Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18
these publications we would doubtless be
busiiy at war every day of every year

these publications we would doubtless be
busiiy at war every day of every year.
Busy at Treaty Making.
The State Department has been kept busy
with treaty making during the past few
months and since Secretary Hay conceived
the notion of drawing up arbitration trea-
ties binding us in peace with all of the great
world powers.
Treaty making is a process of great mo-
ment not to say tedium. Before getting
down to the business proper Mr.. Hay must
exchange credentials with the plenipoten-
tiary who is to sign for the foreign govern
ment concerned. The foreign credentials
are generally very elaborate and verbose
Those of Mr.. Hay are indited at the State
Department by a skilled penman upon
sheets of linen paper, larger than foolscap
The finest of pens and the blacklist of inks
are employed, and when a sheet is finished
1t Is impossible, without the aid of a glass,
to distinguish it from plate engraving
IypeWrit1ng is eschewed by the forms of
diplomatic etiquette, and no document of
the state destined to be filed in the foreign
office of friendly power may properly be
so written. The form of these credentials
invariably opens as follows:
theodore Roosevelt, President of the
United States To all to whom these pres
ents shall come, greeting: Know ye that
reposfng special trust and confidence in the
integrity, prudence and ability Of" etc.
StS. N1i. Ildy ldlue ana ute Hollow, and
the President signs at the bottom of the
sheet. The Secretary of State indorses be-
low the Presidents signature, if the treaty
is signed in Washington, where he is our
permanent plenipotentiary. Thus Mr. HAY
must Vouch for his own Integrity pru-
dence and ability
The treaty itself is next written in dupli-
cate, each copy with two vertical columns
TO the sheet, one in English and the other
precise translation in the language of the
state contracting with US. The same cop
per plate penmanship is employed. The
LANGUAGE of treaties is very quaint the
opening clause usually being: I'm the Name
of Almighty God" The form for closing is:
In faith whereof we, the respective pIen-
ipotentiaries have signed the treaty and
have hereunto affixed our SEALS
Procedure in Treaty Signing.
The copies having been properly indited,
are laid upon the long table of the diplo-
matte room at the hour appointed for the
signing. The signatures are affixed one
above the other, and the ends of the red,
white and blue silk baby ribbon binding
| the pages of the document together are
drawn across the sheet. A taper is lighted
by Secretary Hays messenger. and hot
wax cementing each bit of ribbon to a
point opposite each signature, is added.
Each signer then impresses his personal
Signet. On the copy of the treaty to be re-
tanned in Washington Mr.. Hay signs first
That to be dispatched to the foreign office
of the other contracting party bears the
signature of its plenipotentiary above our
premiers. The Senate having consented to
ratification and the President having rat
flied, the formal ratification bound with the
treaty is finally impressed with the great
seal Of the United States installed in the
State Department. But before this impress
sion can be added the President must sign
warrant to be presented to the keeper CT
the seal An exchange copy of the treaty
and ratification is next executed In the
same copper-plate penmanship and sent to
the foreign sgnatory power.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.