The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-18
TREATY OF
Arbitration
To be FavorabIy Reported 10 the
Senate To-day.
THERE ARE MANY AMENDMENTS
TO TIE ORIGINAL DRAFT, BUT
THE SCOPE OF TIE TREATY HAS
NOT BEEN TOUCHED-THE OBJ
JECTloNABI.E AMENDMENTS
HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.

Washington. March 11.-The Senate
committee on foreign relations spent two
hours this morning in the consideration
OF the general treaty of arbitration with
Great Britain and then ordered n iayorn
bic report to he made to the Senate to.
morrow with amendments in line with
those indicated in these dispatches here
tofore.
The amendments are administrative
only in character. The scope of the treaty
has not been touched. Much of the pub-
lie criticism against the action of the
committee during the last session was
due to the alleged fact that the commit.
tee had emasculated the convention and
made it IL mere shell.
The amendment to the first orticle
that no question relative to the foreign
or domestic policy of either party should
he included, which was previously given
such prominence, has disappeared en-
tirely.
The same result is reached, however.
i'll Il very different manner.
Ihe designation of King Oscar of Swe-
den and Norway as the umpire has been
stricken out, as has been ali reference 10
the Justices of the supreme court of the
United States as members of the tribunal
established under the treaty In place of
'ii'S ueatSilalion IL Is stipulated that
Jurlsts of repute" shall he named by the
President To act aS such ''arbtrars. The
chief amendment to the convention. how
ever, is found in the clause which re
serves to the L. & Senate the sanction
OF the whole treaty making power i'm lie
gliding what questions shall be submitted
10 arbitration. This provision will make
1t necessary for the President to submit
TO the Senate for its approval all uues-
lions intended 20 be submitted to the ar
bitral court. The committee have acted
i'll the belief that it has only reserved to
this Government the identical power re-
served by Great BRITAIN, which. under
the treaty decides through it's premier
what questions shall be arbtrated Tn
der the British form ..of government one
man alone, the premier, acting for the
crown, determines all matters of this sort
ana is the sole treaty making power of
that nation. There is, under this general
treaty, no deviation from the universal
rule of the British government, and req.
soninG thus, the Senate committee sees
no reason why there should he any change
IN the practlces-based upon the stipula-
tlonS oil the written contitution-that
haze governed such questions with us
since the foundation Of our Government.
In other words, both powers are made
equal and the subsequent proceedings uu-
dcithe treaty, after it shall have been rat.
lied, Will proceed according to the laws
of the respective~sgovernments of the con-
tracing parties.
1t Is needless to point out that under
the treaty rs thus amended no argument
can consistently be advanced that the
Senate is relinluishing any of the prerog-
atives given it by the constitution 1t
Will, by ratifying this treaty, endorse and
subscribe to the doctrine of universal ar
bitraJion to which the United States
stands pledged, ana then leave all qucs
tons rs to details connected.with the sub
mission of specific subjects to the consti-
tuted authorities of both countries
Acting Chairman Davis will urge as
speedy action in the Senate as possible.
1t is quite likely that much of the time
during the next two weeks will be spent
in. executive session. Pending the arri-
val of the tariff hill in the Senate the
treaty will lie discussed, together with
the consideration of Presidential nomina.
tions, and it is the confident expectation
OF the committee that it will he able to
have this convention out of the way bv
the first of 4 priI