The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-11-22
NEW TREATY SIGNED.
compact Between United States
and Great Britain.

washington, Nov. 1S.-The new Hay-
PauncefOte treaty was signed today at
12:O5 by Secretary Hay for the United
States and Lord Pauncefote, the British
ambassador, for Great Britain.
This treaty is intended to replace the
first Hay Pauncefote treaty. That con-
ventiOn was amended so extensively by
the United States senate at it's last SEES
sion that the British government de-
clined to ratify it. Within few weeks
negotiations began afresh between Sec
retary Hay and Lord Pauncefote, which
have Just resulted in the signature of the
new treaty, drawn with special reference
to the objections found by the senate
with the first treaty.
Text Not Made Public.
From a due sense of the courtesy which
must be observed toward the limited
States senate wherever a treaty ia con
cerned, the state department is estOpped
from making public the text of the new
convention, and that will remain secret
until the senate itself shall break the
seal OF confidence. 1t is said at the state
department that the various publica-
tlOns which have been made Of the al
legged text OF the treaty are all erroneous
and cOnjectural, though, in view of the
rather free admissions which have been
made OF the purpose of the negotiations,
II has been possible by the use of the
text OF the first treaty to construct one
similar IN general terms to the new con-
vention.
United States in Full Control.
The principal point of difference be-
tween the new and the failed treaty is
the withdrawal of Great Britain from
the joint guarantee of the neutrality of
the canal, thus leaving the United States
the sole guarantOr. The excisiOn of the
old provision respecting the right to
fOrtify the canal leaves that right by
inference optional with the United States.
All commerce of whatever nationality
passing through the canal will fare
alike; there will be no discrimination in
rates in favor of United States shipping.
Otherwise the new treaty is in scope
similar to last years treaty. 1t re-
places technically the Clay ton Bulwer
treaty, concluded on April 10, 1850. By
the terms of that old convention the
United States and Great Britain agreed
that neither should seek any advantages
in rights of transit across the isthmus.
By the new convention Great Britain
yields her right in favor Of the United
States, which is thus at liberty to con-
struct a canal.
Up to the Senate.
Nothing more remains to be done as
far as this treaty is concerned before the
senate meets, or, indeed, until the treaty
shall have been ratified, rejected or
amended.
If it should be ratified, the state de-
partment will proceed Immediately to
negotiate the treaties with Costa Rica
and Nicaragua, for which it already has
arranged in protocols pending before the
senate, which will permit the canal to be
constructed and prescribe the terms
upon which the consent of Nicaragua
and Costa Rica is given. 1t was IN an
ticipation of this action, it is presumed,
that the Nicaraguan government only
recently denounced the treaty of trade
and commerce with the United States.
This treaty contained sections conveying
rights as to canal construction which
are to be replaced by more modern pro-
VisiOnG