The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-08
FOR AMERICAN CONTROL
Senator Davis Amendment TO the
Hay-PauncefOte Treaty.
Sentiment of the People Recognized
i'm Dealing with the Isthmian
Canal Mntter-The Convention May
FaiI Unless the Modification Is Ac-
cepted-Stnte Department OBdurate

that any canal 10 be constructed across
American territory should be entirely and
at all times under the control Of those
who build il, Senator Davis Of Minnesota.
Chairman Of the Committee on Foreign
Relations. has prepared an amendment tc
that effect. II may be submitted At the
regular meeting Of the committee tomor-
row. and, II so, viii either be adopted or
action postponed. In either case. Senator
Davis action means tat the Hay-Pauncs-
fote Treaty will eventually be amended as
he suggests OF the treaty will fail
This has been apparent from the first to
those who know Of the situation in the
Senate, and has been more than once
stated by those who have grasped the real
situation.
Whether, +; The Senate amends the
treaty as suggested. Great Britain will
aeQuiesee, remains TO be seen. The State
Department has said all along that it viii
not. and that the treaty must stand OF fall
as il is. But IL was said today at the
Capitol that such statements have been
mere diplomatic blufis. At any rate, IL is
row practically certain that Secretary
Hays latest brilliant diplomatic triumph
must be marred or buried In de eat
and, according 10 the opinion Of leading
Senators, he has Culy hims eli TO blame
When the treaty was first reported 10 the
Senate a Republican Senator OF great infiu-
ence said that the State Department
had made a serious mistake IN not con
sultinK with those Senators who largely
control the legislation Of the body or al
least advising them beforehand Of the ex-
isteuce Of the negotiations. He did neither,
bfTf 1fc1 .4F Hs a- rf n
il has proved 10 be a very unpleasant one.
sprung a. a Surprise.
Il Is now learned that Senator Davis.
chairman Of the committee TO which the
treaty was reported for Investigation and
report. was not taken into the confden-c
Of TIE Administration. but left 10 be sur
Prised by its announcement as his col
leagues We're i Goes not follow, uf
course. that Mr.. Davis proposed amend
ment is the result OF the state Depart
menrs lack OF tact but it does logically
follow that n be and the other inhuen-
Jial Senators whose advice was not asked
had been consulted a treaty would not
have been submitted TO the Senate that
would fail to pass muster.
There is q difference OF opinion among
Senators and Administration officials as 20
whether Great Britain could be- induced 10
by the Senate. Secretary Hay has more
than once stated since TIE treaty was an
nOuaCed. but before DO was known that the
Senate would amend b.. that % would be
impossible 70 reopen the negotiations as
the United States had obtained the best
terms possible under the circumstances.
II is apparent that the State Department
is not in sympathy with the growing seuti-
mCnt among the most ardent advocates Of
Q he fv- q o. flffr. rff cfN . he
United States greater privileges in the
maintenance Of the canal Is necessary 10
prevent the defeat Of the agreement. From
what was learned today the department is
evidently opposed 10 changing the present
form OF The treaty
Enquiries as 10 how the department
viewed the proposition o amend the
treaty by giving the United States the
right 70 prevent an enemy from using the
waterway in time Of war. were met with
the statement that such an amendment
was neither applicable nor advisable"
The clause in the neutrality section Of
the Suez Canal Treaty. providing that the
naturalization Of that canal should not
interfere with measures wh ich Turkey
and Egypt might find necessary 20 take
for their own defence, vas 10, over
looked by the Secretary OF state
in his consideration OF the tens
]
il was learned the insertion Of
clause granting similar privileges tc the
| United States was not proposed, for the
reason given above. The State Depart
meut holds that the Turkish Egyptian
. defence section OF the Suez treaty could
be applied only 10 the Hay -PauEcefote
/ Treaty by granting TO Nicaragua and
{ Costa Rica the rights accorded 10 the Sui
( tan and the Khediye. and that TO share in
D .g-- -
/ obliged to adopt the radical course Of an
neXing the two Central American couu-
! tries
The Reason Given.
It is understood that the principal rea-
son the State Department decided that the
/ Turkish-Egyptian provision was neither
/ applicable nor advisable" with reference
( to the Nicaragua Canal was that guaraR-
tees to preserve the neutrality Of the Cen
tral American waterway could not be Sc
cured if a similar section. vorded to suit
/ the present situation, had been inserted by
Secretary Hay and Lord Pauncefote.
England's apparent object in putting the
/ Turkish Egyptian defence provision in the
SueZ Canal treaty was 10 secure the ad-
vantage which such an arrangement gave
{ her on account Of her suzerainty over
I Egypt, but the great powers were either
I too dull TO comprehend the meaning OF
/ the section or do not deem IL important
enough to offer objection. The State De-
/ partmeIfs position appears to be that a
! section Of the same import in the Hay
| Pauncefote Treaty would have prevented
| the powers OF Europe from signifying their
! adherence to the naturalization Of the ca
nal.
! Il is said in official circles that such an
! amendment would be acceptable TO Great
/ Britain for the very good reason that it
4 would leave the United States without
| continental friends in its maintenance of
/ the Nicaragua Canal and would probably
J force this Government 10 seek assistance
| from Great Britain in holding that water
| way in the event OF a war with a strong
| power thus practically effecting the alli-
| ance between the two great English-spesk-
/ ing nations, which Great Britain so earn
| estIy desires. This was suggested tod5y
! as one Of the reasons why be department
J considered the amen 1mell pa:aphTasing
| the Turkish Egyptian defence section
! neither applicable mol desirable"
Lost His 6I=Ht Arm.
! MARTrSSBURC W. Va. Ssrch S-By
the breaking Of a drawbar u biz engine.
separating the engine from the tender, Ed
! ward Naile of this place = r-Sna..- On tha