Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-19
PRES. TAFT SCORES.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

I'll tionable to the Russian government.
III Chairman Sulzer of the House com.
mittee on foreign affairs, author OF
the House resolution, said tonight
1 that he believed the matter would be
adjusted satisfactorily and that the
abrogation of the treaty would be an
accomplished fact before Congress re-
oesaed. Thursday, for the holidays.
Democratic leaders, both in the Sem
| ate and the House, are determined to
claim credit for the abrogation of the
treaty, Senator Culbersen of Texas
/ Hitchcock Of Nebraska, the latter a
member of foreign relations commit
tee, served preliminary notice to this
l-effect in the Senate. today, and will
n bes heard further, tomorrow.
Senator Culberson accused President
Taft of trying to strip the House of
one of its prerogatives, and asserted
THAT the President was trying to
steal the Democratic thunder"
Il In his message TO the Senate, President
/ Taft transmitted copy of the letter
which the American ambassador at st.
Petersburg. Mr.. Guild. transmitted TO the
4 Russian foreign office In it was express
ed the view of the United States that the
old treaty no longer met the political
i principles or commercial needs of the
two nations and should be terminated.
Il The American government. with mark
4 ed courtesy, suggested further that It
would be most agreeable to this country
! If a new treaty, along modern lines.
I could be negotiated to replace the old
| and obsolete document.
Despite this overture to the Russian
| government. state department officials
practically admitted. tonight, that there
was little hope of negotiating new
treaty which would ebviate the very
things which were leading to the denun-
| citation Of the old one,
/ The United States. II was pointed out
| would be treading on dangerous ground
4 if it tried to arrange with Russia for a
4 reciprocal agreement looking TO wider
latitude in the rights of the citizens of
the two countries. Under the most IA
vored nation" clauses of the treaties, the
Il United States has, with other powers.
1 any one of these could claim the right
Of entry for its citizens into the United
h States and there would be no such thing
as restriction of immigration.
Il State department officials do not believe
4 that the heavy trade between the United
Il States and Russia will necessarily be
l ieopardized by the abrogation of the
i treaty. although tariff war is possible
| and Russia would have the right to ex-
clude American ships from any of her
ports
| According to the bureau of statistics.
the value Of imports into the United
| States from Russia during the present
| calendar year will amount TO si4 oo00o0,
principally in hides, skins and wool. The
value of exports from the United States
! to Russia during the year Is estimated at
| 81, COO 600, showing a balance OF $1,000, go
| in favor of the United States. Russia
also buys much American cotton In Lon
! don, and with this included the total
value of American goods sent into the
| empire is estimated at $500 coo. a ball
anee of 81, ooOoo in favor of the United
| States. The American exports are prin-
| cipally manufactures of agricultural ma
| chinery and cotton.
Il President Tafts announcement, first In
a letter TO the foreign relations commit
ii tee and then in a message to the Senate.
that he had taken upon himself the re-
sponsibility of notifying Russia of the
abrogation of the treaty was not a sur
II prise. 1t was learned. last night that
II he had taken steps TO terminate the pact.
II These facts became public soon after
4 the foreign relations committee met at Il
| \. NJ The committee was in session
nearly three hours, but the only points
! discussed We're whether the House should
be considered in the matter and whether
| the Senate should act in open session
| rather than in executive session.
| It was decided TO recognize the House
| by making the resolution ratifying the
| Presidents action joint one. and it
| further was decided to debate the mat
| ter in the open.
| Senator Lodge prepared the resolution
of ratification which the committee ap-
| proved and it followed the text of the
Presidents note TO Russia in the tact
| fulness of its expressions. Senator
Hitchcock reserved the right to oppose
the Lodge resolution in the Senate and
later he introduced a substitute which
followed the form of the Sulzer House
resolution, with the fiat declaration of
violation Of treaty pledges by Russia left
out
The Lodge resolution reads:
Whereas the treaty of commerce and
navigation between the United States
and Russia, concluded on the 18th day of
beOeiboef, loo-, provides IN Article XII
thereof that it shall continue in force
until the first day OF January in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and thirty-nine, and IL. one year before
that day, one or the other of the high
contracting parties shall not have an
nouneed to the other by an official notifi-
cation its intention TO arrest the opera
! ton thereof, this treaty shall remain OBJ
ligatory one year beyond that day and
SO on until the expiration OF the year
which shall commence after the date of
similar notification and
Whereas on the nth day of December,
1911, the President caused TO be delivered
| 10 the imperial Russian government, by
the American ambassador at St Peters
burg, an official notification ON behalf of
the government of the United States an
houncing intention to terminate the oper-
alton of and treaty upon the expiration
or the year commencing on the first day
of January, 1912: and
Whereas said treaty is no longer re-
sponsive In various respects to the polit-
zeal principles and commercial needs of