Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-09-07
THE PRESIDENTS RECORD.

upon Office a transition stage in
the relations of the United States
and the Dominion was approach
ing. The fisheries clauses of the
treaty of Washington had proved
an unsatisfactory and inequitable
arrangement so far as American
interests were concerned. An
exorbitant price tor inshore fishing
rights had been exacted by the
Halifax arbitrators. The award OF
S5,500,000 was paid under protest,
and when the period which it EN-.
braced had passed there was no
disposition on the part of the
United States to reopen negotia-
tions for a renewal of the contract.
Experience had demon strated that
the Canadian lnshore fisheries we're
not worth as much to American
fishermen as the privilege of free
entry to the New.England market
was to the Dominion fishing feet.
Accordingly, notice was given to
the British Government OF the
abrogation of the fisheries articles.
By act of Congress and President
Arthurs proclamation these articles
we're to lapse on July 1st, 1885,
The American fishing feet had
known for two years what would
happen, and we're not only fully
prepared for the change, but very
eager to have their home market
protected against their Canadian
rivals.
This was the situtioD when the
President was inaugurated. Con-
gress had abrogated the fisheries
articles President Arthur had
proclaimed the change Of policy,
and American fishermen we're de.
lighted with the prospect of secur-
ing relief from the burdens Of an
inequitable treaty. What vas the
first diplomatic act of the new
Administration in these circum-
stances 7 Secretary Bayard having
been approached by the astute
British Minister affected alarm on
account of the reversIon to the
Treaty of 1918 in the middle of a
fishing season. He gratefully ac-
cepted an offer from Canada for q
temporary extension OF the inshore
fishing privileges, provided the
President in his first message
would recommend a settlement of
the fisheries dispute by arbitration.
The British Minister was thus al.
lowed in the first instance to die
tate a passage Of the message re-
lating to the fisheries. The abro-
gated clauses were continued in
force for six months without au-
thority of Congress. A policy in
the interest of American fishermen,
which had received the approval
of Senate and House, and had
been in power for three months.
The President carried out Secre.
tary Bayard's compact with the
British Minister, but the Senate
rejected by a decisive vote his
recommendation for arbitration
The season of 1886 opened with
the Treaty of 1918 in operation,
and the first series of outrages on
American commerce occurred on
the Dominion seaboard. Congress
passed a Retaliation measure with
out division on party lines. The
President made no attempt to en-
fore this legisls ton during that
eason, nor in the following year,
alt h ougb as many as four hundred
American vessels we're boarded,
seized, harrassed and subjected to
expense or annoyance on the
Dominion seaboard. He met Con
gress with a complaint that the
retaliatory powers were made.
quate, and the declaration that
diplomacy wac the only remedy
The Senate promptly enlarged
these powers in 1887, Democrats
and Republicans voting as one
man. Then WAS witnessed q
strange spectacle. The Admins
tration exerted all It's infuen CO tor
months to prevent the passage oil
any Retaliation measure. The
Belmont and Manning pojects were
brought forward apparently for the
express purpose of blocking legisa
ton altogether on this subject
This manoeuvre was defeated by
the passage of the Senate bill IN
the House largely by Republican
votes.
The Administration having been
twice armed with authority from
Congress, evsded its responsibility
neglected to enfore the Retaliation
acts, and pursued its diplomatic
adventures. After hundreds ol
American vessels had been har'
assed and denied their commercial
rights it made a humiliating treaty
of surrender without securing
reparation for wrongs suffered by
American citizens or tor insults
offered to the American nag. Al
the same time it had loaded Cana
dian corporations with gratuitiet
worth mllIians of dollars to them
in their warfare upon American
commerce and railways. This il