Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-01
4 TROUBLESOME TREATY.

Some days ago the question was asked
in the House of Commons whether the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty was considered
by Great Britain. and the United States
as bearing upon the annexation of the
Sandwich islands by this country. The
reply of the under secretary for foreign
affairs was that the treaty contained no
agreement recognized by either power
as affecting Hawaii. The statement
was correct.
or all the treatieS ever entered into
by the United States perhaps the most
veNatious and troublesome has been the
convention negotiated by John NJ. Clay
ton, secretary of state in the administra.
ton of President Taylor, and Sir Henry
Bulwer. representing the British govern
ment. This treaty was ratified April
10, 1850, and almost from the day it
went into effect it has been a source of
more or less controversy and irritation
from time to time. The treaty refers
entirely to the relations of the United
states II Great Britain to Central
America, he first article declaring that
neither the one nor the other of these
governments Will ever occupy. or fortify.
or COLOMBO, or aSSume or exercise any
dominion over Nicaragua. Costa RIGA.
the Mosquito coast, or any part of Cen
tral America. Each country agreed not
to acquire or hold any rights or advan-
tageS in regard to m or naviga-
ton through the interoceanic canal then.
projected which shall not be offered on
the same terms to the citizens or sub
jects of the other. The United States
has faithfully observed the obligations of
the treaty. but England has not been so
scruDulous. and it has long been CON
ended by a number of American states
men that the conduct of Great Britain
affecting the Mosquito coast was a di-
rect violation of the treaty and justified
its abroSatiOn by the United States.
Nearly forty years ago President Blu
chanan recommended that congress take
steps for abrogating the convention and
in 1850 congress passed a joint resolu.
ton requesting the president to provide
for the immediate a%brogation of the
treaty. "A correspondence WAS opened
with Great Britain on the subject which
was without result, though a very strong
case was presented or the part of the
United States.
This treaty has figured more or less
prominently in the Nicaragua canal de-
bates of recent years and its ~abrogation
has been earnestly urged. There is no
question that it stands in the way of the
control of the canal by the United States
if the British government should insist
upon its observance. AT the late session
of the senate n resolution was adopted
providing for an inquiry into the status
of the treaty and the duty of doing this
was assigned to ii subcommittee of the
committee on foreign relations, consist
ing of Senators Morgan, CullOm and
Lodge, with instructions to report on
the r~eassembling of congress in Decem-
Der. The reason for the inquiry is that
there is some question as to whether the
treaty is now in full force and effect. 1t
is pretty safe to predict that the report
of this subcommittee will not be- favor
able to continuing the treaty and if so
congress will be very likely to sustain
that view of the matter. Whether or
not any complication would result from
our government taking this position is
entirely problematical.