The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-08-31
LET HIM USE THE POWER HE HAS.

LET HIM USE THE POWER HE HAS.
We mentioned last week the rejection by
the United States Senate Of the Chamber
lain Bayard fishery treaty between the
United States and Canada. It requires .
~two-thirds vote to ratify . treaty. The OF
cited did not even receive . majority vote.
This had evidently been foreseen by the
President from the expressions of Congress
and the press, and he had . message cut and
dried which he sent to Congress Thursday
Of last week asking more and extraordinary
powers to retaliate for wrongs and insults
offered our fishermen by Canada; and his
friends In the House and Senate also had
bills ready to present granting the powers
asked. It was designed TO be IN adroit pc.
litical counterstroke; but in view Of the fact
that he has had ample retaliatory authority
vested in him by resolution of Congress for
Is months past; that he alleges gross wrongs
''inexcusably harsh and oppressive have
during that time been inflicted on our citi-
zens by the Canadian authorities; that he
has never turned . hand to resent these
things or retaliate in kind, and that the
treaty negotiated by the commission under
the superintendent of his Secretary of
State placed the United States A. such dis
advantage that It's rejection was . patriotic
duty, the fact that it is merely IN excuse for
evasion and . political trick to ward of
public indignation is so apparent that it has
failed of its purpose. Cleveland knows he
has lost prestige through the weakness of
his foreign policy and free trade tendencies,
and his sudden clustering up at the British
Lion is simply an ante election bluff to re-
coup which will deceive no one If, with
ample retallatory power vested In him, he
has utterly failed for IS months to resent
these "inexcusably harsh and oppressive"
things done to American citizens, why does
he grow so bold so Immediately and demand
such extraordinary powers vested In him that
he may twist the Lions tail entirely off at
one Herculean swoop? How does he know
the authority already granted him would
not be sufficient to accomplish the purpose?
He never exercised It. The conversion to
the retaliation programme is too sudden.
"Methinks he doth protest too much"
Henry Cabot Lodge says, "properly speak
ing there Is no fisheries question" The in
ternationAl dispute which passes under that
name arises out Of . policy of the Canadian
government to extort certain commercial
concessions from the United States. 1t de.
sires . renewal of the old reciprocity treaty
under which the United States received few
and Canada many advantages. To drive
the United States into this the Canadians
bully aud harass the fishermen and deny
them rights long enjoyed, and denied to no
other nation. They have played the game
to the limit for several years. The retalia-
ton resolution Of Congress IS months ago
authorized the President when American
vessels were denied commercial privileges in
Canadian ports he should retaliate by deny
ing Canadian vessels like privileges in Amer
lean ports. This was q fair retaliation.
This President Cleveland has not done. In
stead of so doing he 10Y demands that Con-
gress empower him to stop the carriage of
Canadian goods in bond across American
soil. The goods so carried in the past six
years have a value of $270,0O0,000 They
take q short cut across our country between
Canada and England. They are carried on
American railways by American companies
within American territory. The profits of
this carriage benefits the United States that
much. Now Cleveland, as a matter of re-
taliation, proposes to stop this or make them
pay tariff duties. This is simply preposter-
Gus, aud the only result will be to drive that
traffic from American railways. 1t is not re.
taliation in kind. It is not retaliation at all.
1t would be only Scouting off our own nose
to spite our OWL face" as the old saying
goes. The proposition is . blow at New
England over the shoulders of Canada. It
is known and recognized In England and
Canada ss q bluff. lie has bounded from
the extreme of leprehenslble indifference to
the extreme of combativeness. As Mr..
Blaine says: SAT the first rebound the Presi.
dem has leaped so far over on the other side
that he asks authority to cripple all our
commercial relations with Canada from
Passamaquoddy Bay to Vancouver's Island.
Having for three years offered to waive the
rights of fishermen and the national dignity
At the same time, the President now desires
to cross over to the other side If the ques-
ton, and out Herod Herod in his demands
for redress. He seems eager to discharge =
whole battery Of Krupp guns on the ques-
ton, when last year q blank cartride from q
pocket pistol would have settled the whole
affair."" ~..."
This pretty correctly illustrates MI. Cleve-
lands position and exposes his trick. Con-
g1ess will give him oil the legitimate and
retaliatory power he needs, but is not likely
to authorize him to disturb every CONNER
cial relation with England or Canada at bis
within aud destroy q vast traffic not related
to the question At issue until he has shown
good faith in exercising proper powers now
vested in him and that they are inadequate
to bring Canada to terms. If our ships are
denied privileges we accord to those Of Can
ada; If our vessels are Disseminated against
in canal tolls, he has now power to r~etalia!e
in kind. A very little of it will settle the
question with Canada and her mother-in-
law, England. If it does not, then will be
time enough to confer larger powers on him.
The demand contained in the message Is,