The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-09-25

Torrance, it was clear to the mind of
all that it wasn't done by questions.
Indianapolis Journal.
THE CANADIAN FISHERIES.
what An Investigating Committee
Ascerta1ned-Ame Said to De.
rive but Little Advantage Under
she Treaty-Hov Our Fishermen Are
IntcrEered with.
Ftz j. Babson, who, with Mr..
Dwight Foster, went down to the
Provinces by instructions of Secretary
Evarts, to investigate the methods of
fishing adopted by native and other
fishermen, and to collect whatever
other evidence they could relating to
the vexed questions arising from the
Treaty of Washington, reached home
last night. Mr.. Babson has given the
Fishery question good deal of earnest
thought and attention. He is the Col
lector of this, the largest fishing port
on the coast, and, besides, is a citizen
of public spirit and in full sympathy
with all efforts looking to the full
development of the material interests
fax Commission convened he devoted a
large portion of his time to collecting
evidence and arranging it for the
American counsel. Mr.. Foster was the
American agent.
The Herald correspondent called on
the Collector and asked him to allow
brief review of his work to be printed.
He said he would be very willing to do
SO, but was reluctant to anticipate the
official report which he should be
obliged to file with the State Depart
ment. The information, he said, was
for the ear of that Department., and he
could not, with propriety, give it to
any other person or to the country
through any other channel. He said
that he had gathered considerable
statistical information, which only con-
firms his previous impressions of the
actual condition of the fishery regula-
TORS and the treatment of our fisher
men by the natives.
"All our people demand" he said,
care the same rights granted to Cana
dian fishermen in our ports. This we
have not got, and only a modification
of the treaty or its abrogation can give
it to us, in my judgment"
1t was also learned that call was
made on the Governor of Newfound-
land, who received the Commissioners
cordially and granted them all the ia
cilities needed for the prosecution of
their inquiry. They went to Charlotte
town, Prince Edward Island, and made
inquiries of fishermen along the coast
I'D <l< l. =
States Consul here and the Consuls at
all points touched were questioned as
to the feeling Of the people toward the
United States fishermen, the quantity
of fish caught within the three-mile
limit, the means employed by Provin-
cial and American fishermen, etc., and
IN immense mass of testimony has been
accumulated, which will be put in shape
rs soon as Mr.. Foster gets home. He
was to leave Halifax to-day or to-mor-
row. The report will not be ready for
some weeks. 1t will be very forcible
document, and will make some recon-
mendations and reach some conclusions
that are liable to change the whole as
pect of our relations with the Dominion
Government so far rs this branch of in
dustry is concerned.
A gentleman, who had been with the
Commissioners II good deal during their
cruise and knew something of their
work and it's direction, said in CONVEX
sation 4 day or two ago that the diff
Guilty was not really with the British
Government, but with the Canadian
fishermen, who became greatly inccnsed
| ut the manner in which the Americans
fish. They have all the new and inn
proved machines for catching fish, such
as traps and seincs. They can thereby
catch more fish in an hour than the others
can in a week. The Canadians will NO,
even allow their fcllow-countlymcn u
use these American inventions.
The American Government paid &c..
500, 900 for the privilege of fishing inside
the three-mile line. Now. our fisher.
men do not ask to fish inside this line,
and, therefore, the money was thrown
away. In the first place, the principal
fish caught by the Americans is the cod.
Now, inside the three-mile line off the
Canadian shore the Goldfish is scarcely
worth the catching. 1t is very
small and could not find market
here at all. The fishing is all done
thirty miles outside of this line. The
Canadians, however, 60 out in their
little punts and catch fifteen or twenty
of these small fish and then call it a
good days work. The Americans,
however, want to come inside the three
mile line to catch bait, and this bait
cannot be caught every day in the same
place. In fact, some days it cannot be
caught at all; for the fish used for bait
ing the traps and seines is migratory,
and must be caught where it is to be
found. Now, the Americans go inside
the line, throw out their seines for bait,
and before they can begin work in
earnest the Infatuated Canadian fisher
men, egged on by some wealthy capt.
talists, who own them body and soul,
form mob and drive the men away.
This is done in order to compel them to
buy their bait from the Canadians. The
Americans are willing to buy it at a
reasonable price, but when such exorbi-
tant rates are asked they seem to pre-
fer to catch it themselves rather than
be subjected to their vile treatment.
The Canadians have no knowledge OF
what treaty is. They think the wa
tiers are their own personal property,
and that they can exclude whomsoever
they please and prevent them from get
ting bait. Every one has read of the
disturbances that have been caused by
the mob Directing to our fishermen OBJ
tanning bait otherwise than by pur-
chase. As an example of the prejudice
existing against the Americans, 1 will
relate one little incident. A fisherman
was being questioned by Mr.. Babson
about the size of the fish near the
| shore. when he renlied that before the