Wichita eagle., 1888-08-24

manned in force and ever since the abroga-
ton of the treaty, and Notwithstanding
the refusal of Canada to permit our fisher.
men to send their fish to their home mar
ket through her territory in bond, the
people Of that dominion have enjoyed
without diminution the advantage of oul
| liberal and generous laws. Without
basing our complaint upon a violation OF
| treaty obligations, it IS nevertheless true
that such refusal of transit and the other
| injurious acts which have been recited
constitute a provoking instance upon
neither mitigated by amenities of ma
| tional intercourse nor modified by the
recognition of our liberality and generous
| considerations.
The history of events connected with
| this subject makes it manifest that the
Canadian government can, if so disposed,
| administer its laws and protect the inter
ests of the people without manifestation OF
unfriendliness and without the unneigh-
borly treatment OF our fishing vessels OF
| which we have justly complained, and
whatever is done on our part should be
done in the hope that the disposition of
! the Canadian government may remove the
occasion of a resort to the additional ex-
ecutive power now sought through legisla-
tive action. am satisfied that upon the
principles which should govern retaliation,
our intercourse and relations with
nish no better opportunity for
IFS application than is suggested by the
conditions herein presented; and that it
could not be more effectively inaugurated
than under the power Of suspension recon-
mended.
While / have expressed my clear con-
viction upon the question of the continu-
ance of section 90 of the treaty of 1872,
of course fully concede the power and the
duty of the congress in contemplating
legislative action to construe the terms of
any treaty stipulation which might upon
any possible consideration of good faith
limit such action and likewise the pecu-
liar proprety in the case here presented of
les Interpretation OF its own Ian
of 1873 putting into operation said
treaty and of 1888 directing the determine
ton thereof: and if in the deliberate judg-
meat of congress any restraint to the
proposed legislation exists, it is to be
hoped that the expediency of its early
removal will be recognized
| desire to call the attention of the con-
gress to another subject involving such
wrongs and unfair treatment to our
citizens as in my opinion requires prompt
action. The navigation of the great lakes
and the immense business and carrying
trade growing out of the same have been
treated broadly and literally by the United
all mankind, while Canadian railroads
and navigation companies share in our
country's transportation upon terms as
favorable as are accorded to our own citi-
zens. The canals and other public works
built and maintained by the government
along the line of the lakes are made free
to all. In contrast to this condition and
evincing narrow and ungenerous COM
mercial spirit every lock and every canal
which is public work Of the dominion of
Canada is subject to tolls and heavy
charges. By article q of the treaty of 1871
provision was made to secure to the citi-
Zens of the United States the use of the
Weiland, st. Lawrence and other canals of
Canada On terms of equality with the in
habltants of the dominion and also to Sc
cure 10 the people of Great Britain the use
OF the St. Claire fats on terms of equality
with the Inhabitants of the United States.
The equality with the inhabitants of the
dominion which we were promised in the
use of the canals of Canada, did not secure
to us freedom from tolls in their naviga-
ton, but we had right to expect that we
being Americans and interested in Ameri-
can commerce, would be no more burdened
in regard to the same than Canadians en-
gagged in their own trade, and the whole
spirit of the concession made was
or should have been, that mer-
chandise and property transported
~ All AHltElCdu MARKET through
these canals should not be enhanced in the
cost by tolls many times higher than such
as were carried TO an adjoining Canadian
market All our citizens, producers and
consumers as well as vessel owners, were
to enjoy the equality promised and yet
evidence has for some time been before the
congress, furnished by the secretary of the
treasury showing that while the tolls
charged in the first instance are the same
to all such vessels and cargoes as are des-
tined to certain Canadian ports are
allowed refund of nearly the entire tolls,
those bound for American ports are not
allowed any such advantage. To promise
equality and then in practice make it
conditional upon our vessels doing
own is to fulfil a promise with the shadow
of performance. | recommend that such
legislation be passed as will give Canadian
vessels navigating our canals and their
cargoes precisely the advantage granted to
our vessels and cargoes upon Canadian
canals and that the same be measured by
exactly the same rule of discrimination.
The course | have outlined and the
recommendations made relate to the honor
and dignity of our country and the protec-
tion and preservation of the rights and in
terest of all our people. 4 government
does but half its dutywhen it protects its
citizens at home and permits them to be
the unfair and overreaching disposition of
other nations. If we invite our people to
rely upon the arrangements made for
their benefit abroad, we should see to it
that they are not deceived, and if we are
generous and liberal to a neighboring
country, our people should reap the adj
vantage of it by return of the libeialit
and generosity.
These are subjects which partisanship
should not disturb or confuse. Let us sur
vey the ground calmly and moderately and
having put aside other means of settle
ment, if we enter upon the policy of retail
iation. let US pursue it firmly, with
only to substrive the inter
ests of our people and maintain the high
standard and becoming pride of American
ISigned GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion, August %, 1855.
STONES RESIGNATION.
OMAHA, Neb., Aug 23.-General Man
n ger Holdred0e of the BurlinptOn &, Mis-