Evening star., 1900-12-17
The Senate and the Treaty.

canal treaty will be brought to a vote ana
nassed by the Senate this week. The Pres
ideut will then submit the document to the
British government. This he will do
promptly 1t is to be hoped too that we
may receive d prompt reply. But we may
not and therein lies some of the encourage
ment of those who are anxious to defeat
action on the canal bill at this session of
Congress. It is part of their caiculatlon
that pending final action on a measure
which has aroused much feeling as this
treaty. Congress will hesitate to empower
the beginning of work on the canal. But
the case will then be before the British
government in its completeness. and no
doubt need longer exist in England as to
just what the American attitude is.
In an article on the general situation un-
der London dateline in yesterdays dis
patches there appeared this statement:
"The Foreign Office officials, while ex-
pecting the treaty to be amended. We're
frankly surprised at the size of the ma
jority. which served more than anything
else to open their eyes to the fact that
there was no truth in the cabled statements
that the railroad interests were solely re-
sponsible for the opposition. or that ira
tional .jiuSoiSm had suddenly become epl-
demic n the United States. There exists
in the Foreign Office sane appreciation of
the American objections to building the
canal and not being allowed to fortify it.
Yet. at the same time, to quote an
official. we do not see why the treaty
which We made with the people whom We
believed to be the responsible representa-
tves os America should be treated so cava-
lierly by the Senate. We do not regard
the present issues of any great import
ance, for we doubt if the Nicaragua canal
will ever be a paying investment, and, who
ever builds 1t. it will be of little to Eng
land. either In peace or war. What We do
regret is the apparent hopelessness of max
ing treaties with country whose Senate
takes such opposite views to those it en-
powers to act in its behalf y
There is some radical misapprehension
| here The treaty which we made with the
people whom we believed to be the respon-
sible representatives Of America? Is there
an official Of the British fore gn office worth
quoting who does not know that the British
ambassador to the United States in nego-
tiating the canal treaty was dealing only
VIII the executive of this government, who
was not assuming and could not assume to
speak for the Senate? Lord Pauncefote. at
any rate, knew that the Senate was to be
consulted, and that the Senate's action
could not be forecast. He was not misled
however much any official of the Foreign
office in London going upon his own as
this official speaks about 1.-The apparent
hopelessness Of making treaties with a
country whose Senate takes such opposite
views 10 those it employs to act in its be.
half he talks nonsense There is no hope
lessness about the matter. The full treaty
making power of the United States is
necessary to bind any treaty And this
power is now in this latest phase of the
canal question about to declare itself
1t will serve everybodys interests if the
sincerity of both branches of our treaty.
ma king power is recognizeu both at home
and abroad The President and Secretary
Hay acted in good faith and 1t is to be
presumed that they still adhere to the posi-
ton they took in negotiating the treaty
| The Senate entertains views which ma
terlai!y alter the instrument; and while the
influences may be various which compose
them-the puff of the railroad locomotive
and the shrek of the Anglophobe being
audible in the racket-the Senate's views
must be reckoned with now and later in the
settlement OF this most important problem
Successful management OF the canal prob
lem will prevent the differences of opinion
concerning it which have arisen from de-
feating the project or delaying action upon
1t beyond this session; and will give to us
speedily an American canal under American
control with minimum of friction with
England and the other civilized powers
The first step is with all courtesy and good
feeling to arrange to be rid Of the CLAYTON
Buiwer treaty.