Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-22
LET'S TALK ABOUT FISH.
THE PRESIDENTS PLEA FOR THE
NEW FISHERY TREATY,

dents message accompanying the fisher,
treaty, together with the full text of tn
treaty, was given TO the press Tuesday. Tn
, message begins with history OF the negC
tiations which have resulted in the signin
OF the convention, and of the appointment O
: the commissioners TO consider the question
| involved. and then proceeds follows:
The treaty meets my approval, because
believe that 1t supplies IA satisfactory, prac
teal and final adjustment, upon blsi
honorable and just to both parties, of thu
difficult aud vexei question to which it re-
lates. A review of the history of this ques
ton will show that all former attempts tc
arrive at a common Interpretation, satlsfac
tory to both parties, of the first article of the
treaty Of Oct. 20, ISIS have been unsucceSs
full and with the lapse OF time tho difficulty
and obscurity have only increased
The negotiations in 1851, and again In 1871
ended IN both cases in temporary reciprocal
arrangements of the tariffs of Canada anc
Newfoundland, aud of the United States
and the payment OF money award by the
United States, under which the real qIes-
tons in difference remained unsettled in
allegiance, aud ready to present themselves
anew just AS soon as the conventional mr.
rangements were abrogHted. The situation,
therefore, remained, unimprOvei by the re
suits of the treaty of 1871, aud grave con,
dition OF affairs, presenting almost donti-
cally the same features aud causes Of com
plant by the United States against Canadian
action and British default in its correction,
confronted us in May, 1855, and has con
tinued until the present time.
The greater part Of the correspondence
which has taken place between the two gov
ernments has heretofore been communicated
to congress- AID at as early "A day AS possible
| | Shal transmit ha rnu nil IN IL
| date, accompanying 1t. with the joint proto-
| coils of tho conferences which resulted in the
| treaty now submitted to you. You will thus
| be fully possessed of the record and history
| of the case since the termination, on June
80, 1885, of the fishery article of the treaty of
| Washington OF ISL whereby we were rele-
| gated to the provisions of the treaty of Oct.
| 20, 1918 AS the documents and papers re
| ferred to will supply full information Of the
| positions tnken under my administration by
| the representatives of the United States, as
we'll those occupied by the representatives
| of Great Britain, it is not considered neces-
| sary or expedient to repeat them in this mes
sage. But believe the treaty will be found
to contain a just, honorable and, therefore,
satisfactory solution of the difficulties which
have clouded our relations with our neigh
bors on our northern border.
Especially satisfactory do | believe the
proposed arrangement will be found by those
of cur citzsns who are engaged in the open
sea fisheries ad jacent to the Canadian coast
and resorting to those ports and harbOrs
under treaty provisions aud rules of interna-
tional law.
The proposed delimitaton of the lines of
the exclusive fisheries from the common fish
cries will give certainty and So
curity ass to the area of their
6
imaginary lines is abandoned by Great Brit
ain and the specification in the treaty of
certain named bays especially provided for
gives satisfaction to the Inhabitants of the
Shores without subtracting materially from
the value or convenience of the fishery
rights of Americans The uninterrupted
navigation of the strait of Canso is ex-
pressly and for the first time affirmed, and
the four purposes for which our fishermen
under the treaty of 1918 were allowed to
enter the bays and harbors of Canada and
Newfoundland within the belt of three
marine miles are placed under fair and lib
eral construction, and their enjoyment Sd
cured without such conditions and restric-
tons in the past have embarrassed and
INSTRUCTED them so seriously.
The enforcement of penalties for unlawful
fishing or preparing to fish within the in
shore and exclusive waters Of Canada and
Newfoundland is to be accomplished under
Safeguards against oppressive or arbitrary
action, thus protecting the defendant fisher
mon from punishment in advance of trial.
delays and Inconvenience and unnecessary
expense
The history of events in the last two years
show that no feature of Cananian admins
tration was more harrassing and injurious
than the compulsion upon our fishing vessels
. Ir,f IL
every occasion of temporarily seeking shelter
in Canadian ports and harbors. Such incon-
veni ence is provided against in the proposed
treaty, and this most frequent and just cause
of complaint is removed.
The articles permitting our fishermen to
obtain provisions and the ordinary supplies !
Of trading vessels on their homeward voy- |
ages. and under which they are accorded the |
further and even more important privilege |
on all occasions of purchasing such casual or |
needful provisions and supplies as are ordi- |
narily granted to trading vessels are of great |
Importance and value. The licenses which |
are to be granted without charge and on APP |
plication in order to enable our fishermen to |
enjoy these privileges are reasonable and |
proper checks in the hands of the local au-
thorities to identify the recipients and pre-
vent abuse, and can form no impeachment to
those who intend to use them fairly. The
hospitality secured for our vessels in all cases
of actual distress, with liberty to unload and
sell and trauship their cargoes, is full and
liberal.
These provisions will secure the substantial
en- joy ment of the treaty rights for our fisher
men under the treaty of 1918 for which con-
tention has been steadily made in the corro-
spondence of the department of state, and
our minister at London, and by the Amer
lean negotiators of the present treaty.
The right of our fishermen under the treaty
of 1918 did not extend to the procurement of
distinctive fishery supplies in Canadian ports
and harbors; and one item supposed to be es-
sential, to wit, bait, was plainly denied them
by the explicit and definite words of the
treaty of 1918 emphasized by the course Of
the negotiation and express decisions which
preceded the conclusion of that treaty.
The treaty now submitted contains no
provision affecting tariff duties, and indie.
pendently of the position assumed upon the
part of the United States that no alteration
in our trrif or other domestic legislation
could be made the price or consideration
Of obtaining the rights of our citizens se-
cured by treaty, it was considered more ex-
pedient to allow any change in the revenue
avs of the United States to be made by the
ordinary exercise of legislative will, and in
of the public interests. There
lore, the addition to the free list of fish, fish
'il whale and seal OIL etc, recited in the
asst article OF the treaty, is wholly left to I
he action of congress; and in connection {
herewith the Canadian and Newfoundland
light 70 regulate sales of bait and other fish
ng supplies within their own jurisdiction is : :
'ecognjzed, and the right of our fishermen :
o freely purchase these things is made con-
lngent, by this treaty, upon the action of
ongress in the modification of our tariff
avs
Our social and commercial intercourse :
With those populations who have been placed :
lpon our borders and made forever our