The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-12
SURPRISE CAUSED
 BY THE PRESIDENT
Writes Letter to Senator CuI-
 Iom on. Treaties
WANTED WORD CHANGED
Says "Treay" Would Not Represent a Step Forward, But Rather a Step BackWard-Text
 of Letter.

Washington, February n.-President Roosevelt has addressed d letter to Sen ator Cullom, chairman of the committee on foreign relations, stating that the ae- tion of that committee in amending the arbitration treaties by substituting for the word agreement the word treaty is, in his opinion, not a step forward but a step backward. If the word treaty is substituted the treaties would amount to a specific announcement against the whole principle of general arbitration treaty. The President also says that 1t is in the judgment of the President an amendment nullihes q proposed treaty it seems to him that 1t no less clearly is his duty to refrain from ndeayoring to secure q ratification of the amended treaty.
 The letter is as follows
 "The White House,
 "Washington, b C., February 1O 1905.
 My Dear Senator Cullom:-I learn that the Senate committee on foreign relations has reached the arbitration treaties to the Senate, amending them by substituting ihI lle NbIu uEiffhltlit III t-at f'Ne'fiN A'A ticle the word treaty The effect of the amendment is to make 1t no longer possible, as between it's contracting par ties to submit any matter whatever to arbitration without first obtaining special treaty to cover the case. This will repre- sent not step forward, but step back ward.
 Cd CanofA
 If the word agreement were retained 1t would be possible for the department to do as for instance it has already done under The Hague treaty in the Plus fund arbitration case with Mexico and sub mt to arbitration such subordinate mat ters as by treaty the Senate mad decided | could be left to the executive to sub init under a Jurisdiction limited by the general treaty of arbitration. If the word treaty be submitted the result Is that every such agreement must be submitted to the Senate and these general arbitra- l ton treaties would cease tc be such as indeed In their amended form, they amount to specific pronorncement against the whole people Of general ar ] bitration treaty.
 1 "rhe Senate has of course, the absolute l right to reject or amend in any way It sees fit any treaty laid before it, and 1t Is 1 clearly the duty of the Senate to take any l step which in the exercise of It's best l judgment 1t deems to be for the interest of the nation. N. however, in the Judg- ment of the President. q given amend ment nulifies proposed treaty. 1t seems | 10 me thnt it is no less clearly his duty to refrain from endeavorine to secure | ratification by the other contracting pow CT or powers of the amended treaty and after such thought l have come to the conclusion that l ought to write and tell you that such is my judgment in this | case
 Treaty Would Do Nothing.
 "As amended we would have treaty of arbitration which in effect will do nothing. but to reeite that this govern l ment will. when 1t deems il wise, here /, after. enter into treaties of arbitration | Irasmuch as we of course now have the | power to enter into any treaties or arbl- tration to pass these amended treaties | does not in the smallest degree facilitate settlements by arbitratlons. It would not
 in my judgment be wise and eXped1ent , therefore to secure the consent Of other contracting powers to the amended trent | ies, for even If such assent were secured
 we would still remain precisely where
 we were before. save when the situation ! may be changed a little for the worse
 There would not be even the slight bene- fit that might obtain from the more gen.
 eral statement that we intend here-