Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-22
THE NEW TREATY.

THE NE" TREATY.
The action of the United States
Senate on Thursday, in passing by a
vote of So to IS the -Pauncefote
treaty, as amended by the important
Davis clause and the equally important
Foraker changes, brings England face
to face with an international issue.
The original draft of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, amending and sup
erceding the Clayton-Bulwer compact
of 1850 between this country and Eng
land recognized the construction of
an American canal across the lsthmus,
but contained no provision for its be-
ing controlled by the United States in
@ military sense, the simple proviso
being for policing against disorder.
That left the canal open as water
way for the use of the nations Of the
earth, in time of war as well as in
peace, placing it upon the same status
as the Suez canal, which we
took advantage of at the time
Of the war with Spain. The
Davis Amendment specifically call
ed for military control of any canal
we might construct, while one Foraker
amendment provided in express terms
for the abrogation of the Clayton-Bul-
wer treaty, while the other struck out
article 8, which provided for the adher-
ence by other maritime powers to the
terms of the treaty between the high
contracting parties. These three
amendments were passed, and the
treaty as amended was ratified by the
vote given above. The meaning is that
the United States reserves the right to
.ortify, control and hold the canal,
not only against England, the party
Of the second part to the treaty but
against all other nations or cOmbina-
ions of nations as well, their consent
act even being asked. We Will keep
he proposed canal open to the COM
merce of the world in time of peace,
but may close it, at discretion, in time
of war, and that we may be enabled
to do so, we must fortify and garri-
son. Fertilization means the con-
struction of adequate forts at either ex-
tremity of any canal built. and if the
Nicaragua route be selected at each
end of Lake Nicaragua as well. Such
Notifications would probably add $50
f00 o. 10 Of,
mines, quarters for troops, armament,
etc, to say nothing of the annual cost
OF maintaining al adequate garrison.
That England Will accept this pro-
posed substitute for the old treaty
is open to very serious doubt She
claims, under the Clayton Bulwcr
compact, certain rights which she will
be slow and reluctant to relinquish;
yet she is confronted by the fact that
the United States Senate, by adopting
one of the Foraker amendments. has
deliberately abrogated that treaty, so
far as we are concerned. We have
declared ourselves, and it remains for
England to first deliberate and then
make known her ideas. That the
treaty as passed by the Senate does
not suit the administration is very ap-
parent, and yet it will now be the duty
of our government to present it to the
party of the other part, and await ac-
ton which will not be taken immed-
lately, as matter for course.
1t must be understood that there is
nothing contained in this treaty which
commits the American government to
any particular canal route, although
things at present are squirting in the
direction Of the longer and costlier
Nicaragua project. 1t applies equally
to Nicaragua, Panama, or any other
proposition, simply declaring that
when we build canal we must con-
troll it against England, and that 9TH
er maritime nations must consider
themselves bound by the provisions of
the English treaty. 1t is an enlarged
application of the Monroe doctrine,
and, as such, carries with 1t vast I'M
mediate expenditure. once IA canal is
undertaken, and a large annual expen-
diture thereafter for purely military
purposes. 1t also probably means a
perpetual Gulf squadron, large enough
to lend material aid, in case Of neces-
sity, to whatever land defenses we
may construct, and Pacific fleet Of
equal Importance as well.
This Is summary of the treaty as
passed in the Senate, its meaning.