The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-22

PauncefOte treaty in the senate, E5Gay
made the following statement:
STATEMENT BY LODGE.
1.-THE senate amendments are very iT1l-
portant, but they are also very simple,
although there seems to be some mis-
understanding in regard to them owing
to the fact that all the debates upon
the treaty took place behind c.osed doors.
Now that the amendments and votes
have been made public by order of the
senate, 1t may not be amiss to explain
them briefly
Let me say first, that tIe amendments
We're not dictated by hostility toward
England and still less were they i'll
any degree a reflection upon the Secre-
tary of state, whose patriotism, purity
of purpose, knowledge. accomplish
ments and high achievements in dealing
with our foreign relations, especially
in China, are fully and cordially recog-
niZed by men of all parties and all shades
of opinion in the senate. The amend
ments were made by the senate solely
because they were necessary for the in
terests of the United States for the
troll 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 amendment, pass
ed by vote of 65 to II, and the other
two were adopted without division.
FORMER TREATY SUPERSEDED.
1.-THE first amendment is simple de-
claration that the Clayton-B ulwer treaty
ceases to exist and is superseded by the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty. The object of
the latter was to, remove the former as
isthmian canal Some, good judges
thought that the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
did this completely as it stood. Others
believed that certain portions of the
force To allow this doubt to continue
would have been a grave mistake. The
American people desired to be rid of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty finally and be
yond question. This is a reasonable
and proper wish, and to fulfil it is the
purpose of the first amendment
"Under article II. of the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty as it stood we were clearly
bound if engaged in war to permit
hostile fleet if it succeeded IN getting
inside the three-mile zone to pass unno-
Tested through the canal. This may or
may not be practical question, but it
is of no consequence whatever If 1t is or
not. 1t was a solemn promise to permit
hostile fleet to use the canal. That
promise we either intended to keep or
else we made it knowing that under the
stress of war we should break it. If We
meant to keep it. then it was a promise
no nation ought to make.%f we knew
that we should not keep it in time of
war, then it was only honest and fair to
relieve ourselves of the obligation in
the treaty itself. This was the pur-
pose of the second, or Davis amendment,
which entirely disposes of any such prom
Use, and which follows exactly in prin-
ciple and almost exactly in words, article
similar rights to Turkey, whose interest
in the Suez canal is trivial compared
to ours in that proposed in the Nicaragua.
OTHER NATIONS OUT OF IT.
'"rhe third amendment strikes out ar
ticle Ill, 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 ex-
cept Costa RIGA and Nicaragua as to
building the canal. With England, ow-
ing to the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, We
were obliged to treat, but as we expect
Europe to keep out of this hemisphere it
seemed to the senate unWise, however
excellent and liberal the intention to in
vite European nations to share in an
American treaty, and thus give them
the right to NEEDLE in American affairs
at any point.
Such are the purposes of these amend
ments, which in no way derogate from
the intention of the United states that
this canal be a neutral highway for the
worlds commerce..
DO you think England will accept Or
reject these senate amendments o. The
senator was asked.
THAT is a question I have been asked
many tunes, and upon which | do not
think 1t would be right or proper for me
to express an opinion was the reply
But I think 1 can with propriety say
d.
ments. 1t is we'll recognized in interna
tional law, that when the conditions I'M
der which a treaty has been made have
radically changed and new conditions and
new demands have arisen, this fact is
an ample ground for seeking an abroga-
ton or modification of the original instru-
ment.
WE NEED THE CANAL.
THE American people desire to build,
and mean to build and control the 18TH
m1an canal. They recognize that the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty made fifty years
ago under conditions no longer existing
stands in the way. They have no desire
to clear it from their path in violent
fashion by formally denOuncing it or bv
passing laws and taking action In contra
vention of its provisions They wish to
remove it by amicable arrangement in
suitable and becoming manner The Hay
Pauncefote treaty was framed for this
object. The senate is part of the treary-
making powers and treaties sent to 1t
for ratification are not strictly treaties,
but projects for treaties. They are still in
choate. In the exercise of its undoubted
rights, without the slightest reflection
upon any one and without shadow of
hostility to a friendly nation the ser etc
continuing the negotiation begun by Mr..
Hay offers three new propositions TO
England. They ask her to omit the clause
inviting other nations to adhere which
does not touch her at all. They ask her
to conform to our desires by agreeing in
unmistakable language to the Superses-
SION OF the CIayton-BuIWer treaty by the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty which if the
whole purpose of the negotiation. They
ask her finally to accept in this treaty
the reservation of rights in time of war
which she granted to Turkey in the Suez
convention, and of which as the present
possessor of Egypt, she is now herself the
beneficiary.
These propositions are all essential to
American interests and are fair. reason
able, friendly and in no possible sense
offensive. Englands interest in having
the canal built, be it great or small. is
second only to that of the United States.
for she alone has, like the Unit d States
large possessions in North America, and
both an Atlantic and Pacific coast
TO PRESERVE NEUTRALITY.
1--WE agree that all vessels of commercs
and of war shall pass through the canal
on the same terms as our own, and in
war between other powers we agree to
preserve the neutrality of the canal to-
ward al beiligerents. In Difference to
the wishes of Nicaragua and Costa Rica,
in regard to this treaty, and not to any
we may hereafter make with them, We
relinquish the right to erect permanent
Notifications and although there is no
need of such Notifications the right to
erect them is an important right, and
its REIMBURSEMENT goes to the last verge