The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-14

assent 20 IL as stem In the right direc-
ton, say it must be followed by many
other steps to b. Of any value. The way
In which the two parties regard the
amendment Is indicated by the warnings
issued by their organs on the morning
before the voting This New York Times
which Is strongly In favor Of the adop-
tion OF the treaty inst as IL was negoti-
ated by air. Hay and Lord Paulcefote
said:
Today the senate comes 70 the test In
the vote on the Davis amendment. lt
Will be q national misfortune, u rep1lse
for straightfnrwar1 and honorable pro-
cedure, and probably deathblow 20 the
canal n ratification shall be made mean
ingless BY the adoption OF this incongru-
Gus and unacceptable amendment.
On the other hand thesNew York Sun,
which has bsen unoompromisinRly OPP
posed to the treaty from the start, said
The Davis amendment should pass as
the first of series of changes obvious
ly requisite to make the treaty acceptable
to sound American sentiment. We have
no doubt that such was the intention OF
the lamented patriot who formulated IL
But III the Davis amendment is considered
as the last step, rs well as the first, In
the direction indicated; IL IL be under.
stood to preclude further melioration OF
the Hay-Pauncefote text; II It is co be
the final word In compronise between
national interests and the PERSONAL COM
fort OF the Secretary of state, thousand
times better that It should be rejected
aud that the treaty should be left to fall
as a single proposition, on Its own de-
merits.
The Davis amendment permits the
United states to use It's forces In defence
Of the United States by protecting the
canal within the three mile limit, and
the maintenance OF public order along
the line OF the canal. IL does not permit
the United States to fortity the canal,
and there is wide difference of opinions
as to just the nature and extent OF the
rights which che United states could
claim under 1t. The Teller amendment
goes further than the Davis amendment
an1 permits the United States to fortify
the canAl-in short, makes the canal a
military waterway, practically owned
and controlled by the United States.
The Davis amendment was favored by
many senators who are not disposed TO go
as far as the Teller amendment, so that
the passage OF the former, though step
In the direction OF the latter, 10 notify
any means certain, or even likely to De
followed by the latter, The general
opinion has been that the treaty was
likely to he ratified after an adoption
OF the Davis amendment without any
further modification. The administra-
ton is in favor OF the ratification OF the
treaty without any amendment at all.
OF course If the treaty is amended the
amendments will hays to be submitted
to Great Britain and they must be ap-
proved by her TO make the treaty opera
tive. Great Britain is committed to the
treaty as negotiated by MIR. Hay and
Lord Pauncerote, but any modification OF
1t vitiates 10 as treaty unless the modi-
tloation is assented to her. Whether that
assent will be given is a question about
which opinions differ. The friends OF the
Davis amendment think that so far as
that amendment is concerned there will
be no difficulty in getting Englald's as
sent, but this is by no means regarded
as certain hy Its opponents. The ex-
tremists, those that insist that the canal
shall be an American waterway pure and
simple, built by the United States, owned
by the United States and controlled by
the United states whether In peace or
In war, whose chief newsnaDer repressn-
tative is the New York sun, hold that
the CIayton-B ulwer treaty is dead, and
that new treaty with Great Britain is
not only not necessary, but misehievous.
II the treaty should fail altogether they
would not lament. Ii they can get
treaty that will concede all their demands
they may make no objections to it, but they
would much rather ses none at all than
one that made any concessions to Great
Britain or admitted that any other coun-
try than the Unitsd States might have
rights in the canal.