The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-10
Mr.. BBPBURN'S POSITION
He Is Opposed to Ratifying the
Hay-PauncefOte Treaty.
He Does Not Think That the Pen
dency of the Convention VIII In
tcrfere With the Canal BiII-PIca
of the Secretary of state-Comparcd
With the sucz Canal Agreement.

and Foreign Commerce. is opposed to the
ratification of the Hay Pauncefote Treaty.
He said last night that It ought not to
be ratified. Il do not know" he said.
that the tendency of the treaty will in
terfere with action by Congress on the
Nicaragua Canal bill, but do know that
the ratification of the treaty would imrair
the value and utility TO the United States
OF the canal. The negotiation OF the treaty
was most unfortunate. This treaty re-
aftirms the principles of the Clayton Bull
wer Treaty conceding all the claims and
contentious of Great Britain. and sur
rendering the claim that Great Britain has
by her own action given us the right at
any time TO abrogate the Clayton Bulwer
Treaty. 1t surrenders everything TO Great
Britain, abandoning our contention Of years
that We might abrogate the treaty at will.
Moreover, it recognizes the right OF any
foreign power TO interfere and dictate with
reference to our negotiations with the in
dependent Governments of this continent.
II abandons the Monroe Doctrine
Mr.. Hepburn said in effect that IL the
| canal is to be of no greater advantage to
the United States than TO any other nation,
ne could see no objection to its beini, built
by another power, or paid for by any COM
bination of powers. II the canal is 70 be
an American canal. it ought to be subject
10 the control of the American Govern
ment One of the most effective means of
maintaining control of the waterway would
| be to fortify 1t. To take away this right
would virtually take away the right OF con-
troll. and at a time when its control would
be OF the highest importance American
diplomacy, Mr.. Hepburn thought, had re-
trogsded twenty years
MIR. Hepburn declared with emphasis that
tue committee would proceed with the canal
proposition along American lines and in
dependently OF any action which the Sen
ate might take. He hoped that the United
States would have plenary powers ever
the isthmian waterway.
senate oracles said yesterday that the
Hay Pauncefote Treaty will be ratified. de-
spite the fact that ii revivifes the defunct
Clayton Bulwer Treaty of 1850 and not
withstanding popular objection. II vas
was said b. these oracles that the oppo-
sition in the Senate 10 the ratification OF
the treaty is OF the eva!tescent kind II
was declared that the out burst of hostility
which greeted the announcement of the
terms OF the treaty was but a spasm, and
that this has already subsidized so far as to
insure ratification. ~
The Committee on Foreign Relations is !
preparing an elaborate report recommend |
ing that the treaty be ratified II was an !
nounced at the Capitol yesterday tha.- Sec !
rotary Hay had informed the members of |
that committee that the treaty bore the |
endorsement of the Administration and |
that it was the desire of President Nc |
kinley that ii should be confirmed The |
Secretary of State is reported TO have |
said that any change in the terms of the |
treaty would imperil the prospects OF its |
acceptance by Great Britain in the altered |
form, and that it would be better. then.
had the negotiations never been under |
taken. 1t has been given out at the Cap
itol that the President intends TO compel |
ratification of the treaty by suasion,
patronage. and placatien.
Senator Morgan. Chairman Of the Com
mlttee on lnteroceanic Canals, and a mem |
Der OF the Committee on Foreign Rela- |
tions, advocates the adoption of the treaty !
as II stands. In the course OF his mis- I
sionary work for the instrument Senator
Morgan has caused TO be printed as a pub
lie document the Convention between
Great Britain, Germany. Austria Hungary.
Spain. France, The Netherlands. Russia,
and Turkey respecting the free navigation |
of the Suez Maritime Canal which was
signed at Constantinople October %. 1855
The purpose Of this is to show the sim
ilarity of the terms under which the Suez
Canal is maintained and the terms under
which II is proposed TO maintain the Mica
ragua Canal.
Article l of the convention signed at
Constantinople provides that
The Suez Maritime Canal shall always be free
and open. in time of war as in time OF peace
~ Of nQFgg of fha..t
distinction OF flag
Consequently the high contracting parties agree
not in any way 10 interfere with the free use
Of the canal in time u War in time Of peace |
The canal shall never lie subjected 10 the eyer-
else Of the right Of blockade.
Article " provides:
The Maritime Canal remaiIing orcn in time
OF war as a free passage, to the ships Of
war OF belligerents according TO the terms Of
Article ! Of tho present treaty the high con
tracing parties agree that no right OF war, no
act of hostility, nor any act having for its
object TO obstruct the free navigation OF the
canal, shall be committed in the canal and its
ports of access IS well as within radius of
three marine miles from those ports even though
the Ottoman Empire should be one Of the bellig-
erpnt powers.
Vessels OF war Of beligerenis shall not rcviotual
or take in stores IN the canal AVID its poT1s OF
access. except Ia 80 far as may be strictly neces-
slry The transit Of the Aforesaid vcssels through
the canal shall De effected with the least possible
force. and without any other intermission than
that resulting from the necessities Of the ser
vice
Their STAY al Poff Said and in the roadstead
OF Suez shall rot exceed tweniS<four hour ex-
oept in case Of distress. In such case they shall
lie bound to lave as possible. An in
teryal OF tweIty-four hours shall always eiapse
between the sailing OF belligerent ship from
ono Of the ports Of access and the departure Of
a ship belonging to the hostile power.
Articles V and VI also treat OF the same
feature OF the convention.
The following resolution was introduced
in the House of Representatives yesterday
by Mr. Sulzer of New York;
Resolved, That in the judgment Of Ire House
Of Representatives tie bill for the construction
Of the Nicaragua Canal to be exclusively burt.
owned and controlled by the Government Of .!,e
I nited States should be Immediately passed AID
into law regardless OF the pending Hay
The United States Senate; and that said treaty
policy Of the Monroe Doctrine, s,rrcnders Ameri.
the so-called C.4yton-B1lwer Treaty long since |
9psed and nov all and void
In commenting on the resolution Mr..
Sulzer said:
THE resolution spsaks for itself and
needs no comment. We should build the |
canal and own it and control it without
waiting for the consent of Great Britain
Or any other power on earth"