Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-03-16
|T MAY KILL THE TREATY
Senate Amendment to Canal Pact
Not Likely to Be Accepted by
Great Britain.
HAY AND PAUACEFOTE IN CONFERENCE,
Evident That They Do Not Like the
Action of the senate Committee
President Will Probably Sign the
Treaty If Passed = The French
Treaty.

London, March IL. - No action has
been taken by the government regard.
ing the change which has come over the
Nicaragua convention, as reported
through the lengthy cable dispatches
dealing with the action of the foreign
relations committee The United
States government, apparently, has
made no representations to Lord Sails
bury since the convention was signed,
and the affair seems unlikely to be Of
ficially discussed until the final con-
gressional action puts it in such shape
That 1T becomes matter for diplomat
&c reconsideration. Pending this, Off
cial opinion is reserved, and it is imros-
sble to say what action Great Britain
is likely to take regarding the senate's
amendment of the treaty.
The Pail Mall Gazette comments on
the new situation as follows:
1.-THE foreign relations committee has
certainly gone far to wreck the Hay Paunce-
Tote treaty. il only for this reason, that
powers other than the two most directly
concerned might refuse to acquiesce in
the modification, even if the British gov
crnment accepted it. A fresh start, it
may be, will have to be made after the
presidential election"
Amendment Not Acceptable.
Washington, March ~. - Lord
Pauncefote, the British ambassador,
was in conference with Secretary HAY
for half an hour at the state depart
ment Saturday. The officials have
nothing to say touching the future of
the pending Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
1t is plain to be seen, however, that
the action of the senate committee in
bringing in the amendment Friday is
not acceptable, and is regarded by
the officials as greatly endangering
the life of the treaty. If the SEN
ate first adopts this amendment and
then ratifies the treaty, conclusion
by no means Ger ain, in the official
mind, ii is said flat the president will
feel obliged to sign it, placing the re-
sponsbility upon the senate, and then
leaving it to the British government
to accept or reject. The officials be-
lieve that the British will reject the
treaty, and in that case the Clayton
Bulwer treaty will prevail again it's
force having been recognized, accord
ing to the officials, not only by the
executive branch of our government
in preparing this pending treaty, but
also by the senate of the United
States, as evidenced in the report
which accompanied the treaty Friday
when it was presented to the senate.
The French Treaty.
Washington, March 12.-While the
aekate dcpass.sssnsseA has not finally ar
ranged with the French government
for an extension of the time allowed
for the ratification of the pending
French reciprocity. treaty, it is said
at the department that there is no
doubt that such an arrangement can
be effected.
Regarding the probable length of
the extension, it may be stated that,
although willing to yield to the pres
sure of more urgent legislative bust
ness in the senate, the administration
is particularly anxious to secure ac-
ton upon the treaty before the expi-
ration of the present session of con-
gress The principal reason for urg-
ing such action is desire to secure
to the American exhibitors at the APP
preaching Paris exposition some SUBJ
stantial trade benefits in return for
the large amount of money which is
to be invested in that enterprise by
the United States government and the
exhibitors themselves. The depart
ment officials will also urge upon the
senate that the ratification of the
treaty during the present session will
place in their hands powerful weap-
on with which to meet the dangerous
aggressions of the German reichstag
upon American commerce, as evil
denced in the action taken in that
body on the meat inspection bill.
German Meat Bill.
Our government has as yet taken
no cognizance, officially, of the prog
ress of the meat bill in the German
legislative branch but it has been of
course impossible for the officials pri-
vately to ignore the fact that the
agrarian element has defeated the
German executive as it stands. and
that the meat bill had been adopted
in the most offensive form, from our
standpoint. Therefore, they have al
ready been considering what steps
should be taken to protect our inter
ests in the event that the measure is
finally approved in it's present form
by the bundesrath, and SO becomes
the law of Germany. While there is
ample authority in the statute books
for the most severe retaliation, it nav
be stated that the official mind is dis.
posed to seek still another measure
of power, and there is now in contem.
plation the recommendation of legis
lation which will impose heavy dis
eliminating tax upon the shipping Of
any country that unjustly discrimi
mates against American products.
Matter of Inquiry.
Washington, March IL. = AT tn,
opening of Saturdays session of thu
senate Senator Allen (Neb.) offered ;
resolution directing the committee OIL
rules to report to the senate why tn,
secretary of the senate had not fol
several years reported at the beginning
of each session the number of clerks
messengers and other employees, togeth
or with their salaries, in accordance
with provision of the statutes.
Senator Allen said that the state
ment had not been made for severa.
years. An agreement reached a mum
Der of years ago by senator's had beer
violated and the senate force had beer
rapid1v ipcraaSa1 nnt;l ~ nn.y 1,,p,