The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-12

decided could be left to the executive
10 submit under a Jurisdiction limited
by the general treaty of arbitration. If
the word treaty be substituted, the
result is that every such agreement
must be submitted TO the senate, that
these general arbitration treaties would
then cease to be such, and, indeed, in
their amended form, they amount 10
specific pronOuncemeut against the
whole principle of general arbitra-
ton treaty.
Senate Has the Right, But
The senate has. of course. the alb
Solute right TO reject or to amend IN
any way il sees tit any treaty laid be-
fore il, and it is clearly the duty of
the senate to take any step which in
the exercise Of its best judgment IL
seems to be for the interest of the ma
ton. If, however, in the judgment of
the president, q given amendment null
lilies a proposed treaty, it seems to me
that il is no less clearly his duty to
refrain from endeaVoring to secure Il
ratification by the other contracting
power or powers of the amended trea-
ty; and after much thought 1 have
come to the conclusion that / ought
to write and tell you tfG.t such is my
judgment in this case.
Would Not Help Matters.
''As amended, we would have treaty
OF arbitration which in effect will do
nothing but to recite that this govern
ment will when it deems it wise here
after enter into treaties of arbitration.
Inasmuch as we of course now have
the power to enter into any treat ties of
arbitration, and inasmuch as TO pass
those amended treaties does not IN the
smallest degree facilitate settlements
by arbitration TO make them would
in no way further the cause of inter-
national peace. 1t would not, in my
judgment, be wise or eXpedient to try
! TO secure the assent of the other con-
! tracing powers to the amended trea-
| ties, for even if such assent We're Sc
cured we should still remain precisely
where we were before, save where the
situation may be changed a little for
/ the worse.
Benefits Nil.
There would not even be the slight
| benefit that might obtain from the
more general statement that we in
! tend hereafter, when we can come 10
| an agreement with foreign powers as
| to what shall be submitted to enter
| into arbitration treaties; for we have
/ already, when we ratified The Hague
| treaty with the various signatory pow
] erS. solemnly declared such to be our
| intention; and nothing is gained by re-
| iterating our adherence to the princi-
pie while refusing to provide any
means of making our intention effec-
| tive. In the amended form the trea-
4 bASS NOliLdAii IiDtiilAS tACSpl Sutn tx
| preston of barren intention and, in
! deed. as compared with what has al
/ ready been provided for in The Hague
| arbitration treaty. they probably rep
| resent. not a step forward, but a
| slight step backward as regards the
! question of international arbitration.
Kills the Treaties
LAS such I do not think that they
| would receive the sanction of this gov
-,
| ion that. this government lacks the
power TO enter into general treaties of
| arbitration. but if L am in error. and
| if this government has no power to
| enter into such general treaties, then
| il seems TO me that it is better not
/ TO attempt to make them, rather than
1 to make the attempt in such shape that
/ they shall accomplish literally nothing
| whatever when made Sincerely yours,
/ THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
/ Hon. s. NJ. CUHom, chairman commit
! tee on foreign relations, United
! States senate.