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Show NO ARBITRATION TREATY I It actually seems to be truo that the President Is contemplating the negotiation negotia-tion of some sort of an arbitration arbitra-tion treaty with France probably something In the line of the treaty recently negotiated between France and Great Britain. Tho report comes from Paris that the negotiations ne-gotiations are actually on, and' from Washington that they are In contemplation. contem-plation. But we trust that there will be long hesitation before entering into any such treaty. "We believe that If this country should enter Into arbitration treaties with the nations of Europe, the result would be that we would be compelled in every case to surrender every point of difference that might arise. There Is not a nation of Europe but that would be glad to do an 111 turn to" the United States, with the possible exception ex-ception of Great Britain. There is not one that is not jealous of the power and prestige of tho Great Republic; not one but is complaining of the encroachments encroach-ments of Yankee craft. Ingenuity, and push. To enter into arbitration alliances with such powers, Is to throw away our case In advance. As no man ever got advantage from a hearing where his enemy judged him, so no nation can ever expect fair treatment from envious and jealous foes. Even the decision just rendered by Tho Haguo tribunal Is a proof of this. It was that the powers which had virtually waged war against Venezuela were entitled to the preference in the settlement of their claims. This ruling was made, we firmly believe,' because it was expected to affect the United States unfavorably, since this country had not taken any part in tho war operations, but on the contrary had discouraged them; and citizens of this country had claims greater than those of all others comblnedc If tho United States had Joined Great Britain, Germany and Italy in belligerent demonstrations against Venezuela, we verily bellevo that the decision of that peace tribunal would havo been different, and we should not have seen the inconsistency of a peace tribunal giving preference to warlike demonstrations over tho methods of peace. In case of arbitration between this country and any American country It would be European arbiters who would decire the case, and they would decide against the United States as a matter of course, for the double reason that thoy would want to Inflict Injury upon us, and to humble us in the eyes of other American States. In case of arbitration between the United States and any European power, the doclBlon would, equally as a matter of course, be against the United States on the grounds that Europo must stand together against American aggression, and to get whatever advantage for themselves there might be In It. In any case, the practical operation of an arbitration treaty would' be that this country would1 bo obliged to submit sub-mit its caso to European arbiters, and in every case it would bo certain that all but one was dead1 against us from the first. There could bo but ono pos-slblo pos-slblo excoptlon to this, and that would be In case the nation with which our difference happened to be, was out of favor In the European court circles; then we might possibly have an even chance. Otherwise It would be quito Impossible. Im-possible. ' So we hope there will be no arbitration arbitra-tion treaties, with France or any other European power. Tho ratification of any such would amount simply to putting put-ting our hand In the hyena's mouth, wantonly and unnecessarily, on tho remote re-mote chanco that the beast wouldn't bile. |