The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-01-23
The Nicaragua Canal Treaty.


contribution to the discussion OF the
questions raised by the negotiations of
the Hay-P auncefote treaty. What the
ex-senator says,both from his rank as
lawyer and his standing as statesman,
will have an important bearing on the
determination of questions relating to
the action OF this government in Sc
curing the construction and control of
the Nicaragua canal. In common with
the greal body of the American people,
Mr.. Edmunds is ''very sorry that the
new treaty which the Senate has just
amended, and ratified with amend
ments, should have been negotiated at
ALL" He states the urgent need to this
country of canal across the isthmus of
Nicaragua, and it's importance as fac
tor in assisting in the development and
promoting the welfare OF all the Central
American States, and all the States On
the east and west coasts.
To achieve these objects he says sit
is essential that the control of such
canal should rest with the United
States and with the States through
which it passes" And this control
"should not be inconsistent with the
greatest practical freedom of universal
trade through it, on equal terms to all
friendly countries"
In the matter of the relation of the
Clayton Bulwer treaty to the present
conditions, Mr.. Edmunds expresses the
opinion that that compact "does not
now stand in the way of the canal be-
ing built and operated by the United
States, with the concurrence of the re-
public of Nicaragua and possibly of
Costa Rica. OF that ancient and ex-
tinct instrument, galvanized into life
whenever the question of the building
of the canal is brought up, Mr.. Edmunds
says:
cit had not been three years in exis-
tence before the parties to it radically
differed as to its meaning in the impor-
tant respects, and in one respecl it
was, with the concurrence of the Pres
ident Of the United States, made to
mean an entirely different thing to that
which its language plainly imported.
All this from the note of the British
Minister in the exchange or ratica-
tions and the assent of our then Secre-
tary of State, thus in effect attempting
to produce different treaty to that
which the Senate had ratified. This
was, OF course, entirely in contraven-
ton of the Constitution, and if prac-
tised would leave the treaty-making
power almost as completely in the
hands of the President of the United
States alone as it is in the hands of the
Queen of Great Britain"
"Great Britain proceeded" Mr.. Ed
munds continues, sin spite of the treaty
to extend her power and increase her
possessions in Central America" He
recites the manner in which England
obtained control of the Suez canal,
which was justified by her enormous
interests in the East. In view of Great
Britain's action in respect of the Suez
waterway, and her contention as to
the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, Mr.. Ere
linghuysen, secretary of State to Presi-
dent Arthur, set forth the conclusion
that the canal clauses of that treaty had
become extinct. President Arthur
subsequently negotiated treaty, with
out the assent of Great Britain, with
Nicaragua, providing for the construc-
ton of the canal and its operation by
the United States. This treaty was
before the Senate and favorably con-
sldered until 1885, and would unques-
tionably have been ratified by that body
but President Cleveland, on coming
into power in March of that year, with
drew the treaty and did not return it to
the consideration of The Senate-just
as in his second administration he post
poned the annexation of the Hawaiian
islands. Dnring all this period of ne.
gotiation and discussion of the treaty
Mr.. Edmunds says "there was not, 30
far as I have heard, any objection rails
ed in respect to the honorable right of
the United States to treat the Clayton
Bulwer treaty as no longer of binding
force" he concludes:
"The half century that has passed
since the Ciayton-Bulwer treaty Was
concluded has 80 changed the situatio n
in the circumstances OF the great de-
velopment of our western coast and
in our increasing trade with what may
now be called the Occident rather
than the Orient, and the possession by
Her Majesty's government of Egypt
and of the Suez Canal, that there is nc
just ground, it seems to me, for hesita-
ton in regard to the immediate duty OF
the United States in arranging with
Nicaragua and Costa RIGA for the con-
struction OF the canal absolutely free
from any obligations to other countries
other than those that from time to time
shall commend themselves to our sense
of international good neighborhood and
justice.