Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-03-20
The Old aud the New Treaty.

lc anu cOnSreSSlOnaI controversy Tor
half q century, will at last be abro-
gated, or, rather, superseded. by the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty, provided, Of
course, that the latter convention IL
approved by the governments Of the
United States and Great Britain. On
our part the treaty must have the ap-
prevail Of the senate, and over 1t there
will doubtless be much discussion. The
purpose Of the new agreement entered
into by Secretary Hay and ambassador
Pauncefote, which has the approval
Of President Mckinley, 10 to ."facili-
tate the construction Of ship canal to
connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
and to that end remove any objection
which may arise out Of the convention
Of April 10. 1850, commonly called the
Clayton Bulwer treaty, to the construc-
ton Of such canal under the auspices
of the government Of the United States
without impairing the general prinei-
pie Of naturalization established IN
article 8 Of that convention"
The treaty which it is thus proposed
to annul takes its name from John n.
Clayton, who was secretary Of state
during President Taylors administra-
ton, and Sir Henry Bulwer, who was
then the British minister at Washing
ton. BY article Of the treaty the
governments of the United States and
Great Britain mutually bound them
selves neither to obtain nor maintain
any exclusive control over the Nicara-
qua ship canal and to abstain from
erecting any fertilization In the vicini-
ty thereof. They further undertook
to exercise no dominion over Nicara-
qua, Costa RIGA, the Mosquito Coast
or any other part Of Central America
to make use Of no form Of protection
and to enter into no local alliance In
any way tending to give one power an
advantage over the other. At that
time this country and Nicaragua had
entered into an agreement for the con-
struction of a canal from the Atlantic
to the Pacific ocean by the way Of
Lake Nicaragua. which was practical
~ the same route as that now under
consideration. Part of the territory.
however, was held by the Mosquito
Indians and known as the Mosquito
Coast. Over this tribe England had
asserted a protectorate and claimed
certain rights in the premises. Ac-
cordingly the government Of Great
Britain was asked to permit the con.
struction and operation Of a canal I'm.
der the joint auspices Of Nicaragua
and this country. As an outcome Of
these negotiations the ClaytonBulwer
treaty was promulgated, providing for
q joint protectorate by England and
the United States over the proposed
canal. The canal was never bulk.
though the treaty has remained in
force. Many years ago the alleged
British protectorate over the Mosquito
Indians came to formal close, Eng
land concluding treaty with Nicara-
qua by which these pretensions were
resigned. No longer having interests
in that quarter, either actual or assum-
ed. it was held by American states
men that Great Britain should no
longer insist upon the right to exer-
else any control in the building or con-
duct of an isthmian waterway. The
continuance of the Clayton-Bulwer
convention was regarded as inconsist.
as practical bar to the construction
Of the canal. Numerous efforts have
been made to secure an amicable abro-
CATION of the treaty or at least radical
notifications of it, but up to this time
Great Britain has steadfastly declined
to consent to either abrogation or any
essential change in the form of the
agreement.
The Hay-Pauncefote convention does
away entirely with the idea Of any
joint protectorate over the Nicaragua
canal or any element Of control by Eu-
ropean nations. which features are aud
always have been highly Objectionable,
particularly If we are to maintain our
contention that American affairs are to
be free from European interference.
1t. however. guarantees the neutrality
Of the canal, the basis Of such neutrali-
zution being substantially the same as
the provisions Of the convention be-
tween Great Britain and certain other
powers, signed at Constantinople Oct.
20, 1888. for the free navigation Of the
Suez maritime canal. The other mari
time nations Of the world will be asked
to join in guaranteeing the neutrality
of the Nicaragua canal, and If it shall
be constructed under the agreement to
which Secretary Hay and ambassador
Pauncefote have pledged the good
faiths of the governments which have
given them plenipotentiary powers. tho
great highway across the barrier divid-
ing the two greatest maritime areas of
the world will be for the whole worlds
benefit, open to the ships Of all nations.