The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-13


Every day at the Capitol lets fresh day
light into the amazing Hay -Pauncefote
Treaty and every hour of debate seems to
drive additional nails in its coffin. No
body knows what the next week may bring
forth. but today the consensus of opinion
is that the chance that the iniquity will
be ratified in any form, or with any
changes or amendments, is rapidly grow
ing less and less.
The proceedings in the Senate on Tues
day appear significant of this. Through
out all the discussion of the convention
last winter and spring the friends of the
British alliance managed TO keep num-
Der of facts cleverly concealed under the
language of the document from attracting
public attention. That is no longer posi-
Bile. The Administration flattered itself
that. given success at the polls in Novem-
Der, it would be easily able to sam the
y-Pauncefote business through in ex-
quired by Lord Salisbury. But many Sen
ators have taken time during the recess
to study the Treaty. particularly in its re-
lations to the null and void Clayton
Bulwer Treaty. which it is designed to
clothe with life never before possessed,
and fasten upon the United States as fully
as il the old agreement had been entered
upon and maintained in good faith by
Great Britain. something which never hap
pened.
1t is not unnatural that there should tie
a divergence of expressed opinion between
the American and British elements in the
Senate. The former. as represented by
Senator Beveridge in Tuesdays debate,
holds that under the wording of the Hay
Pauncefote Treaty the engagement by the
United St~tes never to fortify, colonize,
or occupy, whether directly or indirectly,
Nicaragua, Costa RIGA, the Mosquito
Coast. or any part of Central America, or
10 assume or exercise any dominion there
in, made in the first article of the Clay
:on- Bulwer Treaty. would be revived. and
would proven. this Government from ac-
quiring the territory necessary for the
purposes of canal construction. mainten-
ance, and control. Senator Lodge does
not take that view, though why, We are
unable to see. If the Clayton Bulwer pro-
hibition we're given life 1t is impossible
TO conceive how it could be construed SO
as to permit this Government to acquire
by a practically unlimited lease posses
sion of and jurisdiction over strip of
territory across one part of Central Amer
lea and lying in the States of Nicaragua
and Costa Rica, as is proposed. II the
text means what it says, it would bind
us not to do that very thing, directly or
indirectly
The country is indebted to Senator Ma
son for raising the important point that
the revived Clayton Bulwer Treaty would
forever bar us from annexing a Central
American State or any territory on the
isthmus, no matter what in future might
| be the necessity for such action. or the
anxiety of the Central American Govern
ments or people 10 be annexed. If the
Hay auncefote Treaty should be ratified,
even with the Davis and Teller amend
ments added, the prohibition would still
| come into full life and activity, and there
is not the least ground for reasonable
doubt that ii would be invoked against us
by Great Britain and the other Powers of
Europe whom the British Government has
shrewdly arranged to engage as allies to
help it see that We do not violate or evade
our obligations as England did hers in 1862.
Thus our hands would be tied in Central
America in perpetuity, for the United
States would never be in position to ac-
quire or to COLOMBO, occupy or exercise
dominion in that region without the con-
sent OF all and singular the adherents
sgnatory to the Hay -Pauncefote Conven-
tion.
Is il worth while TO surrender orr free
hand in the Western Hemisphere TO the
Concert of Europe, merely that Mr.. John
Hay may save his face and he able to per-
form some of his promises to Great
Britain? We think not. The more these
sly and cunning British canal treaties are
sifted. the more evident 1t becomes that
they would be dangerous il everything in
them were Cancelled but the preambles and
signatures. The duty Of the Senate is as
clear as possible. 1t is TO reject the Hay
Pauncefote Treaty, join with the House in
declaring the Clayton Bulwer Treaty dead
and buried, and then proceed to pass the
Hepburn Morgan Nicaragua Canal Lii.
Missionary Loot I'm China.
We were glad TO learn from one of our
pekin dispatches yesterday that the qucs-
ton Of indemnity for missionaries is
in fair way to solve itself, and go relieve
the Administration OF considerable EN-
barrassment in dealing with the Chinese