Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-05-21
The Fisheries Trouble.

The Fisheries Trouble.
The seizure of another American fishing
schooner. by the Canadian government,
has caused no little excitement at Port
land where the vessel is owned, and all
along the New England shore, and unless
some adjustment OF the fisheries con-
troversy is soon reached there is likely to
be an ugly state of feeling all along the
border. This will not be confined to the
American side. The Nova Scotians who
sell bait to Yankee fishermen depend
largely on this traffic at this time of year
for living, and they feel much aggrieved
that the Dominion government should
| try to shut off their revenues. On the
part Of the American fishermen, the Gus
I tomary custom house permit to touch
! and trade" is considered to give them the
general right to buy bait or other things
they need in any foreign port at which
they touch. AS the first schooner seized,
the Adams, was not provided with such
permit, less could be said about her
case but the last one, the Ella Doughty,
had permit from the Portland custom
house, and II an issue is made, 1t will be
likely to be made on this case.
The treaty of 1918 gives American vessels
shelter, repairs, wood and water. The
Dominion government has now planted
itself on the theory that our vessels are
ntitled to no other privileges, and shall
have no others. The object Of the Cana
dams in attempting to prevent our fishing
vessels from exercising any commercial
privileges is to deprive our fishermen of
fresh bait, in the hope that this will oblige
lsI.
them to give up fishing on the worlds
fishing ground, and give the Canadians
the exclusive use thereof. To enforce this
determination six armed schoOners are
now fitting out at Halifax and st. John,
N. b.. and all American schooners found
buying bait are to be seized and confis-
Gated.
This rule can be and is likely to be made
to work both ways. On Monday the
United States Senate passed shipping
bill, with an amendment providing for a
restriction of the commercial priv
ileges of vessels of foreign coun-
tries in United States ports to
such purposes as are accorded to Ameri-
can vessels in the ports of such foreign
countries. The bill authorizes the presi-
dent, when informed of the denial of com.
mercial privileges to American vessels In
foreign ports, to issue a proclamation ex-
Guiding from the exercise of such CONNER
clal privileges in the ports of the United
States. the vessels of the foreign country
so discriminating. The penalty pre-
scribed for a violation of the presidents
proclamation is liability to forfeiture of
vessels and contents.
This bill went the House Wednesday and
though it cannot be at once acted on with
out unanimous consent-which is not eX-
pected, the Democrats being suspicious
that the measure may make trouble for
the administrations is hoped that it will
speedily become a law. In that case the
Canadian vessels which are constantly
buying bait and supplies in American
ports will be served as they are serving
American vessels. There are" said Con-
gresham Dingley of Maine, in an inter-
view on Monday. this very day in the
port of Portland ten Canadian fishing YES
sells buying bait and other supplies for
their fishing cruise. Fully one half of the
catch of these vessels is disposed of in the
United States, so that Canadians would
very soon understand that petty discrimi-
nation does not pay. If the United States
should refuse to allow Canadian vessels to
uoO Jul Poilo lOl idllulbS SOOuo " DC
shipped to Montreal, Quebec and Toronto
in the winter months, when Canada can
not get access to the open ocean, in order
to cripple the business of these cities, our
conduct would be parallel to the attempt
of Canada TO injure American fishermen
by refusing them the privilege of buying
bait in Canadian ports"
The ultimate object of the Dominion au-
thorities is to secure new general re-
ciprocity treaty with the United States.
But their present course will not conduce
to that end.