The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-02-17
Senate Offended at the Presi.
dents Letter to CuIIom on
the Treaties.
DOES JUST WHAT HE OPPOSED
Proposed Treaties Made Step Back
ward in His Stated Views.
Pointed Extracts from tho Letter,
Which ForeteIl the Death OF
All the Conventions Me-
gotiated.

Washington, Feb. 13.-1'he friction
between the president and the senate
over the arbitration treaties, although
there is no acrimony developed so far,
is the question of the hour here. The
presidents letter to Senator Cullom
chairman OF the senate foreign affairs
committee. was like a red rag TO
bull" and made certain the action of
before) in insisting upon modifying
these treaties. Colonel John w. Eos
ter, president of the National Arbitra-
ton Conference, says that SO far as his
colleagues were concerned the word
agreement" in the proposed treaties
meant the same as treaty" and they
never contemplated the president max
ing these agreements" without the
advice and consent Of the senate.
He hoped the president would find
way 10 reconcile the difference between
himself and the senate.
Represents "a step Backward
But the presidents letter to Cullom,
does not look that way, and when Cul-
lom read il to the senate in executive
session ii caused mild sensation.
The salient points of his letter follow:
Il learn that the senate committee on
foreign relations has reported the arbi-
tration treaties TO the senate. amend
ing them by substituting for the word
agreement in the second article the
word treaty The effect Of the amend
ment is to make il no longer possible.
as between the contracting parties, 10
submit any matter whatever TO arbi
tlation without first obtaining spe-
cial.treaty to cover the case. This will
represent not step forward, but
step backward"
Will Drop the Whole Batch.
IF the word treaty he substituted
the result Is that every such agreement
mus. be submitted TO the senate. and
these general arbitration treaties
would then cease to be such. and. in
deed, in their amended form, they
would amount to a specific pronounce
nent against the whole principle of a
genera arbitration treaty.
If, however, in the judgment of the
president, a given amendment nullfies
n proposed treaty il seems TO me that
II Is 10 less clearly his duty to re
frain from endeavoring TO secure a
by the other contracting
power or powers Of the amende
treaty; and after much thought | have
come TO the conclusion that | ought to
write and tell you that such is my
judgment In this case"
Nothing whatever Accomplished.
1T would not, i'm my Judgment. @
wise or eXpedient to try TO secure Il
assent OF the other contracting powers
TO the amended treaties. for even if
such assent were secured we should
still remain precisely where we were
before. save where the situation may
be changed a little for the worse
Personally il is not my opin-
ion that this government lacks the
power TO enter into general treaties
of arbitration. but If am in error. and
II this government has no power
enter into such geneal treaties. then il
seems TO me that il is better not TO
attempt to make them rather than TO
make the attempt i'm such shape that
they shall accomplish literally nothing
whatever when made"