The sun., 1901-05-20
the CANAL TREATY.
The Relation Of the Clayton Bsiwsr tonstn'
,iou to the Monroe Doctrine.

To THE EDITOR or TIE SuN-Sr! Your
first editorial Of Friday courteousiy' and
with some degree of approval, refers to my
suggestion in the Tribune OF short form
for the canal treaty. Permit me TO reprint
its single sentence, and TO add few words IN
support
ARTICLE So much OF the convention of 1850.
commonly called the clayton .Bulwer treaty. as may
he held 70 preclude the United States from building
owning and controlling alone a ship canal thtough
Nicaragua from the Atlantic W the Pacific. is hereby
abrogated, II being expressly covenantd that said
canal subject to uniform tolls, shall be treated as
neutral arm OF the In peace and In wai for the use
Of all Powers who signify their approval Of this con
vtnton except that In Of war between the United
States and any Power Powers the United States
shall have the right To exclude their enemy oIehem"s
from the use of sald canal,
The Clayton Bulwer treaty Of 1880. In 30
far AZ IL forbade the extension OF British
possessions, fairly may be regarded As a
recognition, by treaty, OF what Is called the
Monroe Doctrine. To that extent. at least,
Americans should not object TO its contin-
uance No other treaty gives any such
recognition. Aside from that treaty that
doctrine rests solely upon the ipse dixit OF
America
OF course that treaty is voidable by con-
sent or by denunciation. Neither party
has built the canal and neither party has
added to its possessions in the vicinity OF
the canal In those respects the treaty
has been continuously observed They are
the chief purposes for which the treaty was
made And for more than r fty years II
has served to keep England and other Pow
ers from Sgildlns T. during the time lime y; when Snn
ternational prestige prevented US from build
ing 1t. On several occasions | have written
in support Of the HaycPnunceiote e., treaty.
convention No fair construction Of II, in
my judgment, would have held that II could
prevent the United States from e1ercisiis
! all of the rights which inhere In self-defenoe
BY you indicates that our people desire that
the treaty shogld contain an express declara-
| tioD OF the right to exclude an enemy
From my station that provision would be
| q surplus phrase-.,a needless redundancy
IN q treaty as yell ss, IN literature bTovity
Is ne soul ot WI Whatever Is surpiusase
Lord Pancrfotes chief objection TO the
treaty as amfnded BY the senate related to
! oony en;ion made hy himself and Mr. Hay
There rs + PpoIh,pg N tser sorC Copvsnion to
| posed would be Objectionable TO him or his
! Government In more condensed and clearer
words II Is identical IN .spirit and purpose,
| NtI llle S'nSle tACtIllOn Ulhl lne IlkDt Ol tne
! United states 20 exclude their enemies from
the use Of the canal In time Of war Is distinctly
! recognized,
! THIS provision is SO clearly q reasonable
| and proper one, 30 clearly ~ no disadvantag ge
to Great Britain, that | cannot Conceive It
! possible for Lords Lansdowne and Pauncefote
| t. make any objection such an objection
| would be entertained only by timid English
! nan who anticipated war with us No living
Statesman" IN England or America entcrtains
! S. chimercsl notion
! The form suggested leavee in force the
! CLAYTON -Bulwer Treaty only in those respects
J which d. not appear to forbid the United
! States from building. owning and oontrollin z
| the canal, such as non extension Of possessions
! outside Il needs Of canal
! As 10 tho words relq ling TO other powers,
! the United states simply say 10 them: III you
/ will signify your approval Of our gift to the
! commerce Of the world. of n new arm Of the
sea- and unite in recognition OF Its gen neral
| neutrality, we will permit you to use II In
peace and war AZ uniform rates OF toll but II
| any power shall be at war with us we reserve
! the right TO exclude her vessels from our
canal
submit these views TO the candor Of all
! sound thinkers who may read them and invoke
| your fairest and strongest comment
| JOSEPH CULBEETsoS CLAYTON
NEW YORK, MAY rs