The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-20
And Another VIII Strike Out the Sec
fion Submitting the Document to
All Nations for Their Consent.
NO WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN
MAY BE ILL-FEELING OVER THE
AMENDING OF THE TREATY,
but There Is No Probability that the
Relations Of the Two Countries
VIII he Broken on.
,Dsc,a, to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-According to
agreement the Hay-Pauncefote treaty will
be voted on in the Senate at o'clock p. m.
tomorrow. The first votes taken will be on
the pending amendments, OF which, IL Is
believed, the two offered by Senator For
aker will be the only ones TO be adopted.
One provides that the treaty shall super
ssde the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, which Is
declared abrogated. The other strikes out
the section requiring the new convention to
be presented to other maritime nations for
their assent. This section is construed to
mean, IL permitted to remain in the treaty,
that the control of the canal would be
subject TO a concert of the powers. The ex-
perience of this country with the concert
OF powers in China is not so pleasant and
satisfactory as to induce the Senate to
vote for a provision that would subject an
American enterprise to concert so dis
cordant and inharmonious. Curiously
enough. while the Constitution makes a
two-thirds vote necessary to ratify treaty
or convention with another power, the in
strument may be amended by simple ma
jority vote. After the amendments have all
been disposed of one way or the other, the
final vote on the treaty will be taken. A poll
of the Senate. as accurate as circum-
stances will permit, indicates that the
treaty, as amended, will be ratified by six
votes more than the required two-thirds.
After ratification the amended treaty Will
be returned 10 the President for transmits
sion TO the British government. 1t Is un-
derstood that in doing so he will refrain
from comment. The London newspapers
have been indulging in a great deal of hos
tile criticism and have displayed much irri-
tation over the action Of the Senate in
amending the convention. for it must be
remembered that the Davis amendment
comforting on this country the right to de-
fend its own canal has already been
adopted. This amendment and those pro-
posed by Senator Foraker make the treaty
as favorable TO American interests as any
thing in the shape of treaty could do and
stand any chance of being accepted by
any other country. England's course is still
In mystery. Opinion here is divided between
the view that the English government will
ignore the amended treaty and insist on
it's alleged right TO a share in the control
OF the canal under the Clayton-Bulwer
convention and the view that that govern
ment will accept the amended treaty rather
than run the risk of having the Clayton
bulwer treaty declared abrogated by this
government If the British government
should reject or ignore the amended Hay
Pauncefote treaty and this government
should declare the Clayton-Bulwer conven-
ton abrogated, then England would have
TO abandon her pretensions to share in the
control of the isthmian canal or fight the
United Staes in the hope of maintaining
them. The suggestion that England would
go to war for such a purpose is received in
most public circles here with something
very like derision. Whatever the Senate or
Congress or the President may do in the
matter the action will be uninfiuenced by
any fear of a third war with England. 1t
Is admitted that the relations between the
two countries may be subjected to more
or less friction and strain over the canal
question before IL is finally settled, but that
they will be broken finds but little belief,
not enough materially to affect or influence
the action OF any branch of this govern
ment.