National Republican., 1880-05-20
TILE FISHERY QUESTION.

This government has paid TO Great Brit
ain S5,500000, hard cash, for something
connected with the fishery business of the
coast of Newfoundland, and what that
something is does not seem to have reached
an intelligent determination between the
high contracting parties. The only dis
tinctly understood and clearly defined
points connected with this question appear
TO be that this government knows that it
paid S5,500,000 TO Great Britain, and the
latter nation is equally certain that it re-
ceived that sum at the hands of the United
States, but there is no agreement between
these parties now as to what the equivalent
was to have been for that &c nerous sum of
money. Our government supposed that it
had by that treaty secured certain rights
for our fishing interests on the fishing
grounds off the Newfoundland coast. 1t
has since learned from experience that it
is mista ken ON that score, if it is
to accept Great Britain's view of the
case. Our $5,j00,000 are gone-that we
know; now our government is laboring to
ascertain the equivalent it is to receive
Washington, which was prepared by the
I" high joints" and accepted by both gov
ernments, did not settle the fishery ques-
ton, or even begin TO settle one side Of it,,
Our money is gone, and thus far its equiva-
lent has been total disregard, on the part
of the government which has got our ducats,
of what we had fattered ourselves we
were to receive in return therefor. When
our fishermen have attempted to avail them
selves Of the rights the treaty had ostensibly
secured to them, local laws and ferocious
mobs were interposed to prevent their
peaceful enjoyment. Then whenever
this government has brought this as
pect of the question to the attention OF
the British government, the lion sulks
and no satisfaction is afforded Great Britain
has secured our gold, and now Uncle SAM
can whistle for it as tho skipper does for n
waiting breeze in the midst of dead calm
This condition Of affairs has been pro.
longed until our aesthetic secretary of state
and our most excellent and amiable presi.
dent have both become thoroughly aroused
from their very depths to make dissentient
remark. They don't like it, and they don't
care who knows it. The secretary hints at
retaliation and the president mildly init.
mates that fact to the congress Of the United
States just as it is entering the whirling
and fastening circles of u closing session
This question has been hanging by the
gills so to speak, for year or two, aud il
is Il little surprising that it had not beer
tossed into the congressional arena at tn,
commencement of the session for our vol
ublG statesmen TO practice on. Large
volumes of patriotism, blood ant
thunder might have been brought fortl
70 entertain the country and beguile the
leisure hours of all idle and listless con,
grcss The Fe, Fl 70, fun, smell the blood
"of an Englishman, and dead or alive,
"will have some" would have sounded well
in the halls Of congress as an occasional
chant TO break the monotony Of line Of
debate where statesmen have been bent on
discussion. without the intention of saying
anything OF importance. However, better
late than never, and It is 10 bo hoped that
congress may take early cognizanco of this
question, and ascertain, II possible, whether
the fishery award was an eleemosynary pif
TO Great Britain or is entitled to some com
pensating beneltR Let It be settled dcf
nitely