The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-11
1t Relieves This Country From
an Embarrassing Position.
The state Department rsswes = state
ment Designed to Correct some
Popular Misspprehenstcn and En-
deavors 10 stop Opposition Now
DeveIopsnw to the Hay-raunce-
fote Treaty, q Measure. IL II
Cia ed, Mt Least Far Preferable
to Convention witch IL II Desiwa-
ed 10 and Does Abrogate.

Special Dispatch to the Post-lnte eliigencer.
WASHINGTON. Feb. ie.--The state de-
partment issued a statement today re-
garding the pauncefote treaty. In
tended 70 correct misspprehensions as To
the position Of the government What
follows L. careful condensations
An Erroneous rdea.
"A portion OF the public and press seem
10 have altogether an erroneous Idea OF
the position OF tho United States In re-
lation to the Clayton Baiwer treaty. II
Is generally assumed that the treaty Is
now extinct. and that the Hay-Faunce-
fote convention either revives or con-
firms its provisions The fact H. tho
treaty. made fifty years ago. ha. never
been questioned rs TO its force and valid
ity by any English cabinet nor by AIRY
American cabinet. except that OF Fresi-
dent Arthur Freiinehuysen alone. OF all
the secretaries ef state who have had TO
deal with the matter conteuaed the treaty
WAS voidabie, but hts argument had 70
little effect when put forward that It WAS
soon dropped and never renewed.
what BIaine said About IL.
This position OF Blaine was enormously
stated to be the same as that Of Frriing-
huysen. but In fact 1t was the same as
that Of the present secretary of state.
Blaine took tho ground that while n has
been repeatedly admitted on both sides
that the treaty was misunderntnndlngiy
entered into. impcrfectly comprehendsh.
contradicfortty interpreted and mutually
vexatious II Was not 10 be gotten rid Of
except by negotiation Bimine said.
:" Tho proposal of this government n
to free the Clayton-Bulwer treaty from
those embarrassing features and leave II.
49,. .4.x
full and perfect settlement for ali time
OF all possible issuea between the United
States and Great Britain with regard TO
Central America,
Cannot R~pudiate . Treaty.
III the present treaty In rejected by tho
senate, or so amended as to make its rat
iflcation Impossible, we fail back upon the
Clayton Bulwer treaty. and arc baund by
Its provisions. however objectionable they
may be. II II. ~ course always In tho
power OF a nation. as of an individual %
repudiats its obligations and 10 decline
To be bound by them when they become
disagreeabie or dlaadvantaEeour hat thts
course OF action IL usaaily as expensive IN
nne case ns IN the other The traditions
OF American diplomacy are fhoN@ of a
strict and honorable fnlhilmenf OF every
International obligation. and now that
satisfactory and STRAIGHTFORWARD tsane
from - situation which had become ntols
erahla IL presented ta the government ~
tho United states. Il 4 not believed u
viii b@ rejected A. TO thoae who pre-
tend TO see IN uls lgfhrnlan canal uan-
saution an alliance with Great Bfftaia Ii
may ire said that the uniy alliance witch
now binds ug 20 Great prttatn 10 the clay.
t1rs.I Isuiwar treaty Nhieh seery nArnlnis.
tratlun for halt q century has fasf ~ he
a fisssyaHfhge 70 us, ana of whlsh af
last hy great good fortune. we are now
able 70 rid uufhaivea"
Rival Claimants 10 Praarhise.
THE state department oflelals admit
that the existence ot two great interests
claiming exclusive concessions in the
Nicaragua oannl project tssas 10 eenpll-
este very much ths negotiations witch
must be undertaken with Nieafaxaa asd
Costa Rlcn aa the condition psneedens to
the aenusA!tioR of ffghtsossway f8s
the canal BY the Taisaa stafsa. The
department haa not felt itssif called ugnn
20 decide between these rival interests.
but attention IL aifretaa e. the fact shat
the conflict n now subject fe arbitration.
which the Nicaragua gevafasaens has sa-
thptigea. should 4 hs Gscitsa fhsa either
claimant ~ saaatlea - airy egaGsmssaa.
then the problem would hs very seasa
straplislsa Hnt should " heia THAI ess
~ sha parties has had just elatta. them
u will be necessary for esnkssss. IN pNr%
fectinr ,tse &ieAxagaaa sssli 90 Hsmks sure
that sulsahls proelaina Il Snriga@a 70 coma
p~naats shs caaoeea5gpariea for sSg easd-
fies they may rpas@as,
ordrr~d "a seattle.
MAJ GarxAles e Bingham, agssssrfas.-
ter a. sehuvlEfi Arasnai rhtls6eipaia.
tms heem oresrsa 20 seafsis for duty as
ehsas auartsFmaStsr ~ sAs e~p@ftrn.nt
cf Alaska
Representative Caahfaaa leaves Tonight
soF Easfun. where hs Wit speak before
shs alaalessx Club 4f the Lsneoln birth
day banquet Monday evening