the queen
ratfies the original copy. An ex.
change copy is then made and bears
the queens ratification. The ex-
change copy is copy of the original
treaty bearing the queens ratifca-
tion. This copy is delivered to the
representative of the government of
the United States by the British rep
resentative in exchange for similar
copy of the original convention in the
possession of the United States. This
exchange copy is ratified by the pres
ident of the United States. A proto-
col OF exchange is signed by the ra-
spective representatives when the de-