The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-15
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
MIR. Cicvciand's Able Reply to tho MuiIsh
Republican Senators.

MI. Edmunds q short time since
gravcly intimated that the Presidcn of
the United States was under the influ-
ence Of foreign and adverse interests,
and threatened that in due time he
would be called to account for the
usurpation of unconstitutional powers
In negotiating a treaty with Great
Britain on the fisheries.
Like his party colleagues OF the Sem
ate, Edmunds was then domineering and
insolent. He and they are now gasp
ing for breath.
That treaty the Senate rejected alb
solutely. thereby preventing further
negotiations. The President had done
all in his power to secure by peaceful
means, approved by the common sense
OF mankind, the rights OF American
fishermen in Canadian waters. The
Senate would neither accept nor amend
the treaty. Their criticism was of the
kind which, finding fault, proposes no
improvement. They hoped to discredit
the President before the country as an
executive who, unable to procure the
ratification of his treaty on disputed
point, would sink into noxious desue-
tude. They believe him unwilling or
unable to give efficacy to the law of
March, 1877, providing that in case
American fishing vessels in Canadian
ports were denied treaty privileges or
IN any way harrassed the President
might deny to Dominion vessels any
entrance into American ports, and,
further, prevent entry at American
ports of any Canadian product.
The President advises Congress that
he shall not upon occasion hesitate to
give this act full effect, but he sug-
gests that qs the object of retaliation
I, is to inflict the maximum of injury
upon your adversary at the minimum
of cost to yourself, the powers OF the
Executive ought to be enlarged in this
connection for the attainment of two
useful ends, whereby retaliation shall
be something more than the cutting off
OF ones nose to spite ones face.
Canada refuses to permit our fisher
men to ship their catch in bond from
a Canadian to an American port The
fish catch is not comparatively of
great value. The whole subject is one
without other than a. sentimental in
terest outside of the littoral of New
England. But when we retaliate let it
be done to some purpose. Goods, wares
and merchandise to the value of some
$27O,O00.O00 are annually brought into
American ports for Canadian con-
sumption, or shipped from Canada by
rail, to be exported at Portland, or
Boston, or New York. BY comfy
they are not subjected to American du-
ties. Legislation to this effect was had
under clause of the Treaty of Wash
ington, which clause fell with those of
the same treaty regarding the fisheries,
when, more than five years ago. we
served the needful two years notice
that the fisheries clause should be at
an end. The gentlemen of the Senate
had given this clause no thought. The
President, having made a study of the
whole question, found that without
any violation of treaty stipulations
this privilege of transit might be
withdrawn, thereby delivering a tre-
mendous blow upon Canada without
particular harm to ourselves. The
blow would be the greater, because,
when the st. Lawrence is closed by
ice, the American seaports are almost
necessity to inland Canada.
Portland, Me-, the metropolis Of
Senator Frye's State, is terminus of
the Grand Trunk railroad, a foreign
corporation, which would largely suf-
fer by the refusal of the privilege
granted by our law to enter goods for
Canada free of duty. Senator Frye
has been one of the most blatant cham
pions of the cod-fishers, who put out
largely from Maine. Frye was alb
solutely Indifferent regarding the effect
upon the lake ports of an embargo
upon intercourse with Canada, but
when the Presidents message suggest
ed tho feasible and far more desirable
suspension of the Free Transit act
whereby Portland would suffer more
than Milwaukee or Chicago, Frye was
as startled, confused and dumbfounded
as the first cod caught by hook off
| the Newfoundland banks.
Edmunds, who menaced the Presi-
dent with impeachment because he had
assumed to proceed on his own motion
to procure an understanding between
Britain and America ON the fisheries
question, and procured the rejection
OF the treaty, at the same time bidding
the President carry out the Retaliatory
law, was thrown clean on his beam
ends by message proposing plan
whereby the Vermont Central, Of
which Mr.. Edmunds is u COUNSELOR
should lose much of its profitable traf-
fic between Montreal and New York
and Boston.
The second point in the Presidents
suggestion for retaliatory measures
upon Canada relates to the tolls paid
by shipping for the use OF canals of
the respective countries. The St.
Clair and the $780," American works,
are open to Canadian bottoms without
charge. American bottoms are en-
titled to use the Welland canal, the
canals OF the st. Lawrence, and other
works OF like character controlled by
Che Dominion upon the same terms Us
Canadian bottoms. Both are charged
coils. But the word OF promise is kept
IL