The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-02-17
WILL NOT TOLERATE
SENATE'S MEDDLINC
President Sends a Pointed Ui-
tmatum to the Upper
House Managers.
ARBITRATION TRAETlEs
Notifies Senate that He Kill Decline to
Ask Contracting Powers to Pro-
ceed Farther in the Con-
sideration of Pacts.
ARBITRATION TRAETIEs

Washington. Feb 4--President
Roosevelt has addressed q letter TO
4 Senator Cullonn, chairman of the senate
! committee on foreign relations, stat
4 ing that the action of that committee
4 in amending the arbitration treaties by
substituting for the word agreement"
The word treaty" is, in his opinion. a
step backward.
If the Word treaty" is substituted
.he treaties would amount to a spe-
ciiic announcement against the whole
principle of gen. raj arbitration trea-
ty. The president believes the amend
ment nullities the proposed treaty. and
1t seems to h... THAI it is no less than
his duty to refrain from endeavoring
to secure ratification of the amended
treaties.
The Presidents Letter
The letter from the President fol-
My Dear Senator Cullom-l learn that
the senate committee on foreign relations
has reported the arbitration treaties to the
senate amending them by substituting for
The word agreement" in the second ar
ticle, the word treaty" The effect Of
the am"ndment is 10 make it no longer
possible, US between the contracting par
ties. to submit amy matter whatever to
arbitration without first obtaining a spe-
elal treaty TO cover the base, This will
represent not step forward but a step
backward If the word agreement" We're
retained. il would be possible for the de
aar'm.nt OF state TO do as for instance it
IN the Pious fund arbitration case with
Mexico and submit TO arbitration such
subordinate matters as by treaty the
senate mad decided could be left to the
executive to submit under n jurisdiction
limited by general treaty of arbitra
zion.
Just What the Senate Wanted.
Ii the word treaty" be substituted the
be submitted the senate. And these
general arbitration treaties would then
amended form they amount to specific
pronouncements against the whole prin-
.Rle pie of a genera! arbitration treaty.
right 10 reject or amend in any way it
sees fit any treaty laid before it, aud it
Is clearly the duty of the senate to take
1ndgmetiy deems to be for the interest
OF the .; an. IT, however, IN the jude-
nlont of the president. given amendment
nullities proposed treaty, it seems to
me that ii is no less clearly his duty to
refrain from endeaNoring TO secure the
ratification by the other contracting pow
after much thought | have come to the
you that such is my judgment in this
A Preamble, Not Treaty.
As amended, we would have a treaty of
arbitration which i'm effect will do moth
ing but recite that this government will
when it deems it wise hereafter, enter
mo treaties OF arbitration. Inasmuch as
We of course, have the power tc
enter into any treaties of arbitration, and
treaties does not in the smallest degree
facilitate settlements by arbitration, to
make them would in no way further the
cause of International peace. Ii would
not, in my judgment, be wise or eXpetli-
ent to Try to secure tho assent of the
other contracting powers to the amended
NFatN IL,
cured, We should still remain precisely
where We We're before, save where the sit
uation may be changed a little for the
worse. There would not even be the
slight benefit that might obtain from
more general statement that we intend
hereafter, when we can come to an agree
lnent with foreign powers To what shall
b" submitted, to enter into arbitration
treaties; for we have already, when we
ratified The Hague treaty with the vari-
Gus sgnatory powers, solemnly declared
such to be our intention, and nothing is
gained by reitcrating our adherence TO
the principle while refusing to provide any
means of making our intention effective
Are Not Worth Ratifyinq.
In their amended form the treaties CON
tain nothing except such an expression OF
barren intention aud indeed compared
in The Hague arbitration treaty. they
probably represent not a step forward. but
a slight step backward; as regards tho
question OF International arbitration.
AZ such | Is not desirable that they
should receive the sanction of this gov
ernment. Personally IL is not my opinion
that this government lacks The power to
enter into general treaties OF arbitration
but If ann III error, and If this govern
merit has no power 10 enter into such gen
eral treaties then 1t seems to me that ii
is better not to attempt to make then
rather than to attempt in such shape that
they shall accomplish literally nothing
Whatever Wheh made. Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt
Caused Hot Discussio,
Senator Cuilom read the letter aloud
during the executive session of the
senate today 1t was received with a
great deal of surprise. Several sem
ators asserted that the letter CON
fii1ned what they had claimed, namely
lnent' We're the essential points They
insisted that if the word "agreement"
instead of treaty We're used it would
give the president fun power TO ne
gotiate agreements without submitting
them to the senate.
Morgan Denounces the President.
Senator Morgan spoke of the letter
tendency toward usurpaton of the SEN
atorial prerogative. He said the presi-
dent had no more right to interfere
with the senate's consideration of the
subject at this stage of the proceed
ing than the senate would have had to
interfere Win tlllll Whle Inc treaty was
In process of preparation.
Spooner Shows coors
Senator Spooner took issue with the
president on the substitution of the
word treaty for agreement" con
tending that the, change was not an
indication of any backward step. but
that even With this change the consun-
nation of the treaties would mark an
important step forward. He said the
ratificatio.i of The treaty as amended
by The committee would pledge the gov