Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-17
PREJUDICE'S SWAY.
The Senate and the Proposed
General Arbitration Treaty.
Prejudice Against England Largely
Responsible for Opposition.
increasing Sympathy Tor cubans- Freedom
Predicted In Near Future.

lInIuSslDIc 10 StNc u UrutHIuA pacVuAo -
events behind the scenes In this capital
without calling attention to the fact that
prejudice against England is playing II
large part in the apparent unwillingness
of the senate to ratify the general arbitra-
ton treaty between this country and Great
Britain. There is such a prejudice deep
down in the minds Of our people, MS every
one knows. 1t Is having its manifestation
among the statesmen In congress. There
are indications that this traditional hatred
of England Is not as keen or bitter as 1t
was years ago. 1t has been softcncd by
time and by commercial and social rela-
tons between the two peoples But it still
exists and Is having its effect upon the
minds of the men who hold the fate of the
arbitration treaty in their hands. Senator
Morgan of Alabama is perhaps the most
conspicuous exponent Of this prejudice.
With him 1t Is more than u tradition. MIR.
Morgan believes, ms much as he believes
that he Is alive, that England is constantly
plotting against this country. He finds evil
dences Of her activity in Nicaragua, where
she is trying, Mr.. Morgan says. 10 get u
foothOld with view TO the day when the
isthmian canal will he dug. Not alone
here, but everywhere, Mr.. Morgan thinks
England is trying 10 get the best Of Us,
and he offers many good reasons for the
faith that Is in him.
A View ON the One Hand.
Senator Morgan is not alone in this be.
lief. Another distinguished senator and II
member of the foreign relations committee,
too, told me today that in his opinion Eng
lar xcn MT m 1vsrraaeh rbl
United States in every possible way.
England. +" said he, ''is just as eager for
territory and for commerce as she ever was.
She lives upon such acquisitions. To gain
them Is her national, her deliberate. her
avowed policy, Today, while negotiatinga
general treaty Of arbitration with this
country, she Is strengthening her navy ev
cry month. Only II few days ago l read
that she had authorized the construction OF
five new battleships, each to cost about So
100000 when finished. and that 10000
more sailors and marines were to be added
to her navy.
Almost daily we have evidences of Great
Britain's activity in the work Of building
up Notifications, coaling stations, ARISEN.
ais laying cable lines, promoting the open
ing of steamship routes all around and
dbout uS- II dItlNAticS WCTt COiIuHSN
simply TO tse old world. we should not
mind. But they are not. They have refer
ence to future control Of this hemisphere
AS well as the other. Is it any wonder that
We senators hesitate to plunge into gen.
eral treaty OF arbitration without first
looking very carefully into what it may
mean in the future
A Contrary Opinion.
There are many other senators who hold
just the opposite view. They are convinced
that England desires only peace with the
United States, and that the arbitration
treaty is an earnest of her pacific inten-
lions. They point ont that England ex-
poets ere long to be compelled to go to war
with one or more of the nations of Europe,
and that a peaceful base line in this direc-
ton is one of the absolute necessities of
her situation. We feed England II all
the remainder of the world should he cut
off from her by war and by the activity of
opposing fleets, she could still depend upon
America as her granary. According to
the men who hold this view, Great E-it
aims great aim at the present time is an
assured peace with the United States.
That fixed, she will with lighter heart
meet such responsibilities as arise from her
relations with the remainder of the world.
1t is the duty Of correspondent, as II
view 1t, to photograph the opinion of the
men who make our policies and our laws.
and this l am trying to do impartially. |
10 return for a moment to the other side |
of the contention, the northwestern sen. |
ators, l find, are generally suspicious of |
England's intentions concerning the Alas. |
kan boundary. They say England is not |
acting in good faith with this country |
there, and that the treaty recently negoti. |
ated by Secretary Olney and Sir Julian
Pauncefote does not go to the heart ofythat|
question at all. One of the northwestern
senator's, Mr.. Mcbride of Oregon, SAYS he |
will ask the senate to adopt an amendment
to the arbitration treaty requiring that
whenever boundary dispute arises be.
tween the two nations the settlement and
acquisition of rights in the disputed terri
tory shall cease
An Effective Influence.
There is no denying that general preiu.
dice against England still exists at this
capital. One comes upon it on every hand.
There is politics in it too. Often meet a
senator who is opposed to the arbitration
treaty, and upon inquiry find that he Is
thinking of his Irish-American constitu.
ents. Senators say the Irish Americans
are almost to man opposed to arbitration
with England. l suppose
this sort of prejudice is bred in them, and
that many more generations will be re.
quired TO get 1t out If it ever does come
out. Whatever the right or wrong of It
may be-and with that we have nothing to
do-thc fact remains that our Irish -Amer;.
can fellow citizens-and good citizens they
are, too, and many Of them-are in a quiet
but none the less effective way exercis.
ing a great deal of influence at Washington
at this juncture in the affairs of nations
1t is also my duty as conscientious cor.
to report that the sympathy of
the American people with the struggling
Cubans is rapidly increasing here. For a
time it was stilled because of feeling that
the time had not come for overt action.
and that it would not be wise to recognize
the independence OF Cuba as the first stem.
But since the PRONUNCIATION of the alleged
Spanish reforms in Cuba and General
Gomez rs remarkable statement of the aims
and purposes Of the Cubans, all this ac.
by the information of the terri
BILE straits to which women and children
IRE reduced in the island, sympathy with