The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-19
THE FISHERY AGREEMENT.
Could Rights In Canadian Waters be Al
Suired by License err Purchases

CeuId Rights In Canadian Waters he Ac.
Suired by License Of Purchases
WASHINGTON, Feb. l8.-The comments thus
far made upon the work Of the Fishery Com
missionsrs indicate that this work may DO
found to please the Commissioners themselves
rather more h the fishing communities Of
the countries for which they are presumably
acting. This. however. Is Q result almost in
svitable from the fact that the American fisher
men, at least, did not ask for Q treaty or for q
Commission. Congress, too. took ground
against attempting to settle the difficulty In this
way. This fact may nevertheless have given
Americans a certain advantage with the Com
mission. since they were expected to DO reader
than the Canadians to find fault with its work:
but II, as the result. our fishermen should be
found to have got the better half of the bargain
"A point as yet surmised rather than known
the outcries at Ottawa and Halifax will become
greater than at Gloucester AID Portland. It
would be odd II tho treaty should commend it.
self less to the Dominion Parliament than to
Congress.
But while the variety Of comment provoked
thus far is undoubtedly due in part to the fact
that the real provisions Of the document have
hitherto been largely q matter Of conjecture,
tho question is suggested whether it would not
have been simpler for the Commission to So
cure for American fishermen all rights Of fish
ing in Dominion waters either by annual per-
NIT or BY purchase outright.
Instead of taking up o multitude Of details.
and defining how far the American fishermen
might GO in their snjoyment Of the. PRIVILEGES /,
suggested, might be to make them pay Q license
for fishing each season. or else to acquire tho
burden would come upon those fishermen who
desired the privilege; In the latter upon the
That Canada has a right to keep, her fishing
grounds to herself, when situated within her
own marine domain. no one questions. She
them and as a matter Of history, she did sell
such PRIVILEGES during the period which inter-
vened between the expiration of the first reoi-
F ffRHs'i treaty slsS q i Haa . eHpi sasp' IN q Ise Sne a sas0 the
treaty Of Washington did not follow until 1871.
licensed lie 'ns Dan many aS1e n. s oar ve sassElse 10 fsh H IN Sea
waters. as she could do again to-day; Iii true
that at last very few vessels availed themselves
The first year the Canadian Government
tonnase o for S'a SLOWING ing it It to ash in. ali waters water:
the SECOND year this rate was raised to 81 a
. &. # ssi ,s sh,f ias ,sn sh sGSst 3 v ys.sf d + y ys tons @ Sss
to pay $3.50: and ve1ation at the constant rails
Ing Of the price may have combined with hesite-
vantages not quite certain, and with occasional
changes in the habitat ofthe mackerel. to make
Chances with fishing on tho high seas. Still.
some Of them might think otherwise now, with
the imposition OF a fair license and the mack
shore. as during the last few seasons.
The other plan which has been suggested
and foreverth the privilege OF fishing II. Canadian
waters. and have done with the whole trouble.
Doubtless the memory of the Halifax award
ferrous character Of, that award has since
| caused careful statistics 20 be made Of the
| comparatively small value Of the fishing really
done by Americans in Canadian waters, so that
there Is less danger of overestima ting the
privilege. Inasmuch as the maritime prov
inces Of the Dominion are clamoring against
its financial burdens, and since they would
should be appropriated chiefly or wholly to
them, as they furnish the privileges sold. they
might be found. after all. as urgent as any
settlement.