The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-15
C;rcnIation Statement.
The .Ialn rolnt: nulla the canal.

The Main Point. Build the Canal.
Aside from the encouragement given by
the United States Senate TO the project OF
an exclusively American inter-ocean.e
canal, there is great satisfaction in
noting the revival of oId-fashioned
Amerieanism in that body-something
which for some years has not been as
much in evidence as one could wish As
the matter stands today. the Hay
Pauneefote Treaty is as dead as the
corrupt Clayton BuIwer bargain which it
was designed to rescue from the grave
and gaIvanize into life again. True. the
treaty, after being amended out OF all
likeness to its original form, may be rati-
led. The only difference in that event VIII
he that Great Britain and not We viii
finally knoeB it on the head.
II the two amendments reported IA
vorably by the Committee on Foreign Re
lsucrs are adopted. Article III. which
would introduce the Concert of Europe
20 joint control with England. will be
stricken out, and Article I VIII contain
distinct declaration that the Clayton
Bui6er Treaty IS superseded by the later
one As matter of course, Lord Sails
hurry VIII refuse 10 accept the Hay
Pauneefote Convention in the shape it viii
return to him, If at all AS amended, it
viii have lost all OF its value to the
British Government, and failed in every
thing it vas concocted to accomplish.
The general tone of the English press on
~
ening. The London Times takes the oc-
casion TO air is intimate knowledge OF
American institutions, in expressing the
opinion Jaat the new Senate meeting IN
March may not consider itself bound by
the present vote Other journals make
faces in several different ways. but
all take pains TO assert that the failure
az the Hay-PauRcefote Treaty will bring
matters back TO the Clayton BuIwer ba-
Eis on which England has rights the ex-
srcise Of which VIII probably delay con
struction Of the canal for many years.
ne are qrite unable 70 coincide with this
view OF our London contemporaries. Per-
haps, as Inc executive branch of this Coy
ernmert has On some occasions gratuItous-
~ recognized the existence CT the Clayton
Bulwer Convention as a binding agree
msnt, We may be forced TO admit that it is
existent enough N a strictly technical
sense to need abrogatiou in one OF another
way. But it IS an instrument which Great
Britain need let think can be invoked any
longer 10 the detriment of this country
Great Britain deliberately violated and
nulliied the Clayton Bulwer Treaty in
1862, and viii not be permitted now to re-
yiye any old rights or powers which might
have been claimed under it but for that
violation and notification
There is not the slightest reason .hy
the United States should be bashful or
meaIy-m0uthed in the premises. When
England caught US engaged IN vast civil
war. and for the time being unable TO
protect our rights under treaties with
Perfdious States. she promptly seized the
occasion to establish the Crown Colony of
British Honduras in Central America
after s0lemniy agreeing not to do SO in
he Clayton-Bulver Convention Now. IL
Is difficult to see why we should ce Ear
iculaTly dif5deHt about returning a TART
Of that compliment. and quietly but firm
y serve notice upon the Mother Country
hat the agreement broken and terminated
9y British bad faith, is no longer to be
considered as afft citing the rights of the
United States, or limiting its freedom Of
action in the Western Hemisphere.
Passage OF the Hepburn Morgan bill
Eould abrogate the CIayton-BuIwar
Treaty as to any provision in the latter
n conflict with the former. There is no
question about the law in the matter.
The Supreme Court in the Chinese ExcIu-
sion cases distinctly decided that en act
Of Congress supersedes and terminates
any prior treaty engagement not il ac-
eCrdance with its terms. The amended
Hay auncefote Treaty doubtless would
serve the. same purpose if there were any
chance OF its being accepted by the Brit
ish Foreign ONCE. which there IS pot
So, probably it would be prudent Tor our
Legislature to pass joint resolution de-
claratory Of our purpose no longer TO be
bound by the terms OF the old IaDsed con-
vention. and 50 make an end of that b..si-
ness.
We do not believe that the Administra-
tons priced ally viii 90 to war with US
over the affair; but if we are mistaken.
It does not signify England might GER
tainly iEiict enormous damage Oh US at
sea; but-we should come very near starv-
iag her population. and cur cruisers might
make things uncomfortable for good
deal OF British commerce. Moreover.
Great Britain would surely lose Canada
in the course of the shake-up. and knows
1t. There is very little te be anticipated
from our transatlantic relatives more
terrible than bad language. to which we
have been used for a century and a quar-
ter, We can stand it. We can also build.
own, control. operate. and fortify the
canal. and We viii.
A Hoer Anniversary Celebration.