San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-09
THE FISHERIES MIDDLE.

by the unfriendly and unwarranted acts
Of the Dominion authorities. Bay ARDS
correspondence shows that due notiti-
cation has again and again been given to
the government of Great Britain that
compensation is expected for the dam
age thus caused to American fishermen,
both by seizure Of vessels unwarranE-
ably and by curtailment of privileges to
which they were justly entitled under
commercial stipulations. The design Of
the recommendation to congress is to
provide for the taking such proofs Of
losses and damages thus sustained as
will form II perpetual record upon which
demand for damages may be made.
The whole matter In dispute on
this fisheries question is of very
ancient date, so far as this government
is concerned, dating back to the early
days of the republic. There never has
been any agreement between this cOun-
try and Great Britain as to the real con-
struction Of the convention of 1918. The
Interpretation Of the provisions OF that
convention, which is the basis of all our
fishery agreements with Great Britain,
has been the occasion ofendless disputes
and disagreements. Temporary truces
have been patched up and the difficulty
bridged over for time, but the root OF
remain. Whenever Great Britain has
felt herself in position to crowd the in
depreciation, and has thought from the
nature of our administration that it was
safe to do so, American fishermen have
been deprived OF their rights under the
stipulatiOns, and no heed has been paid
to our feeble remonstranoes. Under
vigorous foreign policy there has been a
marked change in the attitude Of
Great Britain on this question, and her
interpretations Of the rights of Ameri-
can fishermen under the treaty stipula-
tions have been much more favorable to
American interests. The greed of Great
Britain is too well known to admit of
any leniency on the part OF
matters involving the pecuniary inter-
ests Of her citizens in conflict with the
pecuniary interests Of British subjects
1t ia getting to be too generally accepted
as truism that the United States will
not go beyond certain point in defend
ing the rights Of her citizens abroad.
There 10 no nation OF the first magni-
tude that concerns itself so little about
the rights OF its subjects in other lands
as do we. and this fact has brought us as
a nation and a government into disre-
pute among foreign governments. SO
that indIgnities are offered to American
citizens with impunity that dare not be
offered to the subjects of Great Britain,
or France, or Germany. This idea Of
Experimentation for the pro-
lection of her citizens, has become gen.
eral, and is apparent in the overriding
OF treaty stIpulatIons and their inter-
probation according to the will OF the
powers whose interests are in the other
scale. 1t is high time that
the government of SO powerful and trsv-
eled people as ours should take steps
to make the government as truly pro-
tective OF her subjects abroad as are the
subjects of any other government on the
face of the earth. Our isolation on this
continent has had much to do with fOs-
tering and perpetuating these cOndi-
tiOns. Before our late civil war Amer
leans were little seen abroad, and the
strength of this nation was little under
stood. The struggle Of lS6l-65 taught
the great European powers our strength,
but subsequent events have also shown
that 1t was not the policy of this gov
eminent to take special care of it's citi-
zens abroad. Our interchanges with
other governments are now so general,
our people scatter themselves so numer-
ously over the face OF the globe, that it
has become absolutely necessary for the
government to change its policy in this
matter and make protection OF the rights
and persons Of American citizens abroad
one of her first concerns. This policy
will also commit her to 80 supervise her
treaties, and so enforce all their stipula-
tions. that the rights of American sea-
men, merchantmen and fishermen will
be as sacredly guarded from infringe
ment by foreign powers and interests as
they are guarded from home interfer-
ence and sbrogation.
This country must put herself on
record. and take strong ground in de-
fence OF her citizens abroad and in their
commercial exchanges with the subjects
of other nations, or she will become the
contempt of those nations and lose the
confidence and respect Of her own citi-
zens. Every Infringement Of the rights
OF our citizens by the subjects OF for
eign power should be rigidly examined
into, and the government in whose
name or by whose permission the out.
RACES have been committed or the In
justices perpetrated, should be held to
strict accountability. This whole fish
cries question is a standing menace to
the peace and property of our American
fisherman as 1t now stands, and some
change is imperatively demanded. 1t is
not enough that damages are exacted
and paid, after long years Of waiting.
The whole subject needs careful exam
ination, and such accepted construc-
tions should be agreed to and signed as
will settle this matter Of the rights of
American fishermen In Canadian waters