The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-25
SENATOR LODGE EXPLAINS THE AG-
TON OF THE SENATE
CHANGES MADE IN THE TREATY
Denote no Hostility to England or Re-
Election Upon Secretary of State Hay.
The Senate Amendments Simplify
Matters and More Clearly Define the
Rights of the United States Regard.
ing the Proposed Canal What We
Ask of England.

washington, december Zl.-0eudlCT
Lodge, who had charge of the Hay
P~auncefOte treaty in the senate, to-
day made the following statement:
"The senator's were not dictated by
hostility toward England, and still less
did they in any degree reflect upon the
secretary of state. The amendments
were made by the senate solely be-
| cause in its opinion they were neces-
sary for the interests of the United
States, for the avoidance of any quss-
ton as to the control of the canal,
and, consequently, for the sake OF
peaceful and harmonious relations with
the lest of the world on that subject
iny4e future. The vote by which they
WEI Adopted show this.
"Tne first amendment is a simple
declaration that the Clayton-Bulwer
itreaty ceases to exist. and is suppressed
- by the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. The
~biect of the latter was to remove the
former as an obstacle to the construc-
ton of the isthmian canal.
Under Article II of the Hay-Paunce-
fOte treaty, as it stood. we were clear
ly bound if engaged in war to permit a
hostile fleet. if it succeeded in getting
inside the three mile zone. to pass I'M
mOlested through the canal. II we
meant to keep it, then it was g. prom
ise no nation ought to make. II we
knew that we should not keep it in
time OF war then 1t was only honest
and fair to relieve ourselves of the OBJ
legation in the treaty itself. This was
the purpose of the second Davis
amendment. which entirely disposes of
any such promise. n which follows
exactly in principle, and almost exact
ly in words. Article X of the Suez con-
yention which reserved similar rights
to Turkey, whose interest in the SueZ
canal is trivial compared to ours in
that proposed in Nicaragua.
1.-THE third amendment strikes out
Article III, by which we engaged to in
vite other nations to adhere to the
treaty and thereby become parties OF
it. Had there been no ClaytOn-Bulwer
treaty we should have negotiated with
no one except Costa RIGA and Nicara-
qua as to building the canal.
"It is we'll recognized in international
law that when the conditions under
which a reaty has been made have
radically changed and new conditions
and new demands have arisen, this
fact is an ample ground for seeking an
abrOgatiOn or modification of the
original instrument. The American
people desire to build. and mean to
build and control the isthmian canal.
Il IL - W NO IL ny ~
rangement. in a suitable and becom-
ing yanner The Hay-Puncefote treaty
wasrned for this object. The senate
is Mot the treaty making power,
and treaties sent to it for ratification
are not strictly treaties but projects
treaties. They are still inchoate.
The senate. continuing the negotia-
kourf1gun by Mr.. Hay. offers three
propositions to England. They
ask her to omit the clause inviting
other nations to adhere. which does not
touch her at all; to agree in unmis-
taxable language to the suppression of
the CIaytOn-Bulwer treaty by the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty. which is the
whole purpose of the negotiation;
finally to accept the reservation of
rights in time of war. which she grant
ed to Turkey in the SueZ convention,
and OF which as the present possessOr
OF Egypt she is now herself the bene-
fciary. England's interest in having
the canal built. be it great or small, is
second only to ours. We agree that all
vessels of m n Of war shall
pass through the canal on same terms
of our own. and in war other
powers we agree to preserve the neu-
trality of the canal toward all belliger-
ents. In Difference to the wishes of
Nicaragua and Costa Rica in regard to
this treaty we relinQuiSh the right to
erect permanent Notifications. and al
though there is no need OF such forti-
icatiOns the right to erect them is an
important right. and Its REIMBURSEMENT
goes TO the last verge OF concession.
The vast expense and maintenance
and defense of the canal are ours and
the American people will never permit
a canal there which they do not con-
troll. because the defense of the United
States overrides every other cOnsidera-
ton"