Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-22
THE HAY -PAUNCEFOTE
THEATY AMENDMENTS
AND THEIR EFFECT UPON THE or
IGINAL DOCUMENT, EXPLAIN
ED BY SENATOR LODGE.
NOT DICTATED BY HOSTILITY
TOWARD GREAT BRITAIN, NOR ARM
THEY A REFLECTION UPON
SECRETARY HAY.

WASHINGTON, D. c., December q.
Senator Lodge, who had charge of
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty in the SEN
ate, to-day made the following state
ment:
The Senate amendments are very
important but they are also very SIM
pie, although there seems TO be some
misunderstanding in regard to them,
owing to the fact that all the debates
upon the treaty took place behind
closed doors. Now that the amend
ments and votes have been made pub
lie by order Of the Senate, II may not
be amiss to explain them briefly.
Let me say first, that the amend
ments were not dictated by hostility
toward England and still less were
they in any degree a reflection upon
the Secretary OF State, whose patriot
ism, purity of purpose, knowledge, ac-
complishments and high achievement
in dealing with our foreign relations,
especially in China, are fully and cor
daily recognized by men of all parties
and all shades of opinion in the Senate.
The amendments were made by Ahe
Senate solely because in it's opinion
they We're necessary for the interests
of the United States for the avoidance
of any question as % the control OF
the canal, and consequently, for the
sake of peaceful and harmonious re-
lations with the rest of the world on
that subject in the future. The vote
by which they were adopted show
this. The second, or Davis, amend-
ment passed by vote of SIS to IL, and
the other two were adopted without d.
vision.
The first amendment is a simple
declaration that the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty ceases to exist, and is superced-
ed by the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. The
object OF the latter was to remove the
former as an obstacle to the construc-
ton of the Isthmian canal. The
American people desired to be rid OF
the Clayton ulwer treaty finally and
beyond question. This is a reasonable
and proper wish, and to fulfll 1t is the
purpose OF the amendment.
Under Article III of the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty as it stood we were clear
ly bound If engaged in war. to per-
nit hostile feet, II 1T succeed in get
ting inside the three mile zone, ia
pass unmolested through the canal. 1t
was solemn promise to permit hos
tile fleet to use the canal If we meant
to keep it then 1t was promise no
nation ought to make. If we knew
| that we should not keep 1t in time OF
war, then it was only honest and fair
to relieve ourselves of the obligation
in the treaty itself. This was the
purpose of the second, or Davis amend
ment, which entirely disposes OF any
such promise.
"The third amendment strikes OUT
Article III, by which we engaged to
invite other nations TO adhere to the
treaty and thereby become parties to
it. Had there been no Clayton Bulwer
treaty we should have negotiated with
no one except Costa Rica and aSicar-
aqua as to building the canal. With
England, owing TO the Clayton ulwer
treaty, we were Obliged to treat, but
as we expect Europe TO keep out OF
this hemisphere. 1t seemed to the SEN
ate unwise, however excellent and lib
eral the Intention. to invite European
nations to share in an American treaty
and thus give them the right TO meddie
in American affairs at any point
Such are the purposes OF the three
amendments which In no way dero-
gate from the intention of the United
States that this canal shall be a nen-
trail highway for the worlds com
merce"