The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-16
Senate is Swayed on Ar
bitratiOn Treaty.
Radically Opposing Views
Held by the Members.
Increasing Sympathy Of the Amerl-
can People for Cubans.

Is impossible to give a truthful picture
of events behind the scenes in this capital
without calling attention TO the fact that
prejudice against England is playing a
large part in the apparent unwillingness OF
the senate 20 ratify the general arbitration
treaty between this country and Great
Britain. There is such prejudice deep
down In the minds of our prople, as every
one knows. 1t is having it's manifestation
among the statesmen in congress. There
are indications that this traditional hatred
of England Is not as keen or bitter as II
was years ago 1t has been softened by
time and by commercial and social rela'
tions between the tgo peoples. But 1t still
exists and is having its effect upon the
minds of the men who hold the fate of the
arbitration treaty in their hands. Senator
Morgan of Alabama Is perhaps the most
conspicuous exponent of this prejudice.
With him IL Is more than a tradition. Mr..
Morgan believes as much as he believes
that he is alive, that England Is constantly
plotting against this country. He finds evi
dences of her activity in Nicaragua where
she is trying, Mr.. Morgan says, TO get a
foothold with a view to the day when the
isthmian canal will be dug. Not alone
here, but everywhere, Mr. Morgan thinks
England is trying to get the best of us, and
he offers many good reasons for the faith
that Is In him.
A View on the One Hand.
Senator Morgan Is not alone in this be
lief. Another distinguished senator and a
member of the foreign relations committee,
TOO told mo to1nv that In bio oDiniop Enu
land was attempting to oyerreach the
United States In every possible way. Eng
land, said he, sis just as eager for territory
and for commerce as she ever was. She
lives upon such acquisitions. To gain them
is her national, her deliberate, her avowed
policy. Today while negotiating general
treaty of arbitration with this country she
is strengthening her navy every month.
Only . few days ago read that she had
authorized the construction OF five new bat
tleships, each to cost about 5000, 900
when finished and that 10, 900 more sailors
and marines were to be added TO her navy.
almost daily we have evidences of
Great Brtain's activity in the work of
building up Notifications, coaling stations,
arsenals, laying cable lines, promoting the
opening of steamship routes all around
and about U.S. III her activities were con.
fined simply to the old world, we should
not mind. But they are not. They have
reference to future control Of this hemi.
sphere as well as the other. Is it any won.
der that we senators hesitate TO plunge in.
To general treaty of arbitration without
first looking very carefully into what IL
may mean in the futureY'
A Contrary Opinion.
There are many other senators who hold
Just the opposite view. They are con-
vinced that England desires only peace
with the United States, and that the arbi'
tration treaty Is an earnest of her pacific
intentions. They point out that England
expects ere long to be compelled to go to
war with ono or more of the nations OF
Europe, and that peaceful base line In
this direction is one of the absolute neces.
stiles of her situation We feed England.
II all the remainder of the world should be
cut off from her by war and by the actlv'
ity Of opposing fleets, she could still de-
pend upon America as her granary. Ac.
cording To the men who hold this view,
Great Britain's great aim at the present
time Is an assured peace with the United
States. That fixed, she will with lighter
heart meet such responsibilities as arise
from her relations with the remainder OF
the world.
1t is the duty Of correspondent as
view 1t, TO photograph the opinion of the
men who make our policies and our laws,
and this 1 am trying TO do impartially. To
return for moment TO the other side OF
the contention, the northwestern senator's,
find, are generally suspicious of England's g
intentions concerning the Alaskan bound.
n. Il. s..x-- a..
good faith with this country there and
that the treaty recently negotiated by Sec
retary Olney and Sir Julian Pauncefote
does not go TO the heart of that question
at all One of the northwestern senator's,
Mr.. Mcbride Of Oregon, says he will ask
tho senate To adopt an amendment to the
arbitration treaty, requiring that when
ever n boundary dispute arises between the
two nations the settlement and acquisition
of rights In tho disputed territory shall
cease
An Effective Influence.
There is no denying that general preju
dice against England still exists at this
capital One comes upon IL on every hand.
There Is politics in it too. Often meet n
senator who is opposed TO the arbitration
treaty, and upon inquiry find that he is
thinking of his Irish American constitu
ents Senators say the Irish Americans are
almost TO man opposed TO arbitration ar.
rangcmcnts with England. | suppose this
sort OF prejudice is bred I'm them, and that
many more generations will be required to
get 10 out, II IL ever does come out. What
ever the right or wrong of IL may be-and
with that we have nothing to do--thc fact
remains that our IrishAmerican fellow
citizens-and good citizens they are, too,
and many Of them-arc in n quiet but none
tho less effective way exercising n great
deal of influence at Washington at this
juncture I'm the affairs of nations.
1t Is also my duty rs conscientious cor
respondent to report that tka-sympathy OF
the American people with the struggling
Cubans Is rapidly increasing here. For n
time it was stillcd because of n feeling that
the time had not come for overt action and
that it would not be wise to recognize the
independence Of Cuba as the first step. But
since the PRONUNCIATION Of the alleged Span.
ish reforms in Cuba and General Gomezs
rctuarka hle statcment OF the aims and pur.