The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-14
Circulation Statement.
The senate ana the Treaty.


terday, the Senate served notice on En-
gland and Europe that the treaty making
body of this Government is 10 longer to
be considered as merely registry Office
for conventions of British manufacture.
The surprising MISUNDERSTANDING to
seventeen-by which the amendment was
carried, must be taken as an encouraging
sign OF reviving AmeTicanism in our Upper
House. So encouraging, indeed, as TO JUS
thy the hope that work Of disinfection
so well begun will be prosecuted to the
end.
As might have been anticipated, the
British press is disgruntled. The Lon
don POST this morning declares that the
non-ratifcation Of the Hay-Pauncefote
Treaty leaves the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty
Of 1850 intact a statement which would
not have been made if the London POST
editor had been we'll informed The Clay
ton-Bulwer Treaty, far from being intact,
is as dead as Hector, and has been so
since 1862 If II can be said ever TO have
had life or effect The Daily Graphic"
comedies with the view taken by the
Post. and adds some remarks on AmeTi-
can jingoism The Standard considers
the action OF our Senate as rebuff to
Mr.. Mckinley. and says that the amended
treaty cannot be accepted by Great Brit
ain. which viii now rely upon tIss rights
guaranteed by international law. The
Chronicle as usual, is bel1ieose; as
serts that worse could hardly have hap
pened if Bryan had been returned, and
SAYS: We cannot possibly stand by and
allow the CIayton-Bulwer Treaty TO be
thus imperiousIy set aside" These ex-
pressions we may regard as the final
words Of the British press on subject
as TO which its opinions are Of not the
slightest moment TO the American people.
The Senate We hope Will continue in the
course upon which il has started, and as
recommended by Senator Foraker ex-
punge Article III Of the Hay-Pauneefote
Treaty, which reads:
The Righ Contracting Parties viii, imnedi-
ately upon the exchange OF ratifcations Of this
convention, bring it 10 the notice OF the other
Powers and invite them 10 adhere 20 Il
That being done, no time should be lost
in passing a resolution notifying Great
Britain and The world that the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty is abrogated and will not
be held by this country TO bind it, or to
affect any policy or action it may adopt
or AXE in connection with its interests or
enterprises in Central America. Even
after all that has been accomplished it
viii be well for the Senate to consider
how far the ineurable vice Of the proposed
treaty has been reformed.
Great Britain gives US fair warning IN
the first article of the Hay-Pauneefote
affirmation Of the general principle" OF
naturalization established in the Clayton
Bulwer Convention No American of av-
erage intelligence can mistake the real
British object in this matter. Anything
which would make that old pseudo-agree-
ment effective and binding on the United
States, would place any trans-isthmian ca
nal that might be built at the mercy Of
the British navy, and check American ex-
pansiye tendencies in Central America.
The Davis amendment probably has ap-
peared much more important to some of its
advocates than It does to Lord Salisbury.
It reads:
TT is agreed, however, that none Of the imTne-
diately foregoing conditions and stipulations IN
sections numbered J, 2, 3, 4, and 5. OF this ar
States may ind it necessary to take for securing
by its own forces the defence Of the United States
and the maintenance OF public order"
The text OF this preventive against
British overlordship is too ambiguous to
be acceptable. It is open to Almost any
construction that European diplomacy
may choose to put upon it. We must re-
member that, notwithstanding the amend
ment, in ratifying the treaty, We would sc-
eept the general principle of neutraIi-
cation as established in the ClaytoE-BuI-
wer Convention and bind ourselves to
observe and maintain it not only as to
Great Britain, but as well to all other
Powers who should adhere to the eonven-
ton in accordance with Article III, which
reads:
The High Contracting Parties wir immediate
y upon the exchange Of Tatihcations Of this Con
vention, bring IT TO the notice Of the other
Powers and invite them to adhere to it.
To all the leading nations of the world.
therefore, ratification viii compel the
United States to he bound by the terms
OF Article of the Clayton Bulwer Treaty
except as the Davis amendment to the
Hay Pauneefote Convention may create
a possible exception-neYer - obtain or
maintain for itself any exclusive control
over the said ship canal;'' and never TO
erect or maintain any Notifications com
handing the same, or in the vicinity
thereof, or occupy. or fortify, or coIonize,
or assume, or exercise any dominion over
Nicaragua, Costa Rica. the Mosquito
Coast, or any part OF Central America.
What effect could the Davis amendment
be presumed to have upon these plain pro-
additions. That they have been a dead
letter as far as England is concerned for
fifty years. and openly ignored and defied
by her. does not matter. They will be a
collar riveted on the American neck If the
Hay Pauncefote Convention is ratified.
The amendment declares that they shall
Tot be applicable TO measures which
the United States may find it reces-
saTy to take for securing BY is own
forces, the defence OF the United States.
and the maintenance of public ORDER
But wherein does the amendment re-
IeTe uszof The prohibition against the ac-
of or attempt to exercise control
over any territory in any part Of Central
America? Senator Lodge has expressed the