The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-03-18
DISCUSSING TUE TREATY.
Forcian Hclntf0na Committee Con.
slider Several Amendments.

stacF SSfrfal hmGnuiliGntS.
Washington. March 17.-Ihe Senate
committee on Foreign Relations spent
TWO hours this morning in the consIucra-
non OF the general arbitration treaty
with Great Britain and then ordered Il
favorable report to be made to the SEN
ate tomorrow with amendments In
iinc with those Indicated in these dis
patches heretofore. The amendments
arc administrative only in character
The scope or the treaty has not been
touched. Much of the public criticism
against The action OF tho committee
during the last session was due to the
alleged fact that the committee had
einasculntcd the convention and made
IL practically Il mere she'll
The amendment to the first article.
that no question relative to the foreign
or domestic policy Of either party should
DC included, which was previously t,ivel,
sucn s prominence. has disappeared en-
tircly. The same result Is reached, how
ever. In very different manner
The designation Of King Oscar OF
sweden and Norway as Tie Umpire has
peen strlcken out, rs has been all refer
ence TO the justices OF the Supreme
Court or the United States as members
or the tribunal established under tho
treaty. In place or this designation It
IS Stipulated that "iurtsts Of rcputc"
snail be named by the President to act
as such arbitcrs. The chief amend
ment to the convention however, IS
found in the clause which reserves to
the United Stntes the sanction OF the
Whole treaty-mnlsing power In deciding
what questions shall be submitted to ar
bitration.
This provision will make It neccssary
LOT the President to submit to the Sen
hte Tor It's approval NIL questions intend
eu 70 be submitted to the arbitrnl court
me committee has acted In the belief
that 1t has only reserved to the Govern
meht the Identical power reserved by
Grent Britnin, which under the treaty
uecldcS through It's premier what uucs-
lions shall be arbitrated Under the
british form OF government one man
a'one-the premier-actints for the
crown, determines all matters OF this
sort. ana Is the sole treaty making
power or that nation. There Is under
ms general treaty no deviation from
the universal rule OF the British Gov
ernment, and reasoning thus, the Sen
ate committee sees no reason why there
should he any change in the practices
based upon the stipulntions Of the writ
ten constitution that have governed
Such questions win us since the founfa
non or our Government. III other words.
pom powers are made equal, and the
subsequent proceedings under the
treaty. after it shall have been ratified,
VIII proceed according to the laws of
the respective governments OF the con
tractlnE parties.
IT Is needless to point out that under
inc treaty as thus amended no argu-
ment can consistently he advanced that
the Senate Is relinqulshlng any Of the
prcrogatives given it by the constitu-
non. 1t viii. by raiifying this treaty.
endorse and subscribe to the doctrine
or universal arbitration to which the
United States stand pledged. and then
leave all questions us to details connect
cd with the submission Of specific sub
lects TO the constituted authorities Of
both countries
Acting Chairman Davis will urge as
speedy action in the Senate rs possible
II is quite likely that much Of the time
during the next two weeks Will be spent
IN executive session Pending the ar
rival OF the tariff bill In the Senate the
treaty Will be discussed together with
the consideration Of Presidential nom
nations. and ii is the confident eXpccta- :
,lon OF the committee that 1t will be able
TO have this convention out of the way
by the first Of April.