The evening times., 1900-02-07
CIRCULATION STATEMENT.
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY :. 1909.
EngIand's Diplomatic victory

Two very aBle duu ulSlluSuloutH AlhVA
lean Secretaries OF State, the late Mr.
Frelnghuysen and the late Mr.. Blaine,
notoriously regarded the CIayton-Bulwer
Treaty as an agreement which had been
absolutely If not formally abandoned and
vacated by Great Britain. by acts of that
Government in violation of its vital and
basic terms. In the Clayton -BulWer Trea-
ty Great Britain engaged never to effect
any permanent settlement on the Mosquito
Coast. Not later than 1865. British col
ony was established and is there today.
Ii is not to be supposed that the point
upon which the friends of the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty depend for their contention
that it is still a live instrument was not
familiar to Mr. Frelinghuysen and Nr
Blaine. II is that in a message TO Con
sress dated April :. 1869. relating to the
ratification Of treaty Of friendship COM
merce. and navigation with the Republic
of Honduras. President Buchanan referred
to certain provisions of the Clayton Bull
wer Treaty as representing national puiics
and duty. Hence it is claimed that he
recognized the treaty as a whole as sJill
binding. 1t is also contended that while
in 1855, and afterward the Clayton -Bulwer
Treaty became voidable through England -
tort. il never became void for lack of foT-
NAL denunciation on the part Of the United
states. Messrs. FrelinghuySen and Blaine
held 10 a contrary opinion. and believed
and frequently asserted that the act Of
violation committed by England. in colo
Islands clcse to it. was one of abandon
ment and was so conclusive as 10
relieve this country from any further OBJ
legation under the violated and vacated
agreement. even 10 the extent that We
were not bound to give notice CT termins-
tion
We have been informed that Mr.. Hay
does not coincide with the views OF his
two predecessors above mentioned.
II II were question between the distin-
guished Secretary OF state and Us. we
might well feel diffident about yenturing
10 combat the opinion OF such master of
diplomacy But perhaps it would not be
jmmodest on our part TO suggest the
suspicion that Mr.. Frelinghuysen was
on matters of international law as
The present head of the depart
ment and so We feel less embarras sment
in venturing to differ with the latter. But,
suppose il be granted that. by stretch Of
technicality, the Clayton -Bulwer Treaty,
which England refused to consider binding
upon her. but regards as completely bind
have some sort of nebuIous existence for
want of the formality Of denunciation,
Where is the utility in splitting hairs over
it Why not ignore it altogether. and. if
the other party should find fault point the
digituT mOnstrari at the fourishing Brit
ish colony on the siosquito Coast
The more carefully the PauneefoJe
convention is analyzed The less accept able
II appears to the American people and
The more certain il becomes that. unless
Mr. Mckinley takes tine by the forelock
and wiJhdraws it for revision. in accord
snce with patriotic sentiment and deter
mnatior iJ viii be rejected by the SEN
aJe. and hat. in that rejection. stinging
rehukc viii be administered to the Ad-
miHistration. Technical considerations
aside, for all practical purposes the Clay
ton Bulwer Treaty is as dead as Hector
The Hay Pauncefote substitute, if ratified
would revive it, and all and singular
its obnoxious features.
Prominent among the reasons why The
people Of this country have demanded an
exclusively American waterway across The
Isjhmus. is the necessity for such
facility as a naval base. The Nicaragua
Canal scientifically viii form part OF The
American coast line; strategically the
lnost important part OF it, To agree that /
We viii never fortify or protect it: but in +.
the event OF war with a European power /
viii operate and maintain it for the con- /
venience of that belligerent equally with i
our own, and deny ourselves the slightest
military advantage on account of its
possession. would b. stark madness. Mid
way between the termini of ihe proposed
canal is Lake Nicaragua, body Of water
capable OF affording safe harborage 10 our
whole navy. Every military consideration
woCld demand that in time of war with
any naval power a reserve feet should be
anchored in the Lake ready to run out
East or West as menaces to our several
coasts might render advisable. Under the
1ay-Psuncefotc convention American war
vessels would not be allowed to stop in
Lake Nicaragua They would be COM
PEELED TO make a continuous passage,
would not be permitted to take on mill
tary supplies en- route through American
territory and would be forced to leave the
port OF destination within twenty-four
hours after reaching it. And this is all
we get in return for constructing canal
at cost of one hundred and forty million
dollars. and policing 1t at our own expense !
for the benefit OF the maritime nations /
generally. but principally for that of Eng |
land--the power that assumes the right to !
block the mouth OF the Mediterranean /
against the peoples whose countries lie I
upon it. The scheme is outrageous and /
Infamous.
In Cape Colony and Natal.
The one item in our South African