The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-02-15
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY Is 100


THAT OANAL TREATY.
Unless public opinion compels
change in the present status Of th,
Hay Pauncefote treaty it is practically
certain to be rtt fed. A careful pol
OF the senate shows 80 declared vote,
in It's favor, whereas only So are nee
essaiy to rRtify. The truth is that
Secretary Hay has committed this
country to position where il seems
absolutely necessary for it TO secure
British consent before IL can build the
cana at all. In other words, he has
admitted Great Britain TO possess SUI.
ereign rights over the United States
the right to supervise its treaties with
the sovereign states Of Nicaragua and
Costa RicR. This is the definition OF
suzereignty, on which Great Britain
has insisted in the case OF the Ira rs
vaal. Secretary Hay has placed the
country in this position by formally
negotiating for the abrogation of the
Clayton Bulwer treaty, and thereby
admitting that instrument 10 be IN
full force instead of void as claimed
by two former Republican secretaries
OF state. Having admitted this, the
United States cannot take IL back; and
as the treaty is perpetual by its own
terms and cannot be modified except
by common consent OF both parties.
there seems'to be no way of proceed.
ing except by consent of Great Britain.
Thelpuestion OF benefit TO the United
States under the Hay -Pauncefote
treaty is very simple one. Discuss,
ing 1t democratic senator said: 10,
Under the new treaty the canal is
to be commercial agency exclusively
GreaE Britain, Germany, France and
all the other countries Of the world,
will derive exactly tho same benefit
from!it that the United States does-a
greater benefit in fact. because aside
fromlth initial outlay the canal will
very probably not pay its running ex-
penhes, any deficiency in which must
be made good by Uncle Sam. 1t will
therefore give the countries Of Europe
an advantage over American ships ir
the rush for Pacific trade, now largely
reserved to the United States by the
distance from Europe. If the United
States Is TO derive no militaV advan-
tage from the canal, why should IL In.
vest in losing commercial specula
'tion for the benefit of it's trade rivalsQ
IL might justas well agreeto hold its
dry docks aud battleships neutral for
the use of ali nation1 in time of war,
ms to hold a military highway OF such
tremepdous potency open for them. "
The above fairly represents the viewr
OF the Democratic minority In the
Senate.
The Republican majority, secure in
tneir seats for six years. can afford to
uphold the administration In its truck. (
ling TO Great Britain. Not 80 the
House. Its views are we'll expressed by
Representative Hepburn, (Repu blican,
IOWA CHAIRMAN OF the commerce com
mittee, which drew the present canal
bill, who said yesterday: This treaty
reaairns the principles OF the Clayton
Buiwer treaty eonceding all the
claims and contentious OF Great Bri.
tain and surrepdei ing the claim that
Great Britain has, by her own action
given us the right TO at any time ab-
rogate the Clay ton. Rulwer treaty. ItI
snrrenders everything TO Great Bri.
tain, abandoning our contention OF
years that we might abrogate the
treaty at will. Moreover, IL reeogniz. 4
% the right Of any foreign power TO
Interfere and dictate with reference
10 our negotiations with the independ.
,nt governments OF this continent. IL
.bAndons the Monroe doctrine
.hink the treaty very unfortunate and
earnestly hope that il will ot be rati.
led by the Senate"