New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-25
THE FISHERIES DEBATE.

There never was a more onesided debate
than that in the Senate on the Fisheries Treaty
On the Republican side the speeches are yigor-
Gus, well-informed and patriotic. Senator
Frye's argument was mastery presentation
of the subject from the point Of view OF the
New England fisherman. Senator Hoars speech
was more comprehensive in its scope, and left
hardly an important point under controversy
uncovered. Senator Teller devoted himself
chiefly to the details of the diplomatic corre-
spondence, demonstrating that Secretary Bay
ard after accurately stating the American case
in the preliminary negotiations, deliberately
abandoned it in making the Treaty. Senator
Chambers speech was the tersest and in some
respects the most powerful arraignment OF the
Administration for want of patriotism In ne
gotating treaty crowned with National dis
honor. These, with Senator Dawes's and other
Republican speeches, have utterly demorazed
Secretary Bayard's servile apologists in the
Senate. The only ineligible answer which
they have returned to all this destructive crit
cism is craven plea for speedy settlement of
a controversy that in their Judgment endangers
the peace of friendly nations. This feeble
response they have made in the face of one
hundred years of diplomatic negotiations re-
speeding the fisheries which have never yet
led to war between Great Britain and the
United States
The Democratic Senators. it is true, have
laid stress upon the delimtation clauses Of
the Treaty, and have magnifed the Importance
of the headlands claim The withdrawal, or
more properly the modification, of this gro
tesque pretenson on the part Of the British
Government they assume to consider great
triumph for American diplomacy. This is a
convenient but undignifed method of begging
the entire question, since it is notorious that
the extreme headlands claim was condemned
long ago by Colonial courts and virtually aban-
doned by the British Government. This pre-
posterouS pretension was revived by the ne
gotiators solely for the purpose of enabling
poor Mr.. Bayard to say that he had forced the
other side to make most important conces
sionsn Mr.. Chamberains anxiety to negoti-
ate treaty was apparent when he landed in
this city. AS Senator Chandler bluntly re-
marks, diplomatic success was necessity to
his political fortunes, since he had betrayed the
cause of Ireland abandoned the Liberal party
and made an unnatural alliance with the Tories.
If he had been forced to return without
treaty he would have been the laughing-stock
of England. These facts were so plain that it
seems almost incredible that Secretary Bayard
should not have perceived and taken advantage
of them The Secretary understood perfectly
the American case, as must be evident to any
one who reads the diplomatic correspondence.
Yet he abandoned that case and allowed Mr..
Chamberlain to obtain an easy victory. III
the Democratic Senators have made the best
possible argument for the Administration, they
have only succeeded in proving that he was
Mr.. Chamberains credulOus dupe.
The main contention of the Republican Sen
ators that the treaty is dishonoring to the
Nation is unanswerable. The counts Of SEN
ator Chambers indictment may be repeated
here. The treaty is National dishonor be-
cause % it was negotiated after a series Of
wrongful seizures and outrages perpetrated for
the purpose Of forcing upon us disadvan-
tageous bargain, yet does not include acknowl-
edgment of the wrongs done or provide
reparaton therefor (2) because by it the Gov
eminent is harassed and driven by Canada
toward alterations in our customs duties that
are desired by her; (3) because 1t is the cul-
mination of a negotiation made avowedly with
one political party in the United States for
the purpose Of breaking down the tariff sys-
TEN; G) because two of the so-called Ameri
can plenpotentiares were not constitutionally
appointed; and (5) because only the bare
rights of hospitality are secured for American
fishing vessels in Canadian ports in place of
free entry and full commercial privileges which
should be theirs by every principle of that
maritime reciprocity that has been guaranteed
by the two Governments. To these counts
Secretary Bayards Senatorial counsel make no
answer They are silent because they have
no case.