The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-17
AMER1cAN1z1NG THE TREATY.
Week Brings About "a Pronounced
Change of Sentiment.

/ E. the, Amerieanizing of the Hay-Pauncc-
1-s is proceeding with commenda-
1s in the Senate. The remarkable
t connection with this matter is
elk ago many Senators who row
et l its vital provisions were active
port and contendcd that it should
without any alterations. Said a
ai1" Democratic Senator yesterday:
NO ,,esty sought to be negotiated in
| modern times has been more inherently
wrong than this one. The fact that the
President and his Secretary Of State were
in tayor OF it appears TO have been a suf-
ficislL iRducameEt to many Senators to
support it without question. Now that
their eyes have been opened to its flaI-
rant character they are among the first 20
stand Out for changes which Will make il
unpalatable to Great Britain.
THE decision of the President TO permit
the treaty to remain in the Senate and be
amended and ratified. while surprising to
several Senators who bad gained differ
ent impression through repeated visits to
the White House, is regarded as a most
sensible action. Mr.. Mckinley has wisely
accepted the fact that the executive
branch of the Government has compare
lively little latitude so far as the making
of conventions with other nations goes If
he had Withdrawn the treaty after going
through the form of submitting it to tire
Senate his reputation as the chief servant
of the people would have gained no ius-
tre.''
Close Observers of the situation agree
that the position of Secretary Hay il far
and away more embarrassing than Is that
of the President. He went out of his path
to become a party to an agreement that
nullified the spirit OF the Monroe Doctrine
and gave Great Britain rights in this hemi-
sphere which that doctrine was distinctly
ruunciated to prevent.
There was absolutely no need of
treaty with Great Britain governing the
construction and operation Of the proposed
Nicaragua Canal" said a Southern Senator
last night. Diplomatic history is full of
instances where Great Britain has ignored
the provisions of the Clayton Bulwer
Treaty. the only possible basis for the
Hay Pauncefote convention. A little study
on the part of Mr.. Hay would have re-
vealed these. 1t suits Great Britain now
20 assume that the former treaty is strictly
in force, but she knows that such is not
the case. and when the pending treaty is
emaseu.ated and forwarded TO the British
Government. as IL will be in good time. and
when the work of &C Instruction Of the canal
is begun by the United States Government.
rs IL W All Dt III II VIII DS
seen that the British lion will do nothing
more than groyl."
The handling of the revised treaty by
Mr.. Hay to Lord Pauncefote will of course,
be an exceedingly dlsagreeable perfor-
nance. and it may be that he will accom-
pany IT with the laying down of his port
folio. although several OF his friends in
the Senate yesterday declared that he will
take his medicine" gracefully. one Sen
ator going to the extent of saying that it
would take six-mule team 10 drag him
out of the State Department
Whatever may be Mr. Hays plan In
connection with the fate Of the treaty. it is
certain that the Senate has decided to re-
rlcve from II any suspicion of its having
been conceived in Downing Street. 1t viii
10 lit only for the junk heap when the
Senate gers through with il. Great Britain
viii be advised by its provisions that the
Clayton -Bulwer Treaty, which. in fact has