Evening star., 1901-11-12
It is Planned to Sign 1t Next
Week.
WILL DEPEND ON sENArE'S ACTION
This Country Obtains Every SUBJ
stantiaI Demand.
POSITION OF ENGLAND

The new Hay-Pauncefote treaty will be
signed next week, according to the pres
ent plan, and II the Senate approves it
without substantial amendment. the United
States government will at last be free to
construct, maintain and fortify a canal
across the American isthmus. 1t is true
that there yet remains to be procured a
treaty with either Colombia or Nicaragua
But both of these countries have already
entered into protocols with the United
States. which, while not precisely treaties
In legal sense, are formal undertakings
by them to make with the United States
any treaty necessary for the construction
by the United States of an isthmian canal.
These protocols were submitted to the
United States Senate at the last session by
Secretary Hay Immediately upon the max
ing Of certain criticisms to the effect that
there were other and more serious obsta-
cles than British opposition to the exclusive
control over an isthmian canal by the
United states government.
No Principle Re1inquished.
1t is stated by the persons who have lad
to do with the negotiations which led up
to the present stage Of treaty making that
while the United States government has
obtained every one of the substantial mat
ters for which it contended this result has
been brought about without the surrender
by Great Britain Of single one of the
principles which lay at the base Of tie
Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
There has been no surrender on the part
OF Great Britain Of any point which she
really desired or which was regarded by the
trainers of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty as
essential to a treaty that should benefit the
commerce Of the world by giving it free
water communication across the isthmus.
Thus the new treaty especially looks to the
equality of all commerce; the United States
vessels will possess no advantages in the
matter of tolls over those of European or
other nations. That matter of equality was
one OF the principal objects sought to be Sc
cured in the C1ayton-Bulwer treaty, and
England has perpetuated it with the full
assent of the United States government.
Maintenance of Neutrality
Under the Clayton-Bulwer treaty Eng
land was, Jointly with the United States
held responsible for the maintenance and
neutrality of the canal. 1t is true that
both of these principals bound themselves
to secure the pledges of other maritime ma
tions to aid in the guarantee of this neu-
trality, but no steps were ever taken to do
this. Now, England retireS from the joint
rank, allowing the United States to as
sumo the full burden Of the guarantee of
the neutrality Of the canal without asking
any aid from Europe--a task which our
government is willing and anxious to as
sumo.
Subject of FOrtifying Omitted.
So far as England is concerned the United
States will also fortify the canal. The
Senate last session thought that some such
reservation of power was desirable, so Sec
retary Hay, against his original judgment,
has managed to bring that about. The
treaty, however. does not expressly confer
the right to fortify upon the United States
it simply omits all mention of the subject.
AS it was expressly prohibited by the Clay
ton-Bulwar treaty, the natural inference
would be that this Is an absolute power TO
fortify, though conveyed in negative man
ner. ,,..
Many Senator's Consulted.
In other respects the treaty is very SINH
lar in language to the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, which was submitted to the Senate
last session. which was not ratified by
Great Britain in it's amended shape. There
fore. as Secretary Hay has adopted the pre-
caution of consulting nearly all Of the
senatorial leaders to every change he
has effected, the State Department feels
abundantly satisfied that its work will
meet with the approval of the Senate at the
next session.