New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-23

Of refuge OF the latter without unnecessary an
noyance q subject Of barter for commercial prlvl-
lege The proposition is discreditabe to the Brit
| ISL Nation. Humanity springs from the emo
| ton Of mercy
| at IS twice blessed ;
| II blesseth him that gives and him that takes'
| The proper reciprocal of humanity is humanity.
! Il NAV not he hartorcd for commercial anvantagc
nor sold for pecuniary compensation. Inc con,
/ science and the selfrespect Of the cvlllzea woriu
| revolt at any such prostitution OF virtuei f
| in the dawn of civilization there were places o.
from danger would be bartered for the
privileges of fish market and 1t Is lioel upon
| the age to assume that any such arrangenen9 can
t aS% en When the forces q Mexico under the
leadership of her patriot soldier ana statesman
Jdarcz had driven the foreign invader sI The
Government of the United States to lnterPose u'
kind Offices in behalf of the life OF Maxi n, ~
Notwithstanding the fact that .s Son tbs honor
and dignity of the United states, MI ays1 re
promptly complied with the request Jua Tinted
piled with a splendid courtesy p syy1sonaninous but
Mexico is not 1t is TO b" hoped lnat Sssabitv
minion Of Canada is not reduced 10 iae at tSe
which nnbappily rested upon our neignooI % s o
orth hen citil liberty was Just emerging from
the darkness of ignorance and from 'ho "'s'""
c These Ss Fights like those Of shelter are usually
c,assed among the humanities OF 1nternationa
intercourse: and yet Great Britain ana tne ". IN.
mnon of Canada by tie terms OF bne the
ph;no. barfer for commercial privilege in our
ports. But Great Britain has fully granted JaeSe
nriviieres TO all American vessels by Aruicle
XIII of the Treaty Of 7e4, even at ports into
which such vessels could not in ordinary cases
claim to be admitted" This fully covered an
ports in the British possessions of North America
which were not open to American trading vessels
from the close Of the War Of Independence until
the arrangement made in pursuance OF the Presl-
dents proclamation of 1890 had been erected
a period of nearly fifty years The article OF the
Treaty of 100 just referred to, not only provided
for such privileges of repair to an American yes
sci reduced to the necessity Of seeking shelter
in any Of His Majesty's ports" v" by stress OF
weather, danger from enemies or other MISFORTUNE,
but il also enabled her master to purchase al the
market price such necessaries as She may stand In
need ofS In the progress Of diplomacy, Great
Britain has receded from the humane position
which she felt constrained to take in the latter
part of the eighteenth century. The Unlteu
States however, has moved in an opposite dlrec,
ton. The distressed ships Of every nation ma
in our ports the ami lest facilities for replensh-
rnent and repair. Our National Government
NAV in its discretion absolutely forbid commercial
intercourse with another nation but 1t may never
violate the humane impulses Of its own cltlIens
by denying the protection and hospitalitles OF It's
ports to the distressed seaen Of any nation on the
GLOBE nor will It ever degrade the American people
in their own esteem by attempting to make snch
succor the subject Of international barter. Well
might certain American fisherman, in contem,
plating the unjust and cruel eXpedients adopted
by the Dominion Government for the purpose OF
breaking down an American industry eXcla1m:
"God pity the man who journeys from Jerusalem
to Jericho by the way Of Canada"
FAULTS OF TREATY MAKING REGARDING THE
FISHERIES.
During the last thirty years Great Britain
and Canada have apparently sought to befog the
whole subject Of the fisheries by disputes as to
the meaning Of words and phrases employed in the
treaties, thus hiding from view the substantial
principles of right and justice upon which the
question depends. All that vas ever needed in
the adjustment Of the fishery question upon sound
business principles to formulate practical
regulations whereby the commercial privileges OF
our fishermen in Canadian waters might be adj
ministered, and their rights TO the humanties of
maritime adventure secured. Instead OF so DONG
fishery rights and privileges OF all sorts have peen
used apparently as counters in games OF diplomacy,
in which we have invariably been worsted. All
the fishery treaties which have been framed
silent upon important controverted points,
and from these defects the greater part
Of our n.s fishery DISPUTES ,rd nave tho
of making the business Of negotiating treaties IN
regard 20 the fisheries solely one Of diplomacy, in
stead Of bringing to the settlement M OF the question
publication by the Secretary of the National
Fishery Association furnishes the following COM
mentary upon the methods adopted IN our treaty
making in so far as relates to the fisheries
Since the abrogatlon OF the fishery clauses OF the
Treaty of 1871, and during the progress OF these
last negotiations, no authorized agent OF the At
their case in a personal interview with the gentle
men who were officially charged with the re-
sponsible duties Of negotiating for the rights OF
the fishermen, although the officers of the Fishery
Association have sought to state their case IN
personal interview, and have not been granted
this privilege
BY the Treaty Of s54-said to have been floated
through on champagne-and also by the Treaty
of Washington" the privileges of the inshore
fisheries Of Canada, with the incidental humanities
of shelter and repair, bartered for the prlyl-
leges of our markets. This was not in any philo-
sophical or Just sense diplomacy, but sort Oh
diplomatic jockeying. The Canadians strenuously
opposed the alienation of their exclusive
right to fish in their marginal waters,
most absurd provision, and openly
generally, declare that the Canadians were right
in so doing. But the worst complication OF the
Fishery Treaty imbrogio has arisen from the fact
that the Canadian Government and the provincial
governments have been left in position TO make
laws for the regulation Of American fishing interests
When this power has been exercised it has de-
prived our fishermen Of commercial and humane
rights and privileges essential to the prosecution
Of their business Since the notice given by President
Arthur Of the desire OF the Uned States to abrogate
the fishery articles of the Treaty Of 1871, the
Dominion Government has provided by Act Of De
cember "a 1SS6, for the conlscation of any Amer-
vessel attempting TO exercise commercial rights
in Canadian ports. 1t is an astonishing fact that
rights which fell to us as a part Of the great
struggle Of Independence should now be regarded
as fresh fruits OF diplomacy, to be purchased at
the price or allowing Canaua 10 ulctate 10 US III
regard to our tariff policy. Such action contrasts
strangely with the position taken by Hon. PANEL
Manning, Secretary of the Treasury, in his letter
of February 8, $50, to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs Of the House Of Representatives and the
action soon afterward taken by that body
in the spirited resolution which it adopted au-
thorizing vigorous retaliation.
The Canadian Government pays bounties to her
fishermen amounting TO from 81 so 900 to 81 600
annually, n subsidy Of 85 cents per ton on each
fishing vessel and it also protects that industry
by the remission of all duties on materials and
supplies, local taxes vessels and fishing ap
paratus and by duty of 1-2 cent per pound
on imported fresh fish, and of cent per pound
on imported salt fish The president Of the National
Fishery Association declares that these privileges
amount to a total advantage of $4,000 upon |
the ports Of the United States. As against these
highly protective measures, the United States ad-
mts fresh fish free Of duty and imposes duty Of
IN salt fish and hall oapt