The sun., 1900-12-20
The Responsibility Is Personal.

80
Secretary HAY deserves great credit
for the frankness and courage Of his as
sumption, at this late day. OF sole re*pon-
sbility for the stupendous diplomatic
blunder which it has become the duty of
the Senate to rectify.
The announcement came from the State
Department yesterday that the treaty as
submitted to the Senate was written entirely
by Mr. HAY. that it proceeded from his own
initiative, that it embodied his own un-
aided conception Of what such a treaty
should be, and that without negotiation
or discussion Of terms or any attempt to
ascertain the British Governments willing
ness 10 consent 10 a more favorable arrange
ment, he sent the proposed contract to
the other party. who Immediately returned
it with full approval and without the change
Of a single word or letter
That there may be no doubt as to the
Secretary's full and unqualified admission
that the responsibility is his alone. we
repeat the semi-official statement made
at the Department to the correspondent
Of The sun:
stood Of the word, and there was a,tsmp,
70 ascertain what concessions Great Britain would
make tn the United States TO permit the construction
OF an isthmian canal solely by this Government.
Great britain has never expressed opposition TO the
forthcaton Of the canal to permitting the United
States To defend In time OF the Davis amend
mens proposes Secretary HAY conctived the idea
OF arranging q new agreement TO practically take
the place OF the Clayton-Bulwer convention. The
tr.,t ~ hyatr nd
m'tted to Great Britain BY him rhou p-srious r,so-
nl.ton- and the paper returned tn the State De-
partment by Great Britain with ia approval without
any change whatever, not even tbs crossing Of a
- or the dottins Of an MI HAY does not hest
tate acknowledge that the treaty was negotiated
by him in this simple WAY. The views Of Great
Britain In regard TO its provisions were never ex-
pressed other than in ,,s unq approval Of them
and It's Instructions to Lord PAuScKpors to sirn
for his Government
A similar statement was made at the
State Department to the Washington cor
respondent Of the Nev York Times, who
reports:
.Instsad Of being . Hay-Pauncefcte Treaty n ia
eally q Hay Treaty. The only part which
Lord PAUNcEFoTR hadin making the treaty to which
his name 10 attached. Jointly with Mr.. HAYS va,
n uansmitt II to his Government and to .gnit
When II reached the Senate It exactly az It came
from the State Department, where II originated
These admissions are as manly as they
are interesting. This story OF the manner
In which Secretary HAY negotiated
the treaty comedies entirely with our own
previous supposition as TO the nativity
of the astounding convention. The cir
cumstances here recited entitle Mr.. Hay
20 not 20 ba o.
place. among philanthropists who spurn
the narrow considerations of mere national
interest and hold that the whole world
their country is
The case for Mr.. HAYS simplicity OF
mind and method would be quite clear
were it not for ono unfortunate fact. On
the day before he and Lord PAUNCEForE
signed. with mutual bows and pleasing
sHi!cS. this treaty Of American abnega-
ton. the Secretary Of State published
through the Ncu York Tribune, the news
paper with which he was formerly con-
nccted. glowing announcement OF what
he had accomplished for America and
civilization. and . narrative Of the dificul-
ties attending his achievement The ad-
vance publication In the Tribune could
have proceeded only from him or by his
authority. 1t seems . little hard TO recon-
cile the State Departments announce
ment Of yesterday. as printed above, with
Its history OF the process of negotiation
as published in the Tribune of Feb. s. 1900:
a TRIUMPH PoR SECRETARY HAY.
twas with the conviction that the English Govern
ment might properly hold that The privileges guaran-
teed 70 under the Convention OF 1850 still un-
impaired. tina, the Administration tex up the task
Of securing from Lord SALISBURY a waiver Of the
hTht' OF hnt cony1l aecruIng to England by thu,
agreement,
The negotiations began about year AGO See.
's'Ary HAY conducting them with the British Am.
osssadoi In Washington. Great Britain was q,