Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-08-19
DEFENDS PACTS
Mr.. Taft Carries Arbitra-
tiOnFight Before People.
SQUARELY FACES CRITICISM
The President Denies He Infringed
Upon the Treaty Making Pow
ers of the Senate and Raps
Amendment.

OseaA Grove. N. j.. Aug. 16.-Presi-
dent Taft made good his intention to
carry before the people the fight be-
tween himself and the senate commit
tee on foreign relations to save the
Anglo-American and Franco-American
arbitration treaties from the emascu-
latory amendments which the commit
tee recommended for adoption to the
senate last week.
Mr.. Taft addressed the Methodist
camp meeting here. His audience
numbered about 5000 people. Governor
Woodrow Wilson welcomed the presi-
dent to New Jersey. He faced squarely
the criticism directed by the senators
against the arbitration treaties-that
they infringed upon the prerogatiyes
of the senate and limited their treaty
making power. He advanced the power
of the executive In this regard as
equal to that of the senate, and said
that the senate should give its pledge
equally with the executive to secure
the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The amendment which The senate
committee mas voted to add. he de-
clared, was not an amendment in fact,
but was a vote to- continue the nego-
tiations by suggesting another form of
treaty to be considered.
Among other things he said: The
powers of the senate, as we'll as those
of the executive, are all derived from
the people. Neither Ia more sacred
than the other. / am che last person
to minimize the importance of the
senates retaining its constitutional
powers, and of it's refusing to afsdicate
any function which that instrument
gives it. | think it's sensitiveness in
regard to its power ought to be re-
spected and not criticised or made
light of.
Still. if the senate, or any members
OF it, should think that, its powers are
greater or less than they are, and the
limitations they insist upon interfere
with progress toward, peace, or any
other great national or International
right or not must ultimately be re-
ferred back to the people whose rep
resentatives the members, OF the SEN
ate are, for we all, as L say, have de-
rived our powers from the people as
the ultimate source of power and in
crease of disagreement the proper
place for discussion of such an issue
Is before the people The cause is suf
ficiently great to warrant the strafning
of effort to secure treaties like these,
which make for International peace.
1T is said that we are asking the
senate, in consenting to the ratffica-
ton of these treaties, to abdicate some
of their functions. confess I follow
this claim with very little sympathy
or acQuiescence The, senate Is part
of the treaty making. power Of the
country.
81 have no DESIRE to minimize In
the slightest degree THE Importance of
the senate as part of the treaty max
ing power. But when the prerogatives
of the senate are spoken OF. the term
prerogatives does not make the power
which 1t intends the senate 10 have
any more sacred than the power of the
executive in respect to- the same sub
ject matter.
81 had hoped that the treaties when
submitted to the senate would meet
with early ratification and concur
renee In this have been disappoint-
ed, but I do not wish to be put In an
attitude of expressing impotence at a
pronar daIiha raSinrt hy tha Senata on
matters of so, great importance as
this"
Mr.. Taft then defended his course
in proceeding with the negotiating
of the treaties without taking the sen.
ate into hts conf. dence. This has
aroused considerable III feeling in the
senate.