The Washington critic., 1886-05-20
WHICH SHALL 1T BE?

WHICH SHALL 1T BE?
Retaliation or arbitration - which
shall it be? Iankeedoodleism says
Reialio,e. Commol sense says: Arbi.
trate. Yet nobody seems to know
what the point involved really is
The whole question consists just
here. If the Canadian authorities have
not exceeded their powers, or violated
any treaty compact or the law of ma
tions in the seizure of our fishing
schooners, retaliotory measures on the
part of the United States are out Of
place and unwarrantable.
If otherwise, and thereby a wanton
and indefensible OUTRAGE has been com
mitted on American Commerce, the
proper course, upon asccrtaining this
fact, is to demand reparation and
apology.
In any event we should first be sure
we are right before we go ahead, and
until the merits of the case can be de-
termined by mutual Investigation
which is in the nature of arbitration
II would be as wildly foolish to de-
clare war as 1t is weakly absurd to
vote retaliation.
There is no sensible man but believes
that If the seizure it shown to have
been trespass, the Dominion govern.
ment will promptly acknowledge the
error aud make due amends for it. II
1t appears tina, the III Massachusetts skip.
per was out Of his legal reckoning, so
TO speak, there Is no special reason why
he or his wners should not stand the
cost of his blunder.
We should only be careful not to
make ourselves conspicuously ridicu.
lous about an affair that in all proba-
bilty is capable of easy adjustment.
When it is finally discovered that the
action of the Canadian Government was
intended as hostile challenge, indi-
cative of purpose to sundor the
peaceful relations that exist between
the two countries, 1t will be time
enough to call our navy into port,
plant our harbors with torpedoes, and
march an invading army on Quebec
and Montreal.
But let us first find out what the
trouble is, and see if it cannot be fixed
up with dignity and decorum. 1t is
hardly worth while to provoke for
eign war, or even to stir up bad blood,
simply to serve the personal purposes
of a few down east politicians.
Mr. GLADSTONE and his cause are
by no means dead or even moribund.
The Premier's thorough equipment rs
politician is once more thoroughly
demonstrated. He has secured post
ponement to an indefinite date of the
vote ON the SECOND reading of his Home.
Rule bill, and in the meantime. we are
told, the disaifected Liberals are com
ing back and renewing their allegiance
to the measure he represents. With
him, just now, delays are not danger
Gus. In fact, there seems to be fail
chance of his coming out all right after
all. This induces belief that Tho
London correspondents of American
newspapers are more in the habit o.
getting their opinions ready-made a
the various London clubs than Of ascer
tanning the views Of the common peo
pie. Much of the information thu
transmitted is shown within the las
few days to be utterly unreliable. w
have heard good deal about Sails
bury, but just now Gladstone forge
to the front again.
THE esteemed District Commission
ers have been raped over tn,
knuckles by Mr.. Sherman, Presiden
pro tempore Of the Senate. The heat
and front Of the esteemed Commis
sioners' offending is that they sent
communication to the Senate and ad
dressed it to the Secretary of tha
body instead of the President. Mr.
Sherman informs them that sucl
things should be sent to His Excellenc,
himself. We are surprised at tn
.faus pas of the Commissioners. Liv
ing as they do right in the awfu
shadow of the Senate, they ought t
have known better than to even hin
at infringing upon that well-knowl
legislative quantity, Senatorial dignity
We trust the esteemed Commissioner
will not do so any more. They owe
TO the District of Columbia to preserv
the amenities
AT the regular semi monthly meet
ing of the Young Mems Republica
Club of the Thirteenth Ward, Chicago
last night, General John A. Logan wa
formally nominated as the Presidents
candidate of the party for 1883. On
ward being heard from, Messrs. Blaine
Edmunds, Sherman ct al. will wait wit
feverish expectancy to hear from tn
rest Of the country.
THE Atlanta Constitution devote
considerable space in an editoriG
headed "Getting Into Shape" to tn
preparations for the gubernatorial can
paign in Georgia, but in the entir
article there is not single referenc
to anything wet or sloshy or whit
gurgles when 1t comes out Of jus
Verify, the local optionists must haV