The herald., 1897-01-12

desirouS that such harmonious agree
ment between the two English-speakinS
nations should not look TO a foregner I
for its final determination. Finally,
however rather than open the possibil
ity of tie and the failure of arbitra
ton, King Oscar was agreed upon, in
case the others did not agree in choosing
final arbitrator. BY this means hot
only is arbitration secured but arbitra
tion which will be effective and final.
The period of five years was fixed as the
limit of the treaty as q means of testinS :
the efficacy of the arrangement, the pur-
pose being to make the treaty permanent
If the five years trial brings the good
results contemplated.
Aside from the agreement made today.
this is felt to offer a plan of arbitration
as substitute for war. which will at
tract the attention of European powers
generally. and may lead to a further eX-
tension of the plan.
The arbitration treaty was delivered
to the senate at o'clock today. After
ward in executive session it was referred
to the foreign relations committee, and,
without being read, was ordered to be
printed The presidents message trans
hitting the document was read, as fol-
lows:
To the senate: | transmit herewith a
treaty of arbitration of all matters in
difference between the United States
and Great Britain. The provisions of the
treaty are the result of long and patient
elaboration, and represent concessions
made by each party for the sake of
agreement upon general scheme.
Though the result reached may not meet
the views of the advocates of imme-
diate, unlimited and irreversible arbi-
tration of all international controversies,
it is nevertheless confidently believed
that the treaNy cannot fail to be every
where recognized as making long step
in the right direction, and as emhndy-
ng a practical working plan by which
the disputes between the two countries
will reach peaceful adjustment as mat
ter of course and in ordinary routine. In
the initiation of such an important move
ment it must be expected that some of
the features will assume a tentative
character, looking to further advance,
and yet it is apparent that the treaty
which has been formulated not only
makes war between the parties to it a
remote possibility but precludes those
fears and rumors of war, which of them
selves too often assume proportions OF
a national disaster.
1t is eminently fitting. as we'll rs for
tunatc, that the attempt to accomplish
results so benefcent should be initiated
by kindred peoples, speaking the same
tongue and joined together by all the
ties of traditional and common aSpira-
tiOns. The experiment of substituting
civilized methods for brute force as a
means of settling international cues
tions of right will thus be tried under
the happiest auspices. Its success ough!
not to be doubtful and the fact that its
ultimate ensuing benefits are not likely
to be limited to the two countries i'm
mediately concerned should cause it to
be promoted all the more eagerly. The
example set and the lesson furnished by
the successful operation of this treaty
are to be felt and taken to heart sooner
or later by other nations. and will thus
mark the beginning of new epoch Of
civilization. Profoundly impressed as
I am, therefore, by the promise OF
transcendent good which this treaty af-
fords, do not hesitate to accompany its
transmission with an expression of my
earnest hope that it may commend it
self to the favorable consideration OF
the senate.
(SignedD GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion, Jan. IL, 1897.
Senator Morgan suggested that tbs
treaty should be made public, but Sena-
tor Sherman, as chairman of the COM
mttee on foreign relations, replied tha1
it should be examined by the commit
tee to which it had been referred before
being published This suggestion wa,
accepted with the understanding that
the committee should have the privilege
OF making the treaty known.
The Alaskan boundary will not, as eX-
pected come before the general arbitra-
ton tribunal. No specific reference Is
made to the subject in the trea -, but il
is stated that this matter will be settled
separately. BY thus removing the Alas
kan controversy, Secretary Olney has
disarmed formidable opposition to the
treaty that was developed among the
senators from the northwest and i'm
proved the prospects of ratification ol
the convention by the senate.
THE VENEZUELA TREATY
1t is expected that the final draft of the
treaty between Venezuela and Great
Britain for the submission of the Venez-
uelan boundary dispute to arbitration
will be made some time this month ant
mailed promptly to Caracas. The gen.
eral outlines of the treaty have beer
agreed upon and outlined to the common
satisfaction of Great Britain, the Unit
ed States and Venezuela, and have beer
evidenced in an agreement between the
two nations first named, but it was nee
esary to elaborate these in a forma
treaty between Venezuela and Great
Britain. Progress is making on these
details and an important step has beer
gained in the formal assent OF King Os-
car of Sweden to act as the final ar
bitrator in this, as well as In the general
arbitration court.
The principal efforts of Sir Julian
Pauncefote and Senor Andrade are now
being directed toward the completion OF
the treaty in season to admit of its being
laid before the Venezuelan congress as
soon as it convenes. Under ordinary
conditions this date would be February
20. but it is as good as settled that Presi-
dent Crespo, taking advantage of the
law which permits the legal sixty days
session to be extended twenty days, will
advance the date of meeting by that
number of days, and the congress will
assemble February l. In this case. il
the treaty is to be submitted at the open
ing of the session, it must be dispatched
from Washington not much later than
the goth inst. so only twenty days are
available to close up the negotiations
Just what points remain to be adjusted
cannot be learned at present, but it is
known that they do not touch questions