The Washington critic., 1886-07-23
MIR. BAyARD AND THE FISHERIES.

vowed In the nsnerles controversy, or
the fishing interest itself does not un-
derstand Mr.. Bayard; the latter holding
tenaciously to the scheme for an interna-
tional commission to arbitrate and lay
out the ground upon which new fish.
cry treaty can be erected. lie secs no
way except by treaty in which the mat
ter can be settled. The fishermen on
the other hand see no good and much
danger in treaty. They are unani.
nous against the proposition. They
hold that treaty means that
our ports will be thrown open to Cana.
dian fishermen free of duty, and say
that such course means their own
complete ruin. They claim that the
Canadian authorities have been seizing
our fishing vessels and committing
other unfriendly acts simply for the
purpose of driving us to treaty, in the
negotiation of which England's repre-.
sentatives would claim in return for
stipulation that Canada should behave
herself, concession on the part of the
representatives Of the United States that
the duty on fish imported from Canada
be greatly lowered if not altogether
abolished. That perhaps explains the
unanimity of our fishermen in their
hostility 10 treaty. They look upon
ii as trap and do not want to slip into
1t. They have more or less reason for
feeling as they do.
Their position is that no treaty Is
needed, and that 1t is not necessary to
appoint commission in order to de.
termine what are the commercial rights
of American fishermen in Canadian
waters. 1t is not the privilege of fish
ing in those waters that is wanted but
the enjoyment of the same commercial
rights in Canadian ports as are granted
Canadian vessels in our ports; and the
saying that no treaty is needed to Sc
cure these rights.
The Congress of the United States
has authorized the President to close
our ports to Canadian vessels by al.
lowing them no rights there that Can
ada refuses to grant to American YES
sells in her ports. If this should be
done, Canada would soon come down
from her little wooden horse and we
would have no more of that imperti-
nence which not only works serious in
jury to one of our great industries, but
is also exceedingly humiliating to every
good citizen of the United States.
Mr.. Bayard is no doubt doing the
best he can from purely diplomatic
standpoint, but he does not seem to pay
so much attention to what the people
most directly interested in this matte
say, as to the representations of Mini
ter West and his government, in who 9
eagerness for n new treaty there ii
something decidedly suspicious. Tn's
is not all, Mr.. Bayard is unfortur re
in what he has said as well as in W lat
he has not done. lie recently remarked
that the people who are most earnestly
demanding protection for our fisher
men would be the first to "drop on
their marrow bones and plead for
mercy in case Of war between the
United States and any foreign power"
and also that those people are insincere
In their efforts to seek protection for
American fishermen and American in
dustries. He adds that many of "those
fishermen are Canadians and all the
supplies used aboard the vessels are
purchased in Canada, simply because
both men and material can be obtained
cheaper there than in the United
States" The New Englanders do not
stop to criticise the Secretary's un-
American remark about marrow bones,
but do most emphatically deny what
he says about the men and supplies
put upon the fishing vessels. They
only employ Canadians, they say,
when Americans are not to be had. II
for no other reasons, they employ
Americans because they are less eX-
pensive and do better work, while tho
supplies that are purchased in Canadc
amount to too triling sum to be serl-
ously considered. Such statements ~
those OF Mr.. Bayard, they say, show
him to be woefully misinformed aat
consequently incompetent to deal with
the question inteligeuty. Oae ol,
fisherman even goes SO far as to rebukt
the head of that secretiye Institution
the Department Of State, by sayin,
that If he is not going to do anythin.
10 help the matter, he should at lels
not talk any more about It; and an old
time Portland skipper, who is also al
old-time Methodist, tells Mrs Blyar,
that che is darkening counsel witt
words without knowledge"
The Secretary may regard the alti
tude of the fishermen and what The.
say-especially what they say--ls o
no weight or consequences at the samt
time he should remember that in thi
matter the people Of the country ar
with the men who handle the tlshin!
schooners and wear sou westers
every time, as against Englands pei
sistent desire for an international com
mission to pave the way for treat
which would only give us the right
that are already ours and only need t.
be enforced, in exchange for our con
sent to give up the whole fishing bust
ness to Canada.
By THE death of William Hunter
Assistant Secretary Of State, there va:
closed long life of usefulness
During his many years of service II