Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-09-10
TREATY CONFLICT
HAS A PRECEDENT
GRANTS DESIRE TO ANNEX
sANTo DOMINGO BROUGHT
ON A SIMILAR CONTEST.
SUMNER LEADS OPPOSITION
Bitter Struggle in the Senate Commit
tee on Foreign Relations Was
Brought to an End by Sort Of Com
promise.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
WashingtOn.--In the corridors of the
capitol and on the streets Of Washing
ton today one frequently hears that
nothing like the present conflict be-
tween the administration and the SEN
ate on the subject of treaty ever oc-
CURED before IN the history of the
country.
However there is nothing new under
the sun, as the wise one said When
one chooses to dig little into the
records, or even into the history OF
events with which men are supposed
to be familiar, he generally finds par
allel TO present case. no matter what
that case may be.
The people for some time have been
witnessing n conflict Of opinion and Of
effort between the president and the
senate committee on foreign relations
on the subject of treaty, conflict
which has had good many dramatic
features Has anything Of this kind
happened before? Yes, and not so long
ago but that men still living remember
the circumstances. In fact, there have
been several such controversies. one or
two Of them In recent years, but the
most marked case probably is one
which had its scene and setting in the
first administration of President Ulys-
ses S. Grant.
General Grant desired to annex
Sant0 Domingo TO the United States
He believed that a treaty OF annexa-
ton readily could he entered into with
that country which has been known ms
the Black Republic. He preached his
plans and the matter, of course, went
TO the senate committee on foreign
relations, Of which Charles Sumner Of
Massachusetts, Republican, as Grant
was Il Republican. was chairman. At
that time there was no question Of diff
Terence Of party or of party feeling
between the chairman of the senate
foreign relations committee and the
president Of the United States. More
over, the senate Itself substantially
was Republican In lts majority.
Summer Fought the Treaty.
There was an internal row on IN
San Domingo, as frequently has been
the case in that land. The American
administration was sympathetic with
tho ruling aspirations of one Baez who
claimed to be the rightful president of
the San Domingo Republic The treaty
was drawn up with Baez and with an
nc 10 al, hn
fore the committee on foreign relations
of the senate for consideration and for
action.
/ Cherries Sumner, chairman of the
committee, was Just as antagonlstlc TO
She treaty looking to the annexation OF
San Domingo as Senator Lodge. chair
man of the committee today, Is to some
OF the features of the treaty of peace
and covenant of the Leaeue OF Nations
The interchanges between Sumner
and the administration were sharper
than some of those which are passing
back and forth today. The Republican
party In the senate was split on the
matter on which the administrations
heart was set. Sumner reported adj.
versely on behalf of the committee on
foreign relations on the San Domingo
treaty. and then the trouble In the
senate broke loose
Carl Schurz at that time was SEN
ntor of the United States and mem
her Of the foreign relations committee.
With several other Republican senators
he backed Sumner. while Roscoe Conk.
ling aud other Republican senators
stood by the administration.
San Domingo Fight Bitter
Unlike proceedings of the present
time, the San Domingo treaty matter
was discussed I'm executive session. To
day the League Of Nanons is under
discussion In the open senate. From
reports. supposedly truthful. of what
was said in the executive sessions dUr
Ing the Grant-Sumner controvers, Il
seems likely that there was more oil
terneSs displayed in that elder d.,
than Is the case at present.
The controversy resulted in a sort o
n compromise. Congress appointed ,
commission to lock into the San be
mingo matter. and to make a repor
thereon. but Sumner carried his poin
when he secured an amendment to tn
resolution authorizing the appointment
Of Il committee. TO the effect that moth
ing in the resolution should be con
strucd, even in spirit. as committin,
the United States 10 favorable posi-
ton on the treaty,
or course Il is not necessary TO Sa,
that the treaty did not go through, fo
people know that San Domingo neve
was annexed to the United States. Th,
antagonism between Grant and Sumne
aroused by the treaty matter. added /,
others which came later. led to Il com
plete breach.
Republicans Uncertain on Program
There is no use attempting to dis
cuise the fact that there has been vi
certainty in the Republican majorit
Of the house as 10 what form certai
legislative endeavors should take.
seems likely that during the recess,
the house gets one. these matters wi
DE thrashed out by the leaders an
that when the house comes togethe