The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-18
HISTORY OF THE CASE,
HOW THE ASTuTE CA
MUCK HAS MANAGED MATTERS,
So That the CreduIous and Trustful Yam
kee Has Always Had the Bag to Hold
ada Is After-A Question of Dollars.

kee Has Always Had the Bag to Hold
What Uncle Sam Wants and What Can
ada Is After-A Question of Dollars
WASHINGTON, CITY, May lS.-While
the question of fisheries is attracting so
much attention, it may be well for the PEG
pie to know Just how the question stands
from a diplomatic point of view and the
following facts will assist to fair under
stand ng OF the case: The first fishery treaty
was made In 1888 and in it the interests OF
the United States were well taken care OF.
This treaty was repudiated after the war OF
1873 by Great Britain, who claimed
that tine war had wiped out all
treaties, and new one was ne
got;ated-the rnuch-quoted treaty of lSla
In this treaty the United States waived all
rights for its fishing vessels, except rights OF
hospitality, along all the British American
coasts except along part Of the Newfound-
land and Labrador coasts At this time and
for long years afterward unrestricted rights
of English vessels to enter American ports
and OF American vessels to enter British
ports were not enjoyed, Step by step each
nation curtailed its navigation laws and in
l'f' bho biitioh SoNVi iciho'OA WIZ
last obstacles in the way Of 5ree aud full
commercial intercourse between the two ma
tions, and since that time the ships of Eng
land and America have had the same rights
in the ports Of one country that they have
had in the other.
In 1853 the reciprocity treaty was nego-
tiated by which Canada secured a free mar
ket for her fish in the United States-an
4 r.. ~.
ada--so valuable to that country that the
United States, not seeing any value in it
for herself, terminated the treaty in 1867,
and it was four years later that the cele-
brated Washington treaty was signed. AT
the negotiation of this treaty the British
commissioners asserted that as compensa-
ton for the right of inshore fishing granted
10 the United States, we should as a pre-
lmiDary admit Canadian fish and fish oil
free Our commissioners assented The British
commissioners insisted that this was not
enough, and that money bonus should
be thrown in Methods of fishing had
changed The subject of fisheries had
changed from cod to mackerel During
twelve years of reciprocity we had found
the Canadian in-shore fisheries to be of
little or no value to US, and yet so ignorant
were the American commissioners OF Ameri-
can interests, that they consented to give
in exchange for the Canadian in-shore
fisheries-first, our own in shore fisheries:
second, free admission of Canadian fish and
oil, and, third, whatever cash bonus a sub
sequent commission might award against us
The commission appointed to assess tie
amount of bonus met at Halifax and de.
creed that the United States should pay to
Canada tho sum Of -, '.00, 900 and the money
was paid 1t was demonstrated over
and over again that the United
States had paid very dearly from the
in shore privileges, and Evarts wrote to
Lord Salisbury letter showing h i'm that the
privileges of the inshore We're only worth to
the United States about 81, j00, 0N under the
most favorable circumstances The earliest
date at which the fishery clauses OF the
treaty of 1871 could be abrogated was July
|, 1855, and two years notice was
required. Congress, by resolution of
March 3, 1879, directed the presi-
dent to give that notice July /,
1855, and it was done The resolution for
abro alton pass ed the senate with little de-
bate, no opposition, and no rollcalL 1t
was pushed by the New England senator's,
whose constituents were deeply interested
in the matter.
In 1881 we took Just AGO barrels Of mack.
erel in Canadian waters. and the Canadians
took 80, Isl barrels in our waters In July,
ISL, there was but one American fisherman
in the Gulf of st Lawrence, and in July,
l>S9, only two In 1851 and 1855 there
were not twenty American fishermen in
Canadian waters affected by the treaty.
Thus congress caused the abrogation of
the only treaty We had with Canada, be-
calse 1t was a losing business for Uncle
Sam In March, 1885, Minister Welsh pro
proposed to Secretary Bayard that to pre-
vent hardship to American fishermen who
might lie in Canadian waters at the date of
the abrogation OF the treaty the British
government, as mark of good will to the
United States, had authorized him to make
an agreement with the United States gov
eminent extending the treaty temporarily
ION the distinct understanding that it is u
temporary one, and that its conclusion
must not lie held to prejudice any claim
which may be advanced to more satisfact-
ory eIuivalrnts by the colonial governments
in the course OF the negotiation for more
permanent settlement
1t is claimed by those who are in posi-
ton to know that there were not at that
time dozen American fishermen in the in
shore Canadian fisheries: that very few
American fishermen ever were there, and
that the purpose OF the Brit
ish move was to obtain an
extension of the time in which
Canadian fish and oil could he sent to the
United States free of duty. The PROPOSE
ton was agreed to by Mr.. Bayard, however,
and the privileges were extended six
months, except as regarded the duty on
fish and oil, over which tine executive de-
partment had 70 power. but the president
would recommend another commission to
negotiate another treaty on the subject
The correspondent of The Chicago Times
says; "Now what is it that the American
fishermen wantl They don't want the right
to fish in Canadian waters, because it would
be of no use to them, and the deep-sea fish
cries are open to them without treaty They
want the privilege of entering Canadian
ports to buy lie and bait, and to
ship crews The latest opinion
of the state department as to the rights Of
Americans is as follows:
american fishing vessels can only enter
thnaulan DayS anu ndrDDrS Ior shelter,
damages, purchasing wood, and obtaining
water This is under the concession of 1915. u
an order to define American fishing
vessels of commercial privileges in Cana
dian ports the Canadian government closes
its ports to ali vessels Of all nations except
In cases Of distress. OF course the Cana
dams do not intend to enforce that en-
barge against anybody but Americans
But II we don't want to NEEDLE with the in
shore fishery, and the deep sea fishery is
open to all nations, and cur pur-
| chases OF bait afford almost the
sole means Of subsistence to the peo-
| pie along good part of the Canadian coast,
what are the Canadians trying to dol
They are trying to make the deepsea fish
cries Improbable for us, SO they can have a
monopoly OF them, and they are trying to
annoy us until we reopen to them the Amer.
lean market, which, for thirty five ears
they have confessed was absolutely essen.
| tial to them.
The free trade qUestion-whether fish
ought to come in our market free-has nc
place here for that is a matter Of legislation
and not negotiation Whatever may 10 TIT
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