New-York tribune., 1897-02-13
AMENDMENT IT'S ONLY HOPE
FATE OF THE ARBITRATION TREATY
STILL UNDETERMINED.
THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE WILL ENA
DEAvOR TO FRAME AN AMENDMENT MEET
ING THE DIRECTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN
RAISED IN THE sENATE-ANorHER
DAY OF DEBATE BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS.


on Foreign Relations tomorrow morning Will
I endeavor TO frame amendment 10 meet the
objections advanced in debate against the gen.
! eral treaty of arbitration with Great Britain.
which has been under discussion in secret ses-
! sion for the las. week. Unless this amendment
can be satisfactorily framed II is probable that
( the consideration Of the treaty may not De
pushed until after March T. The debate so far
! has shown that no five men I'm the Senate look
AT this treaty from identically the same point OF
view. II IS said that IT is ambiguous. but this
defect IS found by different men In different
portions Of the instrument.
That It will be amended before being ratified
is admitted by it's best friends. The amend
inents are In fact the only things that Will save
IT, for few. il any. agree with Senator Turpie
! that the treaty is perfect it stands. Mr.. Tur-
/ pies position is based on his own construction OF
the terms Of the convention. and II the Senate
could bring itself TO think Mr.. Turpie does
the treaty would be- ratified without moments
| delay
TO GUARD THE sENAT:"S PREROGATIVE.
The Indiana Senator's speech has, however.
made a strong impression. and his ideas have
suggested TO the committee an amendment
| which will be patterned otter that when MI
Morgan yesterday gave notice that he would
! offer at the proper time. This will change Arti-
| Gle | SO that II will provide for the submission
! under this treaty for arbitration OF all matters
subject TO the limitations Of this treaty ara IN
the manner and form provided by either OF the
| contracting parties for the negotiation ana ra'i-
! fcation Of treaties" This. il Is thought, VIII
make the intent Of the Senate clear. ana PROVIDE
| that every subject to be submitted 10 the trlpu-
nal must be first submitted 70 the President and
bv him 10 the Senate. as now provided for IN the
case Of original treaties. In this manner the oo-
,ootion tn, : the Senate is yielding its preroga-
tives Is met. and that body maintains control OF
o,.erv matter connected with the subject o., ar
h;,ra,ior This is the amendment which Mr.
c,ar,,ar will submit tomorrow, in an effort &c
bring about speedy action.
THE DEBATE OF THE DAY.
The debate to-day was begun by Mr. stewart
who laid some additional stress on the necessity
for eliminating the Alaskan boundary question:
and ponted out in what particulars ne peHe'eu
the treaty 10 be vague and indefinite
Mr.. Blackburn was against the treaty and was
raodv n vote 1t seemed him idle TO con-
su,,e more time for as he believed, every man
in rho Senate knew just how he intended 10
vote This treaty went entirely too far IN It's
scone Still he had no fear ot war from any
thing that might be in the treaty; war was
more likely 10 come from the things tnat were
not included It would bc safe enough 70 leave
the question Of arbitration 10 the Senate wheh
the cases arose and Jet the Senate then IN eN-
istence deal with the subject
Mr. Hoar said he would vote for the treaty
as IL reached the Senate. or he would vote TOT IL
as amended. What ne wanted was A treaty Oh
arbitration. and the sooner the Senate ratined
This treaty the better he thought 1t would be for
the country.
MR. CHANDLER FAVORS DELAY.
Mr. Chandler gave no decided expression as 10
how he stood He might vote for the treaty "
amended He favored the committee amend
ments but intlmated that others might be neces-
sary 20 make the instrument perfect and thor
oughly protect the interests of the country. IL
| the amendments rejected ne shouId vote
against the treaty Mr. Chandler called atten-
ton to the fact that there was a wide divergence
of opinion IN the Senate among several able men
as 10 what this treaty did did not do, and he
suggested that II would be best TO let it go over
| until q more convenient season. Senator's ooli-
! cations required that they should give careful
consideration to the treaty. II should be fuiiy
| discussed F>r this reason he urged that II go
over until the Senate convened after March =.
| There would then be two weeks when the senate
would have nothing t. do except consider noml-
rations and plentv Of time could be given 10 this
q better
than now. when the effort being made TO
| hurry the consideration OF so important a mat
ter so as rot 10 interfere with other legislation.
Nr Daniel autagOnized the treaty on gen.
elal principles as being dsadyantageous 70 the
/ I'nit.d states Cases for arbitration were not
! 60 numerous ne said, that a general treaty
| should be provided Each case should be met
syhen it came UP. IL also criticised that pro-
vision which makes The members or the SUI
RENE Court members Of the tribunal The
! members of the court you'd. I'm all probability.
/ he said. be called upon at some time, either be-
fore after the arbitration 70 SIT judcialiy
! on the same similar questions. To be COM
PEELED 10 act I'm this dual capacity would he en-
barrassing 20 the members % the court ana
might initiate against their sitting on the
/ bench in certain cases Surh contingency
ought not TO be made possible
ADVOCATED BY SENATOR LODGE
The treaty found one Of its strongest advocates
in senator Lodge. who urged tha, action be
/ taken. He declared that he not irrevocaby
! Joined 10 the committee amendments. He would
/ favor any amendment that might be suggested
/ 10 remove the doubt existing IN the treaty, II
such amendment would be conducive 10 action
He did not believe ;he treaty could possibly BE-
ratified unless il was amended somewhat on the
lines OF the committee amendment lie favored
the treaty because arbitration vas the policy ot
this country. and he believed in me American
policy He wanted the treaty To pass. and FOR
that reason hoped the amendment that might be
FRA mod vould be satisfactory TO the Senate
MIR sherman then made tho statement which
was construed intimation that the COM
mttee intended To consider the treaty again In
special session tomorrow morning He said
that II the discussion went over until to-mor-
row he thought the committee would be able 20
bring in an amendment or amendments that
would remove all doubts and ambiguity from
the text Of the treaty. When this done
he hoped the Senate would be able 10 come to
speedy vote. II such proved not TO be the
case then Mr. Sherman said he would not feel
justified in pressing the consideration OF the
treaty further. 20 the hindrance Of the business
pressing upon the Senate.
Mr. Hill replied Joculary that the Senate was
10 understand that II the opposition the treaty
would hold out until tomorrow the Senator
from Ohio would withdraw the treaty from fur
ther consideration Mr. sherman denied that
rf.r a ON VA and he A