The San Francisco call., 1897-02-14
Ratification of the Arbitra-
tion Treaty Impossible
This Session.
Senator's Morgan, Mills, DAME,
and Cameron Stubbornly Re-
fuse to Consider 1t.
Now Believed That Sherman Will
Cease to Press the Convention
for the Present.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 13.-The
meeting of the Senate Committee on For
eign Relations this morning made 1t ap-
parent that no agreement could be reached
on tho general treaty of arbitration with
Great Britain that would bring the con-
tending factions either in committee or in
the Senate together. While Sherman was
not told so in exact words, the inference
to be drawn from what Morgan. Daniel
and Cameron said was that under no cir
cumstances could this treaty be ratified at
the present session of the Senate. 1t is
believed that with the executive session OF
this afternoon Sherman will cease to press
the consideration of the conver ton and
permit other legislative business TO have
the right of way.
After an hour and a half spent in dis
cussion, the committee this morning
framed an amendment along the lines in
dicated in the dispatches of the United
Associated Presses. 1t is based upon the
amendment of which Nor an gave notice,
and puts into language the Interpretation
placed upon the convention by Turpie.
1t provides that all subjects TO be sub
mitted to arbitration under this general
treaty must be submitted IN the manner
and form prescribed for the submission
and ratification of the treaties originally.
This removes the obj ctions aimed at the
treaty by Morgan and others to the effect
that the submission of all subjects to arbi.
tration under the treaty as now worded
would be left entirely to the President. Ii
it is amended as suggested by the COM
mittee's action of this morning only such
roo 70 hrt . bo
full treaty making power of the United
States, the President and the Senate, act
ing jointly, can be submitted to arbitra-
ton.
The power to negotiate and conclude
treaties in Great Britain is lodged in the
crown and is exercised by the Premier.
Their has been no suggestion that the
British treaty-maGing power has been
changed by the terms of this treaty, and
Turpie's contention was that in like man
ner the full treaty-making power of the
United States was to sit in judgment
upon all subjects that were sought to be
taken before this high tribunal of arbitra-
ton.
The Senate did not agree with Turpie in
his Interpretation, but found the easiest
way to a possible solu tion of the problem
confronting it in giving expression to the
Interpretation in the text OF the conven-
tion. With such an amendment the treaty
is safeguarded absolutely, and the friends
OF the instrument say there should not be
dissenting vote in ratifying, for the rea-
son that the question would then come
up before the existing Senate as an org
inal proposition. The action of the COM
mittee in adopting the amendment did
n OF bring harmony. On the con trary, the
more the whole subject was discussed the
more evident it became that the differ
ences were irreconcilable.
Morgan, Daniel, Mills and Cameron re-
fused to consider the treaty in favorable
light, even after they had voted for the
amendment They opposed the conven-
ton on general grounds and said it was
impossible for them to believe that the
country would be benefited BIZ its ratifica-
tion, at the present time at least. They
refused to listen to the pleading of Sher-
man and his associates and declined to
even admit that the amendment had ac-
complished what had been sought.
The cou mittee adjourned with the
majority feeling anything but comfort
able over the outlook.
Early in the session Senator Chandler
offered an amendment to the convention
in the shape of an additional article. which