The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-01-25
The Arbitration Treaties and Senate.

The provisions Of no less than seven
arbitration treaties were made public
last week The treaties referred to are
those with Great Britain, France.
Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and
Switzerland. The treaties are drawn in
substantially the same form, and the
most important provisions Of all are,
/: appears, identical. One of these IS
to the effect that differences which
may arise Of legal nature or relating
to the Interpretation Of treaties exist
ing between two contracting parties,
and which it may not have been posi-
BILE to settle by diplomacy, shall be re-
ferred to the permanent court Of arbi-
tration established at The Hague by
the convention Of July 20, 1899, pro-
vided, nevertheless, that they do not
affect the vital interests, the indepen-
dence or the honor Of the two con-
tracing states and do not concern the
| Interests Of third parties. Another pro-
vision is to the effect that in each in
dividual case the high contracting
parties, before appealing to the per-
manent court of arbitration, shall
conclude a special agreement defining
clearly the matter in dispute and the
scope of the powers Of the arbitrators,
and fixing the period for the forna-
ton Of the arbitraI tribunal and the
several stages of the procedure.
Of the arbitral tribunal and the several
stages Of the procedure.
It is, Of course, we'll known that
President Roosevelt Is strongly desir-
Gus Of having the arbitration treaties
ratified by the senate. He is also anx-
ious that they be ratified without any
substantial change in their terms, and
indeed, at a conference with leading
senator's on Saturday last. he inti-
mated that he would not consent to
any radical changes in them. It is pos
sible that this intirnation on the part
fof the president was evoked by the
amendment proposed by some south
ern senators to preclude any inter-
pretation Of the treaties which might
bind the government to arhitrate1
Iclaims on account Of bonds issued by
states during the period Of reconstruc-
| ton which might be made by holders
who were citizens Of foreign states:
Such an amendment Is, as matter of
fact, now before the senate committee
on Foreign relations.
The view Of the matter entertained
by the president has been set out more
recently and with great definiteness
and emphasis in letter addressed by
him this week to Senator Cullom. the
chairman Of the senate committee on
foreign relations. In this letter Mr..
Roosevelt says that under no con-
ceivable circumstances could any such
construction Of the treaty as that ap-
pretended by the proposers Of the
amendment be for moment enter
tanned by any president. The holders
| Of state bonds, he says, take them
| with full knowledge Of the constitu-
tionai limitations upon their recovery
through any action of the national
government. and must rely solely on
state credit, and such a claim against
q state could under no conditions be
submitted by the general government
as a matter for arbitration any more
than such a claim against county
or municipality.
The objection Of the proposed
amendment IS, the president says,
! that it is a mere matter Of surplusage,
and that it Is undesirable, when the
form Of these treaties has been agreed
to by the several powers concerned.
| neediessly to add certain definitions
which affect our own internal policy
only, which deal with matter Of the
relation Of the federal government TO
the states that is Of course put: Of the
| question ever to submit TO the arbfs~
tration OF any outside tribunal. and
| which it Is certainly absurd and prob
| ably mischievous to treat Is possible
to be raised by the president or by any
foreign power. No one, Mr.. Roosevelt
says. would even think such q mat
ter as being one for arbitration or for
any diplomatic negotiation whatever.
and moreover since the treaties run
only for q term OF five years. they will
certainly be interpreted until the end Of
that period in accordance with the
view expressed by him. It is not known
vet with definiteness what the outlook
is for the ratification Of the treaties. 1t
may be said, however, that no execu-
i .,,;tl,;,, raconf memory had