The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-21
His IMPORTANCE II SEglTg
ONLY MAN IN FOREIGN AFFAIRs
COMMITTEE UNDERSTANDING
HAY-PAUNCEFOTE TREATY
AND THE OTHER ONE PENDING
Only Man in the Body Who Has HAS
tered Their Complicated De-
tails and Can Explain
Effects on Trade

CHICAGO, Nov. 20.-Wfllian e. Cur.
It's wires from Washington to the Reco<.J
the following:
The illness of Senator Davis. of Min
nesota, without considering the possibility
OF death, is calamity to the nation.
because, just at this time he is the most
important man in the United States SEN
ate. During the last session of congress
a number of treaties We're hung up until
after the election because each one Of
them was objected to by certain inter
eSted parties who exercise more or less
political influence. The Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, which must be ratified before anv
canal Dill can be passed, was offensive
to the Irish because 1t recognized our
obligations as government to the Brit
1sh nation. The French reciprocity
treaty was objected to by the manufac-
turers of pinchback jewelry in Rhode
Island and dress trimmings in New Jer-
sey. The sheep owners of Ohio " ere not
willing that the coarse wool Of the Ar
gentine Republic, which is used only for
carpetmaking, should be admitted to this
country at reduction of 20 per cent Of
the Dingley duty, for fear it would he
used to adulterate our merino wool In the
manufacture of cheap clothing
There are several other treaties of re-
clprocity, commerce and eXtradition upon
which action was postponed until after
the election because the Republican ma
uonal committee feared to have the senate
make record on these various points;
but Is was agreed all round that prompt
action should be taken upon all of them
a the approaching session. There will be
more or less opposition, but unle s the
Democrats, to. disconcert the Republicans
offer a solid opposition all the treaties
Will be ratified
FAMILIAR WITH ALL.
1t is a somewhat remarkable fact that
Senator Davis is the only man thorough
ly familiar with these treaties. He is the
only member of the committee on for
eign rela tons who has mastered the
complicated details and can explain the
effect upon our commerce and interna-
tioral relations of the ratification of these
various conventions. Nor is it possib a
during a single session for any member.
of the committee to famiIiarize hins E, f
with the Intricate qualifications OF the
various provisions of the reciprocity
treaties.
Senator Frye stands second on the
committee of foreign relations. ard is
no doubt the ablest member of that com
m1ttee, as we'll as the readiest debater.
lie understands the commercial side OF
the questions thoroughly, but has never
given international law the same study
as Senator Davis. Mr.. Frye and Senator
Morgan are qualified to take charge OF
the fay-Pauncefote treaty and the canal
bill, but they know nothing OF the de-
tails Of the reciprocity treaties Senator
Foraker is plunging into foreign affairs
and giving that subject more attention
than any of the new members OF the
committee. Senator. Lodge is a specialist
in that line, but neither of them las any
thing like the comprehensive knowledge
that Senator Davis possesses and cannot
ill his place.