The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-26
Ghn catalogues.
wuEELlN0, ", VA MAY 30 1856


American Blight. IN Canadian WN,Sr'.
In the House OF Commons the Under
Colonial Secretary said that communlca'
ions ON the fisheries question from the
Government Of the United States would
,rbe considered in a friendly spirit" The
seizure at Portland Of the Canadian schoo'
mar Skaters, loaded with macEerelp will
more strongly dispose the British Gov
eminent to take u broad view oil the
question.
The seizure Of the Canadian RChooner
IA a forcible reminder to the Home Gov
ornmept and to the Dominion authorities
and fishermen as well that two can play
Mt the Canadian game OF seizure The
act of the Portland Collector 10 oil course
n measure Of retaliation, Hiss so intended
and will be 80 understood. Yet 1t has
this great merit over the Canadian authorl'
ties, that il was according to the law OF ma
lions. for she was not furnished with the
necessary papers. II this action be sus'
tanned by the Government at Washing
ton, as it ought to be, the cable will
strengthen Secretary Bayard's complaint
now outward bound.
The aim Of tho Canadians is to force an
entrance for their fish into the American
market free OF duty. Iithey could accom-
plish this by shrewd diplomacy We could
find no fault with them. But they have
resorted to very different means, throwing
themselves upon an act Of the Dominion
Parliament Of 1868, on the strength OF
which the Minister OF Marine Issued a
proclamation, March . last, in which he
denied to American vessels all commercial
rights in Canadian waters, harbors and
ports except for shelter, repairs, wood and
water, The Minister Of Marine ordered
the seizure OF any American weasel doing
any other commercial act.
The Adams and the Doughty were
seized for buying bsit-not Tor catching
bait in Canadian waters, not Tor stealing
bait from hardy Canadians who had risk
ed their lives to catch II, but for the high
crime oil buying bait in a Canadian port.
This is one OF the few instances on record
in which Canada has shown any indiHpo-
sltion To take good American money.
1t is true that under tho treaty OF 1878
the rights Of American fishing vessels in
Canadian waters were confined to the
purposes named in the proclamation oil
the Canadian Minister Of Marine. But
that treaty was signed in day when
commercial intercourse between nations
was much more restricted than now, and
great changes have since taken place in
the policy otnations.
Not only is their greater freedom oiin-
tsrcourse by common consent, but by
reciprocal legislative enaCtments. Great
Britain and the United States have en-
tered into ireer relations, in view Of which
the action Of tho Dominion authorities is
an insult and an outrage. In 1924 Con.
gress offered to the vessels Of any foreign
country the same privileges that are en-
joyed by American vessels, provided the
privileges we're reciprocated. In lS40th h
British Parliament accepted the offer, and
the vessels OF the two countries were
placed on az equality.
BY this legislation Canadian fishing
vessels in American waters have the
same privileges as American vessels.
Tho Canadians prefer 10 stand on the
treaty OF 1918, %disregarding all subse-
qaent legislation by the two sovereign
powers. 1t is not to be supposed that
the British Home Government will &C.
cept the Canadian Interpretation. Ger
tainly the United States will not accept
that Interpretation, nor can 1t admit that
a British dependency may overturn q
status determined between London and
Washington. Great Britain would think
1t strange II tho United States were To
permit the State Of New York to inter-
pretfor herself any phase OF the relations
between the two countries.
The British Home Government may be
disposed to let Canada down gently, but
in the end there Is likely to be a settle
ment satisfactory to the United States,
which has on It's side the right and power
to rstaliate with good effect. An AMIGA
BILE settlement now is better than %retalia.
ton first and settlement afterwards, for at
some time q settlement will come.