The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1886-06-12

lsan Francisco Chronicle ]

Whatever may be the merits Of the
case of the Adams, it Is high time that
the fishery question were settled, and
settled in way that will stick. For
half . century or more the British
colonists have been necessarily wOrry-
ing American fishermen and French
fishermen, seizing fishing vessels and
vaxatiouely annoying their crews by
all sorts of little qusrrelsome devices.
It is now time that the cause of the
disputes were removed once for afi.
If the New England fishermen cannot
carry on their calling without invading
the tbsee-mile line from the Canadian
shore, in the name of common sense
let u buy the right of crossing that
line, and be done with it. AL that
the c0ianists want is little money.
Give them q round sum, and let "
have no more bother about 1t. There
are SO many fish in the sea that all the
fishermen in the United States could
not diminish the normal catch If they
tished from January to December; and
as to bait, the Canadians ought, one
would suppose, to have been glad to
sell an article which they have in
excess to any one who WAS willing to
pay for IL. But IL is hopeless to
convince the colonial mind on these
questions, and the cheapest way of
disposing of the question is to buy of
the quarrelers.
But We want the whole subject set
tied. If Canada owns the Atlantic
ocean, and has any foundation for her
pretense that the three-mile line must
be drawn from headland to head dland,
regardless of distance, so that it runs
from Cape Sable to Cape Canso and is
far ont of sight of land off Halifax,
let Us try aud lease IL from her. There
are hetel-keepers on Long island who
also claim that they own the Atlantic
ocean, and whe charge quarter for
taking dip in IL opposite their do
mains. People generally pay the
quarter rather than raise the question
of title. Until within thirty years
Denmark claimed to own another
ocean-the Baltic--an9 charged for
sailing II. and AT the beginning of this
century the Bey of Algiers claimed to
own all the oceans in the world, and
every nation that did not want its
people carried off into captivity paid
him Q regular tribute for the right of
using the high seas. If these claims
are going TO be revived by Canada let
US all understand it.
As Sackville West says, we must
have new convention ia settle mat
tiers, and We must take care that Eng.
land does not pack the jury as she did
in 1877. The first step to be taken
when the convention meets is to abro-
gate the treaty of 1918. Then we fall
back on the treaty of 1888, by which
Eng land acknowledged the indcpend.
ence Of the United States and our right
To the Canadian fisheries was admitted.
If we abrogate the treaty of 1919,
England can. If she chooses abrngate
the treaty of 1888. In that case, her
acknowledgment: Of the independence
of the United States is Withdrawn.
She can come and take us back rs
provinces nf the British Empire, ifshe
thinks it would pay. But, at any rate,
in this way. we should get back to
first principles. The Congress would
have to decide whether anybody has q
fee simple Of the high seas and a
chattel mortgage on the fish which
swim therein, Also whether three.
mile line can, by running from head.
land to headland. become a thirty or
fifty-mile line. Also whether an body
is injured when a member of foreign
nation catches 6sh in the waters which
wash his shores.
1t is the more necessary to settle
these problems as people in this
country have not the most implicit
faith in the men who control our
foreign policy. Mr.. Bayard is likely
to take the English view of any ques-
tion which may arise, while other
politicians might see their personal
gain in getting the country into
trouble.