Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-27
The Fishery Treaty.

without time for it, careful examination
by those who have practical knowledge
OF the questions and claims which the
document purposes to adjust. The New
York Tribune pronounces it "a feeble and
incohercnt compromise. Secretary Bayarfl
has failed to vindicate the honor Of the
nation. Nearly all of tanada's Outrages
can be repeated under this treaty with
IMMUNITY. Canada, with her customs
regulation, deliberately harrassed our
from fish. This was their objective point
and will be again. The provision for
tonnage due gives Canada new facilities
for operating against our fishermen. This
treaty will he a. unpopular in Canada a.
IN New England. IL does not offer a basis
for permanent settlement. II should be
rejected by Il patriotic Senate.
The New York Press says: THE
tonnage tax would tax American fisher
men out of existence and the surrender of
the right to buy bait isa serious detriment
to New England fishing interests. This
right was unque-tionably guaranteed by
the treaty of 1878. The administration
has been ovcr-rcached."
II certainly casts suspicion on the I'M
port of the treaty that such u thorough
organ of British Interests a. the New
York Times commcnd~ it, Only few
weeks since this paper grossly iuSulted
the American fishermen and spoke of
bribing them into an acquicScuce in the
English demands In Gloucester, Mass,
at the Merchants Exchange. all aV0wpd
that the rights of the fishermen have been
sacrificed to the interests of Canada.
President Cleveland and secretary Bayard
received much criticism. TIE fishermen
declare the treaty disgrace To ali Amcri-
can citizens. Regarding the hcadlaud
provision they said that Fortune Bay and
the other ports of New foundland whore
fishermen had always had the right to
procure bait and all necessary article. Of
outfit, to land and dry fish aud irau~-ship
cargoes, are. hy this arrangement, ,racti-
Fortune Bay, which j. the great resort for
fishermen in winter when III pursuit of
frozen herring. Drawing line from
Carnaigue head to the ,outhcastrrly end
Head, at Sir Charles Hamilton sound will
debar fishermen from the privileges which
they claim the treaty of ISIS had already
given them.
The opinion of many is that an iudigna-
ton meeting should he called To protest
against the ratification of the treaty which
DESTROYS the last right of the american
fishermen.
Senator Frye, and Representative
Dingley, who have taken deep interest
In the fisheries controversy, and have
carefully studied the questions At issue,
are strong in the opposition to the treaty,
and regard it as II surrender of American
rights. Mr., Dingley says:
IL shall be very much surprised if that
treaty is ratified. 1t certainly cannot get the
necessary two-thrds vote. Why, look at il.
To understand what We have failed to get, it
will be better to recall what the contention
has been The American fishermen. from
the beginning and the Secretary of State. in
his CORE spondence with Great Britain. in
sisted upon three things
al. The right to enter Canadian ports for
the purchase of bait, any kind of provisions or
supplies that might be needed for fishing,
9 The right to ship the men and to do any
thing and everything that was necessary for
preparing to fish. 8. The right to trans-ship
fish when caught and to send them in bond
TO the United States. This was, if anything,
more important than any other claim. All
Of these things the Secretary of State, in the
correspondence, insisted should be ours. As
to the other things which were sought there
is not much difficulty about them.
They conceded We had the right to enter
their harbors for repairs ard shelter and in
certain exigencies even, on the way home.
upon telegraphing to Ottawa, permission was
given to obtain provisions to 20 home. But
they denied the main things which our fish
ermen insisted were theirs of right.
with this controversy going on these ne
gotiations opened, What is the result? We
can go into Canadian ports for shelter and
for repairs and for provisions on the way
home. That is to say, we have exactly the
same rights or privileges that We had before.
These rights to be sure. are set forth little
more clearly, but that is all. Everything
else is To be purchased in some way. The
Canadians have conceded to Us just was they
were willing 10 concede before the conference
met and nothing more.
.'But the real gist of the treaty is in what
will be called the snapper The snapper of
the treaty is this Tina, whenever We put
upon the free list all kinds of prepared fish
we shall have the things for which we have
contended the right to trans-ship fish in bOud
the right TO buy bait. etc. But these things
must be purchased by our free list. Mean
while We are to live by the modus virendi.
And what is the modus vivendi? That any
fishing vessel of the United States that will
pay Sl.5o per ton for license shall have the
right to purchase provisions and supplies and
bait and may ship fish in bond. That is to
say, a 800 tons fishing vessel, and that is
about the average size of the fishing vessels,
may pay license of $3.50 and obtain those
rights.
"This is the mos; abject surrender of the
main points for which the American fisher
men have conteuded. How much better of
are we? |, will be answered that we can go
into Canadian ports for shelter and repairs. 1
True; but we can remain there only twenty
four hours. We are certainly no better OFF
than we were before, and we have surren- |
dered all of the important points for which
we have contendeI. do not make much of
the provision as to the delimitation of the
three mile limit. That is secondary. There
was no real controversy over that point.
at has been many years since the Cana
dams have really insisted upon the headland
theory. None of the vessels that have been
seized were seized upon that ground. But,
even in this respect, we have made a surrend- !
er. Bays are now to be closed to use which
were partly open before. 1t does not matter
that bay is thirty miles wide near the shore !