Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-21
Secretary Bayard's Defence.

| The Rip Van Wrinkle Secretary of Stats
at Washington has at length aroused from
his long slumber, and discovering tina
there is serious trouble over the fisherie.
question. has endeavored to shirk his re
sponsibility for it by charging the Senate
with being the cause Of it. 1t is encour
aging to know that the Secretary hai
awakened from his slumbers. but i
would be more encouraging if in his as
sertions he kept more closely to facts, anc
pointed his guns at the Dominion depreda
tors upon our fishermen instead OF assail
ing the Senate of the United States. Con
gresham Dingley, in speaking OF Score
tarv Bayard's defence says:
This is a strange declaration, coming from
| the head OF the State Department. who ha,
| full authority 10 negotiate the preliminarie'
# treaty with Great Britain on fishing OIL
| any other questions. The Secretary does not
need the consent of the Senate to negotiate
What he suggested to the Senate and to Con.
aress was the appointment Of a commissioner
desired by Canada to make an arrangement
for the free admission of Canadian fish into
our market in exchange for a concession of
fish privileges in Canadian waters to Ameri-
| can fishermen. The Senate, and practically
the House simply said that we did not desire
to enter into any such arrangement.
The Senate was not only willing but desir-
Gus that the State department should enter
into negotiations with Great Britain for the
settlement Of the disputed question as to what
is the line Of demarcation between Canadian
fishing grounds and as to what are the COM
mercial rights of American fishing vessels in
Canadian ports. Surely no commission is
needed to conduct such negotiations; the
Imposition is that we have a secretary OF
State and minister to Great Britain amply
able to conduct negotiations on our part,
although must confess that their complete
failure to accomplish anything during the
four months since the Canadian minister of
marine opened his proclamation foreshadow-
ing the un riendly and Indeffnable treatment
of American fishing vessels, gives support to
the suggestion that the State Department is
by no means success in negotiations.
The suggestion Of the Secretary that the
republicans in Congress have used every
means to obstruct the present administration
in settling the fishing question has not par
ticle of foundation. On the contrary. they
have done everything in their power TO aid
him. They do object to commission for
the purpose already stated, and the votes In
both the Senate and House show that a large
number Of democrats stood with them, but
they have never interfered in any way be-
yond suggesting that on no account shall
Canadian fish be admitted to our markets
free of cost They heve constantly request
ed the State Department to settle the ques-
ton in dispute by negotiations, and the sec
rotary himself has repeatedly said to republic
can congressman that he was in full accord
with them on the disputed points.
Here are the facts, concisely, accurately,
truthfully stated. There is no one to
blame in Congress for the difficulty about
the fisheries It rests with Secretary Bay
ard and President Cleveland. They were
willing and attempted in conjunction with
the British Minister to establish the
old order Of things, under the treaty Of
Washington, which the great mass of
fishermen in this country protested against
and demanded its abrogation. Had they
needed and respected the action of Con-
gress and the voice of the fishermen of
New England, they would not have COM
mitted the monstrous blunder which has
already occasioned large loss to our
citizens, and kindled a hostile feeling be-
tween the people of this country and
those of the Dominion