Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-08
1T MAY BE AMENDED
Prospects of Hay-Paunoefote Treaty
in the Senate.
FOLLOWING SUEZ CANAL CONVENTION
Proposed to Give United States
Fuller Control
THE OFFICIALS OPPOSED

1t is regarded as practically assured that
the Hay-Pauncafote treaty will be amended
| by the Senate.
1t Is the intention of the foreign relations
committee to report In favor of the pro-
posed amendment to make the treaty con-
form with the Suez canal treaty. on which
| 1t is modelled, in the important feature
discarded by Mr.. Hay of reserving to the
United States the right to take such meas
ures with respect to the canal as may be
| necessary for the security of the United
states; that Is, to put 1t under American
defense against a nation at war with us.
Though 1t Is understood that the State
department Is opposed to this amendment,
senators claim that it will be adopted If
the treaty Is ratified.
What Those in Authority Sax.
The proposition has not been submitted
by any responsible person to the Judgment
or the administration officials. Moreover it
Is said by those competent to express the
opinion that If 1t were submitted 1t would
be disapproved.
The particular articles were omitted from
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, not by accident,
not ny an error or a blunder. but by de-
sign, according to the statement of author
lied persons.
their minds; the conditions under which
England dealt with Egypt were exactly re-
Versed from the present conditions. It was
the secret purpose of England to confer
upon Egypt, nominally at that time an
independent government. but soon to be
Englands creature, a power in respect to
the protection Of herself along the line Of
tne canal IN the event of war which would
revert to England. the ultimate owner Of
the canal and suzerain of Egypt.
In other words. as an administration off,
clal put IT.. to parallel that condition of
a a1 would be to suppose the United
states now to make treaty with Mica
ragua and Costa RIGA relative to q -canaI
containing clause granting those nations
power to take such measures as they
deemed necessary in time of war implying
OF course, the right to close the canal
against foe. Such a clause might be
polite and statesmanlike, it Is said, in the
event that the United States government
cherished purpose to some time in the
near future annex Nicaragua and Costa
Rica: otherwise the coded authority might
work disastrously against us.
IN answer TO a suggestion that the pro-
posed amendment was to apply, not to
COSTA R1ca and Nicaragua, but only to the
United States and Great Britain, the official
already quoted declared that even IL Eng
iand should assent to such an amendment,
and there was little doubt on that point II
the United States really desired it, the
adoption Of the amendment would certainly
oefeat the purposes of the treaty for he
oiu Aol DeileFe tnaI q single continental
power would adhere to the treaty in the
amended shape.
Mr.. Mason Wants Correspondence,
Senator Mason today introduced In tho
Senate resolution calling upon the State
Department for all the correspondence be-
tween the government of the United States
and the government of Great Britain reia-
tive to the isthmian canal authorized by
the late Secretary, j. G. Blaine and
also "a chronological recapitulation- of the
contentious made by the various Secre-
taries OF State since the signing Of the
CIayton-Bulwer treaty as to the validity
or the treaty. the replies by the govern
ment Of Great Britain and the violations
OF the terms of the treaty on the part OF
Great Britain which have been held by
the government of the United States to
nave operated as an abrogation Of the
treaty"
The purpose Of the resolution il an
nouncsd In the body Of 1t to be to secure
from the State Department a complete ex-
PLANTATION as to the attitude of the various
Secretaries Of State relative to the CLAYTON
Bulwer treaty. -
In the preamble Gen. Lew Wallace is
quoted as saving that Mr.. Blaine had not
told him. while Secretary of State, that he
had written note to the American minis
ter to Great Britain instrucung him to take
the position that Great Britain had by her
own acts rendered the treaty void
This statement Is contrasted with the
statement attributed to the State Depart
ment that Secretary Freyinghuysen was
the only Secretary of State who had held
the view that the Clayton-B ulwer treaty
COL al