New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-22

The FISHERIES TREATY.

is a feeble and incoheIcnt compromise. Inc
full text of the Fisheries Treaty which We
print to-day on the first page enables
lis TO understand why Secretary Bayard con-
siders the hollow truce arranged by him de-
cisive triumph. He has never approached 'Iis
subject from the American point of view. lie
has dealt with it as an international quairci
caused by ambiguous constructions OF an anu
o,lated treaty and by complex and lii-oehned
fishery rights. lie has regarded 1t solely as a
technical controversy which could be setticd
by new and more careful definitions oil those
rights and by more elastic constructions OF Tho
disputed clauses OF the Treaty OF 1913. ne
has ncgotiatcd a convention on this basis, de-
fninc the three-mile limit, compromising tho
beadlands question. and designating certain
commercial privileges in addition to the right
conferred upon American fishermen seventy
years ago to obtain "sheltcr repairs, wood and
watcr' in Canadian harbors. From his own
point Of view he has succeeded fairly well in
adjusting these technical questions; but even
if he has done this he has failed to vindlcate
the honor of the Nation by defending the rights
Of citizens engaged in a lawful calling. Ilo
has failed to do this because he has never per-
cciycd- that the honor of the Nation had been
compromised by The olltrages on the Canadian
seaboard. lie has approached the subject in
the spirit of pcttfogging lawyer. bent upon
splitting hairs over technical points, and not as
the patriotic representative of a great Nation
under obligations to resent insults to the Tag
und wanton interference with established rights
and International comfy.
What were the grievances Of the American
Al. A lnI
upon to redress? The record Of the season of
1886 shows that vessel after vessel was denied
tights conferred either by the Treaty Of 1918
or by the principles of maritime reciprocity
established in 1890. The Mollie Adams. en-
teing port under stress OF weather. was not
allowed to purchase water and was ordered
ont; the A. r. C,ittendcn was not permitted
to obtain water; the City Point was seized for
getting few barrels Of water and landing
two men in port the Rather was threatened
with seizure for taking refuge in harbor during
n storm: and many other vessels were denied
their treaty rights Of securing shelter, repairs,
wood and water" The Annie NJ. Jordan. tho
Novelty. the Thomas F. Bayard, the Amherst.
the Shiloh the julia Ellen and fifty other res
sells that might be named were either seizcd,
detained or ordered from the coast for seek
ing ordinary commercial privileges which wero
guaranteed to American ships by the intcrna-
ljonal engagements of 1880 and never with
held from Canadian vessels in American har-
bors. American vessels were repeatedly fired
mon by cruisers; the flag Of one ship was
hauled down by the captors and fishermen pur
suing their lawful business were constantly
barasscd and inundated by customs officials.
III y,la1 r1Inc
rational comfy violated. but gross acts Of IN
hospitality and inhumanity were committed.
The Pearl Nelson was seized for landing The
clothes OF a Nova Scotia sailor who had been
lost overheard and the Mollie Adams. after
r,scung the crew of wrecked Canadian YES
sci and carving them into port, was not allowed
to rcpcnsh its stock of provisions and was
summarily ordered to leave port. These were
the wanton outrages which the Administration
was called upon to redress by enforcing the Re-
ta',atiop Acts II has done nothing to yindi-
cate the honor Of the Nation. 1t has been
1uibblng over petty tcchnicalitics.
The most valid objection to the treaty is
this patent fad-that nearly all these outrages
and indignitics can be repeated under it with
the same ir,puntv as before. The technical
questions relating to the thrcc-mile limit. tho
headlands claim and the breadth OF the bays
closed against American fishermen did not
affect one seizure IN twenty made in 1885. III
certain commercial privileges have been added
to the four treaty rights Of " shelter, repairs,
wood and water" the fishermen already pos
,scsscd them under the proclamations Of 1880
relating 10 maritime reciprocity; and even I'D
they did not. their rights under the Treaty Of
1915 were wantonly denied and any new privi-
lcges conferred by the Chamberlain ayard
convention may prove equally worthless. The
Canadian Government with their customs regu-
laiions deliberately baraSsod and perscculed
American fishermen in order to force the United
States to take off the duty on fish. That was
their objective point; and il will be again,
treaty or no treaty. Indeed by the provisions
for tonnage dues to he paid to Canadian OIL
Gals Secretary Bayard arms them with new
facilities for operating against American fisher
men, There is nothing in this treaty to pre-
vent the recurrence OF outraoes on the Domn
ion seaboard. II is a convention that will be as
unpopular in Canada as in New-England. II
docs not offer a basis for the permanent settle
nent Of the fisheries question. Il should be
summari'y rejected by patriotic and self
respecting Senate. which proposed far moro
adeouate method Of protecting American rights.
TRUSTS NOT Fruits OF PROTECTION.
In the display of zeal against Trusts and
other combinations which defeat competition.
1.-The New-York Times" puts the sugar trust
as the head of those which il represents as cx-
isting by reason Of the protective policy. Then
it quotes from THE TRIBUNE evidence that The
aforesaid trust has materially advanced It's
margin between the cost of raw and the cost OF
refined sugar, and maintains that the concern
has already taken S7OOO,OoO from consumers
wrong gully. The circumstance that widely