The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-08
The Fisheries Treaty.

Senator Vance pointed out very clearly
on Monday the reasons why the republican
senator's oppose the ratification OF the
fisheries treaty. He has the faculty of tell
ing interesting stories, which strengthen the
points he wishes to make when discussing
subject, and it will hardly be denied that
the stories with which his Mondays speech
was enriched served admirably tho purpose
he bad in view.
There are two strong reasons why the re-
pubIicans oppose the ratification OF the
treaty, neither of which has anything to do
with the merits of it, One is that If the
treaty is ratified democratic administra-
ton will get the credit for settling very
troublesome question The ratification of
the treaty, therefore, would help the demo
Gratis greatly in the present presidential
campaign The other is that to refuse to
ratify the treaty and to threaten England
with war if she refuses to grant to Ameri-
can fishermen all this country claims for
them would, tho republicans believe, be
popular with the Irish voters, and the re-
publicans would like very much, at the
present time, to gain tho good will of the
voters of that race.
1t seems, therefore, thai the republicans
are not considering the ments of tho treaty,
but are trying to use it to advance tho in
terests of their party. OF course their con-
duct is neither commendable nor patriotic,
but they are not now seeking to make a
reputation for patriotism Thsy are simply
trying to put their party into bower again
Senator Morgan, speaking for the demo
cratic senators, is willing to sacrifice any
advantage which his party might gain in
this campaign from the ratification of the
treaty in order to prevent the treaty from
being rejected. He is so well satnfied that
has been negotiated by the administration,
is fair and just one, that no is willing that
the question Of its ratification shall be post
poned until next winter. The presidential
campaign will be over by that time, and
the republican senators will then be able
to discuss the treaty in a statesmanlike
way. 1t is hardly probable, however, that
the republicans will accept his proposition
They want the treaty rejected at once, and
the chances are that they will demand at
| the earliest possible moment a vote on the
question of its ratification, If it is rejected,
however, the people will not be left in
doubt respecting the reasons of its rejection
| They cannot be made to believe that the
American commissioners who negotiated it
were overreached by the English and Cana
dian diplomatists, or that the administration
would regard with favor any unfair con-
SESSIONS by this country to Canada. The
treaty, in the opinion of some of the wisest
men in the country, is an excellent one, and
| gives American fishermen about all they
have ever asked In fact the fishermen
themselves have not shown anywhere near
so great desire to have the treaty
rejected as the republican politicians.
These politicians insist upon using it for
campaign purposes, and there doesn't ap-
pear to be any authorized power anywhere
to prevent them from doing so. The debate
will close in a few days. and the vote on
ratification will doubtless show that the
party lines are strictly drawn.