The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-15
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Washington. Feb. Ex-senator Teller
was asked to prepare = statement Of the
reason for seeking . postponement Of
the Apglo-American arbitration treaty.
and In response gave out the following
| signed article:
There has been q good deal Of criticism
i Of the senate, because 1t does not at
I once rptifS the treaty OF arbitration
| between the United States and Great
that the execEtive department has been
about four years negotiating II.
By the constitution Of the United
States, the senate IL made a part OF the
treaty making power. The fathers Of
the republic, Jealous of.executive power.
should negotiate treaties alone. 30 they
provided that the president shall have
power, by the advice and consent Of the
senate, to make treaties, provided, two
thirds OF the senators present concur"
The treaty, then Is the act OF the presi-
dent and the senate. 1t isquite apparent
that II was not intended that the action
of the senate should be a mere per-
functory duty and that the requirement
of two thirds majority was inserted
because the trainers of the constitution
were impressed with the Importance OF
treaty making The senate being q
part OF the power which creates treaties.
1t cannot rid itself OF the responsibility
Of seeing that they are properly made.
1t Is as incumbent upon us to give
treaties due consideration as upon the
executive to do so. We heard no COM
plant 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 advisement In theTtonstruction
of q treaty cannot transfer that duty
TO the president or anyone else.
The friends of the treaty I'm the SEN
ate all admit that Ii 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 IL the friends of II do not agree
as to the purport Of the proposed amend
ments? Some Of them assert that each
controverted question for consideration
by the arbitrators must be acted on by
the senate and house OF representatives
before the arbitration tribunal. IL this
view Is correct we will be required to
make new treaty oragreement on each
question as II arises and have the as
sent not OF the senate alone. but of the
house also. and instead OF having re-
moved causes OF disagreement and fric-
tion between the two governments, II
Will be found We have multiplied the
causes Of dispute and delayed the de-
termination Of controverted questions.
II the treaty does not require action
on the part Of congress, as some contend
1T does not, then we are leaving the
question whether the subject Of con-
troversey shall be arbitrated or not, to
the president alone. It is true we put
Limitations Of an Indefinite character on
"a In tvrw -. txo
not arbitrate question affecting our
foreign or domestic policy" but II the
president thinks such submission does
not affect that policy he cannot be held
responsible for his act IL he makes a
mistake.
Why should we not make this trcnty
deinite-exact? Why should we leave
SO important n question as to who has
the power of submission on our part in
doubt? II we attempt to submit a eiveo
question to arbitration. through the
agency OF congress. and Great Britain
thinks II ought to have been submitted
through and by the president. we create
friction, not only among our oun people,
but between this country and Great
Britain as well. II the president as
sumes that he alone must determine
what subject Of dispute must be submit
ted and congress assumes Jurisdiction
OF the matter. then we have a home
difficulty and a foreign one at the same
time.
The treaty is not capable OF self-ex-
ecution. and there must be legislation to
carry II into execution. Congress must
fix the term of the two arbitrators to be
appointed on our part and also deter
mine their compensation. This cannot
be done at this session Of congress-
The treaty ought to go over and be
carefully examined by the committee.
that has already prepared sundry
amendments. and by the senate, when
other matters are not pressing on that
body. 1t is almost impossible at this
late period of the session to give a
matter OF this kind that serious attention
which 1t requires. There can be no
doubt that the great body of the people
or the United States favor arbitration,
but that fact does not remove the neces-
sity OF care N the preparation of treaty
to carry out that idea. If the treaty is
carelessly made and there is difficulty
In determining what ought to be SUBJ
mitted, or If. after the treaty goes into
erect. doubt should be aroused as to
the fairness of the operation, the people
will be prejudiced against the principle
OF arbitration, so that instead of pro-
noting the cause Of arbitration, we may
destroy 1t by hasty action.
Personally am in favor of arbitration
OF all questions that can be arbitrated
but this is no reason why i should join
In ratifying a treaty that lacks the
greatest essential of treaty, certainly
as to what it means. There is no threat
ened danger Of war confronting us. We
have no occasion for haste and nothing
can be gained by premature action.
When the treaty Is put in proper form.
as / hope 1t will be, ii will be ratified.
i regret that the agreement had not been
considered in open senate so that the
people could see the defects in II.
, (signed) III. M. Teller.
Not According to Rules of War