The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-01-29
GEORGE +. EDMUNDS
ion the Anglo-American Aroitra-
ton Treaty.
a Review OF objections Raised ne
Tire. Principal Points Against the
Treaty Taken Up and foondto be
without Foundation.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22.-Ex-tnited
States senator George r. Edmonos
of Vermont. one of the leading au'
lthorities on constitutional law IN the
United states, has written the follow
ing letter TO several gentlemen here
mho sought his opinion on the aroi-
tration between the United States ana
Great Britain. Mr. Edmunds says;
The three principal criticisms OF the treaty
are.
l. That il commits this government 20 Suo-
hitting TO arbitration questions that may
arise In connection with the Monroe doctrine.
with sincere respect for the gentlemen VINO
IL j. said, have suggested TINS opJeNl4"h'i
think that il is quite unioundcd, anu ma.
those who have advanced IL must nave '1Heu
10 observe the careful language USED ia the
trcaty The words upon which the criticism IS
based are founded in article four, as follows
"All other matters Ia difference, IN res ect
OF which either Of the hign contracting par
Ties. shall have rights against the other uAGer
tho treaty or otherwise
what then are rights against the other.
In the theory Of the municipal state ana 81 al
It's autonomy the rights OF one citizen against
another are essentially ana exclusively those
things that the laN 81 the state enJoins upon
each IA regard 10 the other. Lhls l. the Ao4e
dennition Precisely the same IS true IN IN
ternatiOnAl law and the centuries OF inter
course between nations.
This. Iblie,e. an writers on natural law
And Internal lOnal law agree On. To illustrate
these propositions. take IL that the United
States has no rights against Great britain ID
regard 70 her operations in Ahyssinia, nor
would she have any rights against Us IL we
would ATTEMPT to share In the partition OF
Africa In the case OF Turkey, Il We were 70
seize the whole OF Asia Minor and establish
peace and order there (as the British nave
done, In substance. ia Egypt we should nave
invaded no right Of any power except Turkey
The same is OF course, true IN re-
spect OF our relations and conduct with
the states OF the western hemls-
pbere Aader the Monroe doctrine or
under any other policy that we may think II
Just 70 adopt. II was. then, the clear ana per-
fectly understood distinction between the
rights OF one nation against another. ana tht1r
interests and policies In regard 10 other IA
tions that doubtless led 70 a separate treaty
In regard 10 the Venezuelan question: for
both governments know that the affair could
not pos siby come within the scope Of The gen
eral treaty. You Will see therefore that the
phrase OF the treaty which il criticised Is Tx
most apt poss Die to mark the BOUNDARIES 81
arbitration. anl thattt leave' the Monroe doc
trinc unaffected
The second objection is the fear that Tia
treaty may affect our attitude IA regard TO th'
Nicaragua canal in which the interests ~ the
United States are deeply concerned VIVA
have already said disposes OF that solc itude
Ihaye not time 90 90 into detail about H.
The third and last objection have heard Il
the supposed danger 81 leaving IL 70 any Eu
ropean power t. name an umpire in ccrta
contingencies 1t O. enough 20 say that
30 TAR as our considerable experienc'
has gone in such matters, we nave
never had occas On 20 complain u the actor
OF any sovereign ia naming an umpire OF IN de
Gliding a dispate Ia the great arbltrauo
treaty 81 1871 we agreed that three mem ers 9
the general tribunal should be named by thre
sover.'1ns two Of them European aud IN.
AZ any OK an Of these severe gus should fau
name these members. the king OF S~edt
should name them all And. In the same treat
we did not hesitate 10 submit the very impor
ant question OF our boundary on the Pacii
coast 70 the German emperor
lam an intense supporter OF the MonrC
doctrine / believe the building Of the Nici
ragua canal under the auspices OF the Unite
States TO be of urgent necessity. l belle
most earnestly In international arbitration
the utmost extent that civilized. Just al
self-respecting nations can 20, and | mo
earnestly hope that the senate will ratify q
treaty as it is proposed. As the first step We
great and auspic0us, toward the obtaining
peace among nations.