The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-12-26
FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
From OR O,cn Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. "a, 1900.
The Hay PauncefOte treaty has Leen
ratified and the long struggle against
Anglomania in the State Department
ls temporarily at m end. Secretary
Hay has kindly agreed to ssc-::aaco his
own feelings and submit the amended
treaty to tho British government, but
states frankly that he does not SEQ how
fief s.a!ess. can possi5iy accept It's
neutrality-suspicious. which he at frat
declared that it would be an insult for
him even to offer for her consideration.
Ii may be stated, indeed, that Mr. Hay
would have Withdrawn the treaty had
1t not been for Lord Pauncefote, the
British Ambassador, who did not seem
to SEQ the insuperable objections to it
that Mr.. Hay does. AS n matter of
fact, the treaty does not go far enough
to preserve tho bare rights of the Uni
ted States, as it still contains the OBJ
jectionable clause forbidding fortiiica-
tions, which would enable our ships to
leave the canal in time of war and 90
to meet tho enemy elsewhere. Posi-
bly,, the real reason for Mr.. Hays op-
position to amendment, is shown by
the following official statement given
out at the State Department. "What-
over odium there is in connection with
the so-called Hay -Pauncefote treaty
rests entirely with the State Depart
ment. The compact was drawn up en-
tirely by the State Department and
submitted to Great Britain with the
result that it was approved without
| change. even tho crossing Of II ..t:: OF
the dotting of 'i." Every line, word,
and letter of the treaty is rs it was pre-
pared by the State Department." In
other words, Great Britain had nothing
to do with drawing up the treaty that
Hay declared itwOuld be IN insult to
her to amend! 1t was Mr.. Hays love
for his handiwOrk that made him so
oppose the amendment and not con-
Germ solely for the country's welfare.
However, the treaty has been amended
aud passed and tits up to Great Britain
to act. The chances are that she will
do nothing until after March 4th, when
Congress adjourns, and then will open
negotiations with Secretary Hay, who
has shown himself so facile, for n new
treaty. in which concessions-pOssibly
new strip of Alaska, or port for
Canada-wlll be traded for the right to
build the canal. BY next winter, Bri-
tain may be out Of South Africa and
not so dependent on tho friendship of
the United States rs she is at present.
No decision ls expected from the Su-
preme Court in the Porto Rican cases
for Mt least two months after January
18th, when the second batch of these
cases is to be argued. The belief is
freely expressed here, however, that
the court is radically divided IN the
main question, and that the balance of
power will finally be left in the hands
of the Chief Justice: The confidence
of the Administration has been rndely
shaken by the attitude of former Presi-
dents Benjamin Harrieon and Grover
Cleveland, both Of whom have great
weight with the Supreme Court, and
by the fact that Attorney General
Griggs, during his argument on We'd
nesday, was piled with apparently hos
tile questions by Justices Brewer, Har-
Ian, White and Brown. If these Judges
are hostile to the Administration
position and all of the others are agree
able to the AdministratiOn's position it
leaves narrow majority of ono vote.
1t is recalled that President Harrison
appointed Justices Brewer, Shiras and
Brown and President Cleveland ap-
pointed Justices Fuller, White and
Peckham. While no one expects that
any of these judges are likely to be in
fuenced by opinions Entertained by the
distinguished former Presidents who
placed them on the bench, it is never
less an interesting fact that two thirds
OF the Justices of the Supreme Court
owe their appointments to former
Presidents who are now assailing the
imperialistic policy of the Administra-
tion.
Mr. Cleveland's views as to the future
of the Democratic party have caused
considerable comment here, where the
general criticism is the same as that
offered by Mr.. Bryan-a lack of def
niteness as to what he considers the
basic principles of Democracy towhich
he wishes to return. It is rather an
cient history, to argue the matter now,
but there Is no real doubt that free
silver was in accord with these "basic
principles" AS for Mr.. Cleveland's
plea "to give the rankand file chance"
1t is said that if they did not have q
chance at Chicago and Kansas CITY
they never will have. Certainly the
leaders did not control at either of
these placeS-were not even present
there, for the most part. It is pointed
out, too, that Mr.. Cleveland himself
never brought out, even approximate
", the full strength of his party vote.
Mr. Bryan was defeated in 1895, hut he |
received at least 100000 more ballots