Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-02-19
MANY RIGHTS INVOLVED
WHY THE SENATE POSTPONEs THE
ANGLO-AMERICAN TREATY.
An Important Subject of Arbitration
Cannot BE Rushed in Any Way,
Says He.

Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Teller
ed Press with a statement OF the reasons
for seeking postponement of the Anglo
American arbitration treaty, and in re-
Spouse prepared the following signed ar
ticle:
There has been a good deal Of criti-
cism Of the senate because it does not at
once ratify the treaty OF arbitration be-
tween the United States and Great Brit
ain by those who apparently forget that
the executive department has been about
four years negotiating it. By the consti-
tuition of the United States, the senate
is made part of the treaty making pow
er. The fathers of the republic, jealous
of executive power, were not willing that
the president should negotiate treaties
| alone, SO that they provided that the
president shall have power by the advice
| and consent of the senate to make
treaties, provided two-thirds of the sena-
tors present concur.
1.-THE treaty is then the act Of the pres
| ident and the senate. 1t Is apparent that
| 1t was not intended that the action of
the senate should be a mere perfunctory
duty, and that the requirement of two
thirds majority was inserted because the
| trainers Of the constitution were impress
| ed with the Importance Of treaty-making.
1.-THE senate, being part Of the power
| which creates treaties. can not rid itself
of the responsibilities of seeing that they
are properly made. 1t Is as incumbent on
| us to give treaties due consideration as
/ he txaf n dn heard
no complaint Of the delay on the part Of
the executive department, but no sooner
did the treaty reach the senate than there
was a demand for immediate action by
the senate. The senate, being charged
with this duty Of advising in the con-
| struction Of a treaty, can not transfer
that duty to the president or any one
| else
Amendments Necessary.
1.-THE friends of the treaty in the SEN
ate all admit that 1t must be amended,
and the committee on foreign relations
has recommended certain amendments
which will without doubt be adopted But
what will be the condition Of the treaty
If the friends of 1t do not agree as to the
purport Of the proposed amendments?
Some of them asserted that every con-
troverted question for consideration must
be acted on by the senate and the house
of representatives before the question
can go before the arbitration tribunal. If
this view is correct we will be required
to make new treaty or agreement on
each question as 1t arises and have the
assent, not of the senate alone, but of
the house also, and instead of having re-
moved causes of disagreement and fric-
ton between the two governments, 1t will
be found we have multiplied the causes
of dispute and delayed the determination
of controverted questions.
IF the treaty does not require action
on the part of congress, as some con-
tend 1t does not, then we are leaving
the question whether the subject of con-
troversy shall be arbitrated or not, to
the president alone. 1t is true we put
limitations of an indefinite character or
the executive In providing that he mus
| arbitrate question affecting our for
eign or domestic policy but If the presl-
dent thinks such submission does not az
feet that policy, he can not be held ;e
| sponsible for his act II he makes mis-
take
Treaty Must BE Definite.
why should we not make this treaty
definite, exact? Why should we leave 81
important question as to who has th'
power of submission on our part II
doubt? If we attempt to submit giver
question. to arbitration through gen
eral action of congress, and Great Brit
ain thinks it ought to have been sub
, mitted through and by the president, WI
create friction, not only among our owl
people, but between this country ant
Great Britain as well. If the presiden
; assumes that he alone must determine
what subject of dispute must be submit
ted, and congress assumes jurisdiction o
the matter, then we have home Difficult
ty and a foreign one at the same time
The treaty Is not capable of self-execu
= ton, and there must be legislation to car
! | ~ 1t into execution. Congress must IL
3 the term of two arbitrator to be Up
: pointed on our part, and also determin
, their compensation. This can not b
5 done at this session Of congress.
: 1.-The treaty ought to go over and b
carefully examined by the committee. tina
has already prepared sundry amend
. | ments and the senate, when other mat
tiers are not pressing on that body.
\ More Time Necessary.
at Is almost impossible at this lat
!, period of the session to give a matte
. of this kind that serious attention whic
" 1t requires. There can be no doubt tn
:, body Of the people of the United State
!, favor arbitration, but that fact does nc
remove the necessity of care in prepars
ton of the treaty to carry out that ides
Personally. am in favor of arbitra
i ton of all questions that can be arbitra
ed, but this is no reason why l shout
join in ratifying a treaty that lacks Oh
greatest essential of a treaty, certaint
= as to what 1t means.
a There is no threatened danger of wa
confronting us. We have no occasion Il
haste, and nothing can be gained b
premature action. When the treaty
put in proper form, as I hope 1t will b
1t will be ratified.
. 1T regret that the agreement has n
e been considered in open session so 4
people could see the defects in it.
III. M. TELLER -