The Wilmingtonian., 1886-07-31
The New York "Herald" and MIR.
Bayard.


The New York Herald Of Monday last
takes up edtorially Secretary Bayard's con
duct of the fisheries question and lashes the
great Delaware statesman fairly between the
shoulders.
That journal lays at his door all the
trouble and annoyance that the New Eng
land fishermen have experienced for the last
twelve months.
1t attributes to his pettishness with the
Senate all that there has been of delay i'll es
tabhshing the desired modNs vipendj that
should exist between Canada and the United
States, the New York journal arguing that
''in December he flung himself upon Con-
gress and when that body refused to give him
powers which ho-already possessed he sat
down and folded his hands,
The editorial referred to is as follows =
"For the losses--far greater than can be
made good by money paYments-which our
fishermen have suffered this year, and for
the extreme and dangerous irritation which
has grown up about the question, all the
facts prove that Mr.. Bayard is entirely and
alone to blame. He came into office in
March, 1885, and in May made an arrange
ment which prevented trouble for that year.
But having done that he stopped as though
nothing more was called for from him. lie
had nine months of 1885 and the whole
spring Of the present year in which to take
effective steps either to secure our fishermen
from molestation during 1856 and until the
matter at issue could be settled, or if that
was denied him by Great Britain then To
give timely notice and warning to our peo.
Pile of this fact and full instructions as otbe
limits within which they must carry on thcil
voyages for the time being and until the dis
puted points were arranged.
"Mr. Bayard did nothing at all during the
| summer, fall and winter of 1885, though the
| President has the full and, indeed, the ex
elusive authority under the constitution tC
negotiate treaties of all kinds. In December
he flung himself upon Congress. and when
| that refused to give him powers which hC
already possessed he sat down and folded
his hands. In May the fishermen, hearing
nothing from him, went on their business
and suddenly, without warning, found them
| selves treated as though they had faller
among robbers. They were seized, fined,
driven hither and thither, their voyages
| spoiled and they applied in vain to Mr.
Bayard to know what they might and wha
they might not do, for they are not a lawles'
people. lie treated their just requests anc
Complaints as though they had been th'
scum of the earth, and suffered them to fal
into trouble as though his deliberate pur
| pose had been to sacrifice them in order K
| get up row with Great Britain. lie haC
had full year before him to make cithe
permanent or temporary arrangements. HI
had not even taken the trouble to ascertain
| what course our fishermen must pursue Il
keep out of the troubles he had SO shame
fully neglected to prevent.
"An ounce of prevention is worth pount
of cure. Solely because of Mr.. Bayard's in
capacity and neglect of his plainest dut!
there has arisen condition Of irritation be
tween this country and Great Britain anC
Canada which no good citizen on either sid,
can see without regret aud alarm, and th'
end of which, with Mr.. Bayard as the man
ager for the United States, no one can fore
see. He tells the Senate that the case is 81
serious that he dares nat make his negotia
tion public.
Meantime, he has not, it seems, PFC
gressed so well with it as to even secure t
our fishermen safety against molostatio
pending the settlement. This would seer
to be very small favor TO ask, while
would be an immense relief to the fisher
men. Perhaps he has not thought it wort
while to make SO reasonable a request"