The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11
THE TREATY AMENDMENT.
OFFICIALS OF JHE 0OVERNME NT
HOPE 70 DEFEAT IT.

No Secret Made Of The State Depart
msnt's positisn-Repreaentations Made
That Great Britain VIII Reject tho
Treaty II the Amendment IL Adopted.
WASHINGTON, March lO.-It became evident
to-day that officials OF the Government who are
Interested In securing the defeat OF the Davis
amendment 10 the Hay Pauncefots treaty are
ate pting to carry out their ends by an sp-
~plication OF the foreign method Of intimating
through newspapers that the treaty will be
killed n II 10 ratified with the Davis amend
ment included. A visit paid by Lord Paunce-
tote to the Secretary OF State to-day afforded a
basis for the circulation OF a report that he had
Informed the Secretary that his Government
would not accept the amendment. thus effeo-
lually disposiug of the Hay -Pauncefote agree
msnt and leaving the United States committed
to the Clayton -Bulwer Treaty.
After Lord Pauncefots's visit TO the State
Department TIE SUN reporter was told that
the Department did not Know what the
British Government would do, and In spite OF
the reports. evidently emanating from of1clal
sources. that Great Britain will reject the
treaty as amended. there 10 reason to believe
that THE SuN's reporter was correctly informed.
Lord Paunceiote appears to te equally In tho
DARK as TO the Intentions OF his Government.
When he returned to the Embassy he set about
preparing dispatches to the Foreign ONCE In
London. supposedly In regard to tho action OF
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
which kept him busy most OF the day.
SS y, s the ,ISnkniai: IL, ~s sSs sLI! Lott
r rSV"se'G on the R commit,e.'s course. al.
.ssssh ID S0 ps sacr. ,.fii ilom aI Ps'ss,s 'r lsa ,Hg;
and Lord Paunceiote Is doubtless aware OF the
attitude OF the state department.. II Lord
attitude he Is not the astute d~lplomstist that
he Is supposed To be-. Tor there has been no Sc
cret made OF the Departments hope that the
Davis amsndment will not prevail.
That tile officials concerned have very little
hope that the Senate will reject the amend
ment and ratiiy the treaty as originally con-
Guided Is equally plain but the predictions maize
fect-d IN ever y stage If the add ton proposed
by Senator Davis is accepted BY the Senate
must he taken cum grano sails. AMI In the I'M
legislative advocates of the Nicaragua. Canal
into casting their votes Or their influence
nrnts OF the Davis amephment In Government
circles have apparently ex periencel a change
OF mind since the treaty with the amend-
the Senate. When they FIRST heard Of what Sem
ator Davis intended to do they found objection
to the amendment on the ground that 1t would
the treaty and would force the United states
into an alliance with Great Britain to protect
the canal. Great Britain, they said, would be
only too glad to have the amendment adopted
on account Of the chance II gave Of com polling
the United States to lean on England Tor pro-;
Europe which would result from the nom
naturalization OF the canal In time
o. war; Now the idea is put. forth
that Great Britain will reject the
amendment with scorn. and that the acknowl-
edgment contained in. the Hay Paunceiote
treaty Of the existence in full force and effect
ally be a bar TO the construction OF the
canal. There II Just as much, Il not greater
reason, 10 believe that Great Britain Will ac-
cent The Davis amendment az there ia that she
will reject II. The ratification OF the ,reaty a.
amended. and IT, presentation 70 the British
Government In that form, will be the test OF
Great Britain's attitude.