Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-05-11
THE FISHERY TREATY
REPORTS CONTRARIWISE OF THE SENATE
COMMITTEE
Republicans Call lta Surrender o.! National Rights
and De2ogHce the Method Of Nsg1uatoa-
The Minority ASK for Favor
able Consideration.

WASHINGTON, May lO.-The majority
of the Senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions in reporting adversely the resolution
for the ratification of the fisheries treaty,
refer to the passage of the act OF March 3,
1887, ito authorize the President to pre-
teCt and defend the rights of American fish
ing vessels, etc, in certain cases, which
act the report quotes in full and
continues $50 far as is known TO the
committee, no step whatever was taken by
the President to put this law into eycu-
tion, bu negotiations were initiated and con.
tinued to the apparent end of accomplish
ing what Congress had thoughtit unf. 10
undertake in such way, an adjustment
of these difficulties by the diplomatic
course of securing = plrt Of American
rights at the expense Of yielding other and
the most fundamental and important OF
! them
These negotiations eliminated in the ap.
pointment OF three commissioners known
az "plenipotentiaries," " to consider with
! like plenipotentiaries appointed hy HeE
! Mailsty's the whole subject, with q view
to coming to n solution thereof These
plenipOtentiares thus created began thelI
real work ut Washington, while both house,
OF Congress we're sitting, and without any
communication by the President in In
annual message on the meeting Of Congres.
or otherwise of the fact that extraordinary
operations were in progress, or that very
grave interests of the United States haC
been placed in the custody of geatlemeI
whose names had not even been COmmunl
Gated TO it. 1t il not ditlicult to see that
in evil times when the President of tn,
United States may be under influence o
foreign and adverse interests, such n course
OF procedure might result in great disaster
to the interests and even the safety oi our
government and people. The majority
crilicise the President for Withholding in
formation upon the question from the
Senate, and summarizes its findings ant
opinions ~ follows:
The treaty surrenders the claim and
right of the United States, which has heer
acted upon and exercised for now more
,hsn century, of its vessels engaged II
fishing or other occupations to visit anC
carry on their business in the great bays
and the principle OF which claim and righ
has ono. heeu sOlcmnly decided agllns
Great Britain hy tribunal organized I'M
der treaty with that government, Tn
new area OF d-llmitatlon described in th
treaty greatly increases the danger OF on
fishermen unintentiOnally invading pro
hibited waters, and thereby exposing then
to seizures and p.naltie9 TIE treaty IL
complete surrender of any claim, Of an,
night now existing either under the treat.
Of 11-3, the treaty OF ISIS, the acts q
Congress and the British orders in counci
of 1880.
The minority gay: ''In accepting tn
paper sent to the Senate by the Presidea
a. a treaty, ard By referring the same t
its committee, the Senate has virtual
waived any inlormahty II there is any i
the negotiations and signing of the lnstrn
ment, aud the undersigned conceived tina
the whole duty u! the committee was
, corsiler he report upo~ the merits OF th
. treaty. The undersigned believe that II
I better Tor our country that the treat
should he ratified, and they are equal
. convinced that the entire class Of our pee
Pile, who are actively engaged in on
& North Atlantic fishing industry will b
. benefited by itl ralilicatiOu.' y