St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-22
Our Neighbors on the North
Have No Possible Reason
to Complain,
And the Same May Be Truly
Said of Our Own Fish
ermen.
Temporary Arrangements for
a Period Not Exceeding
Two Years.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-The senate
to day made public the fisheries treaty,
with the presidents letter of trans
initial. The presidents letter, with
the historical part omitted,is as follows:
To the Senate of the United States:
In my annual message transmitted to
the congress in December, 1886, it was
stated that negotiations were then pend
ing for the settlement of the questions
growing out of the rights claimed by
American fishermen in BrithiSh North
American waters. AS result of such
negotiations treaty has been agreed
upon between her Britannia majesty
and the United States, concluded and
signed in this capitol, under my di-
rection and authority, on the 18th of
February last, and which l now have
the honor to submit to the senate, with
the recommendation that it shall receive
the consent of that body, as provided
in the constitution, in order that the
ratification thereof may be duly eX-
changed and the treaty carried into
effect. Shortly after congress had
adjourned in March last. and in contin-
uatiOn of my efforts to arrive at such an
agreement between the govern
mentS of Great Britain and the
United States as would secure
to the citizens of the respective
countries the unmolested enjoyment of
their just rights under existing treaties
and international comfy in the terrific
rial waters of Canada, andANeWfound-
land, l availed myself of oppartune oc-
currences Indicative of desire to make,
without delay, an amicable and final
settlement of ong-standing contro-
versy-prOductive of much irration and
misunderstanding between the two ma
tions-to send through our minister in
London proposals that a conference
should take place on the subject at this
capitol. The experience of the past two
years had demonstrated the dilatOry and
unsatisfactory consequences of our in
direct transaction of business through
the foreign Office in London, in which
the view and wishes of the government
of the Dominion of Canada were practi-
cally predominant, but were only to find
expression at second hand. To obviate
this inconvenience and obstruction to
was considered advisable that the negO-
tiatlons should be conducted in this city
and that the interests Of Canada and
Newfoundland should be directly rep
resented therein. The treaty
MEETS MY APPROVAL,
because believe that it supplies salts
factory, practical and final adjustment.
upon basis honorable and just to both
parties, of the difficult and vexed ques-
tion to which it relates. The greater
part of the correspondence which has
taken place between the two govern
ments has heretofore been communi-
Gated to congress, and at as early day
as possible l shall transmit the remain
ing portion to this date. accompanying
it with the joint protocols of the con-
ferences which resulted in the cOnclu-
sion of the treaty now submitted to you.
You will thus be fully possessed of the
record and history of the case since the
termination Oh June 80, 1885, of the fish
cry articles of the treaty of Washington
of 1871, whereby we were relegated to
the provisions of the treaty of Oct. 20,
1918. AS the documents and papers re-
ferred to will supply full information of
the positions taken under my admins
tratiOn by the representatives of the
United States, as well as those occupied
by the representatives of the govern
ment of Great Britain, it is not consid-
cred necessary or eXpedient to repeat
them in this message. But believe
just, honorable. and, therefore.
SATISFACTORY SOLUTION
of the difficulties which have clOuded
our relations with our neighbOrs OH our
NORTHERN border. Especially satisfactory
do believe the proposed arrangement
will be found by those of our citizens
who are engaged in the open sea fish
Ieries adjacent to the Canadian coast.
and reSOrting to those ports and harbOrs
under the treaty provisions and rules
of international law. The proposed de-
limitation of the lines of the exclusive
fisheries from the common fisheries will
give certainty and security as to the
area of their legitimate field; the head
doned by Great Britain. and the specifi-
cation in the treaty of certain named
bays especially provided for gives salts
faction to the inhabitants of the shores,
without subtracting materially from the
value or convenience of the fishery
rights of Americans. The uninter-
rnpted navigation of the Strait of Canoe
is expressly and for the first time
affirmed, and the four purposes for
which our fishermen under the treaty
of 1918 were allowed to enter the bays
and harbOrS of Canada and Newfound-
: land within the belt of three marine
miles are placed under fair and liberal
construction and their enjoyment Sc
cured without such conditions and re-
strictions as in the past have embar-
rassed and Obstructed them SO seriously.
The
ENFORCEMENT OF PENALTIES
for unlawfully fishing or preparing to
fish within the inshore and exclusive
waters of Canada and Newfoundland
is to be accomplished under safeguards
against oppressive or arbitrary action,
thus protecting the defendant fisher
man from punishment in advance of
trial, delays and inconvenience and un-
necessary expense. The history of
events in the last two years shows that
no feature of Canadian administration
was more harassing and injurious than
the cOmpulsion upon our fishing vessels
to make formal entry and clearance on
axrn aciA of taY or;I ol-;,