The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-13
THE PROPOSED ARBITRATION
TREATY.

TREATY.
The meeting of Instantaneous held in
this city Monday evening TO express oppo-
sition to the proposed arbitration treaty
between the United States and Great
Britain is said to be part of a movement
of the kind throughout the country. The
meeting adopted a resolution which was
wired to our senator's at Washington pro-
testing against the passage of such a
measure because the same, if passed at
this juncture, would rightly be construed
as an alliance, defensive and offensive, be-
tween this free country and the tyrannical
British empire; and that such a treaty
would be used by England to put the
United States in a position Of opposition to
Russia, Germany and other powers, which
have in the past demonstrated their friend
ship to the American Union"
This resolution seems to be based on
Misrepresentation of the object of the pro-
posed treaty. Some of the statements
made at the meeting were further indica-
tive OF an erroneous understanding of the
case. For instance, il was stated that the
movement for an arbitration treaty started
in London and that it was intended to use
the United States as a catspaw AS a mat
ter of fact it grew out of the Venezuelan
boundary dispute and the first suggestion
came from Secretary Olney in February,
1886. He proposed a joint commission and
ultimate binding arbitration for the set
Element of the Venezuela controversy, but
it was declined by the British government
A few weeks later Lord Salisbury sent a
draft OF a general arbitration treaty which,
after some correspondence and changes
was adopted. In acknowledging receipt oS
the draft Secretary Olney said that the
President reciprocated in behalf of the gov
eminent and people of the United States
the desire manifested in the proposals of
Lord Salisbury that the two great English
speaking peoples CT the world shall remain
In perpetual peace. The treaty which grew
out of this correspondence was signed in
Washington by the representatives of both
governments, but was not ratified by the
Senate. There was not a word in it look
ing towards an alliance between the two
nations, or joint action of any kind except
in the peaceable settlement of disputes
arising between them.
A contemporaneous historian SAYS:
The Cleveland administration and its SUD-
Senate should pass favorably upon the
treaty before the end of President Cleve-
lands term of office. And certain things
pointed towards an early ratification. The
inltiatlve in the whole matter of a general
arbitration treaty had come from the gov
eminent of the United States; the secre-
country's interests, had succeeded i'm en-
bodying In the document the american
idea which gives arbitration the widest
possible scope; the American signer was a
diplomat whom the Senate had most
heartily supported in his former dealings
with England; the press and people of the
United States were almost unanimously in
favor of ratification.
After long discussion and making various
amendments the treaty was finally rejected
by the Senate grounds that might almost
be called frivolous. Senator Turpie, Of this
State, was one of those who favored the
adoption Of the treaty in its original form
It's ratification was favored by public meet
ings held in different cities. One held in
Cooper Union, New York city, was presided
over by Mayor Strong and the speakers in
cluded Hon. Seth Low. Bishop Potter and
Samuel Gompers, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor. The meeting
adopted resolutions stating that the treaty
had been initiated by the United States and
that its provisions were marked by great
conservatism and caution. There was very
little opposition to the treaty in any quar-
ter, yet the Senate rejected it, Fifty-six
affirmative votes would have ratified it, and
it received fifty-two.
The present movement is for a revival of
the treaty of 1896 on precisely the same
lines. 1t Is not proposed to form an alli-
ance between the United States and Eng
land for any purpose whatever, but simply
to pledge both nations to settle disputes be-
tween themselves by arbitration, and pro-
viding the machinery for doing so. 1t is
intended to make war between the two
great English-spoaking peoples a remote
possibility. by solemnly pledging them to
The idea that such n treaty could be con-
strued by any person as IAN alliance de-
fensive and offensive" or that it could be
used by England to put the United States
many and other powers which have in the
past demonstrated their friendship to the
American Union" seems little short of pre-
posterous.