Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-22
FOR FISHER FOLK.
Terms of the New Inter.
national Treaty.
THE PRESIDENTS COMMENTS.
Satisfactory Settlement Of the
VexatiOus Three-mile-
limit Question.

Senate to-day made public the Fish
cries treaty with the Presidents let
ter OF transmittal. The President
letter says in part: In my annua
message transmitted to Congress il
December, 1886, it was stated that ne
gotiations were then pending for :
settlement of the questions CROWN:
out of the rights claimed by American
fishermen in British North American
waters. As result of such negotia
tions treaty has been agreed upor
between Her Britannia Majesty ant
the United States, and concluded ant
signed in this Capitol under my direc
ton and authority on the 18th of Feb
ruary, and which l now have the
honor to submit to the Senate witt
+ the recommendation that ] receive
the consent of this body. as provided
in the Constitution, in order that rati
fication thereof be duly exchanged
and the treaty carried into effect.
The President says that shortly af.
ter Congress adjourned in March last,
in continuation of an effort to arrive
at such agreement he availed himself
of opp1rIune currents of public
opinion indicative of desire to make,
without delay, an amicable and final
settlement of
THE STANDING CONTROVERSY
By sending, through our Minister in
London, proposals for conference to
take place on the subject at this capi-
tai. as the experience of the past two
years demonsti ated the dilatory and
unsatisfactory consequences of our
indirect transaction of business
through the foreign Office in London
To obviate inconvenience or OBJ
struction to prompt and well-detined
settlement, it was considered advis-
able that the negotiations be con-
Quoted in this city, and that the in
terests of Canada and Newfound-
land be directly represented therein.
s'The treaty meets with my approval
because l believe it supplies salts
factory, practical and final adjustment,
upon basis both honorab BILE and just
to both parties, of the difficult and
vexed question to which it relates.
Especially satisfactory do l believe
the proposed arrangement will be
found by those of our citizens en-
gagged in the open sea fisheries
adjacent to the Canadian coast, and
resorting to those ports and harbors
under the treaty provisions and the
rules of international law. The pro-
posed delimitation Of lines Of exclus-
i've fisheries from common fisheries
will give certainty and security as to
the area of these legitimate fields.
THE HEADLAND THEORY
OF i'm maginary lines is abandoned by
Great Britain, and specification in
the treaty Of certain named bays
especially provided for. 1t gives
satisfaction to the inhabitants OF the
shores without subtracting materially
from the value or convenience of the
fishery rights Of Americans. Unin-
terrupted navigation of the straits is
expressly and for the first time
affirmed. The clauses by which our
fishermen, under the treaty of 1918,
we're allowed to enter the bays and
harbors of Canada and Newfoundland
within a belt of three miles are placed
under fair and liberal construction,
and their enjoyment secured.
The history of events in the last
two years shows that there is no
feature of the Canadian administration
more harassing and injurious than
the compu sion upon our fishing yes
sells to make form entry and clear
ance ON every occasion of temporarily
seeking shelter in Canadian ports and
harbors. This is provided against in
the proposed treaty. The articles
permitting our fishermen to obtain
such provisions and ordinary supplies
as are ordinarily granted to trading
vessels are of great Importance and
value. The licenses which will be
granted without charge and on appli-
cation in order to enable our fisher
men to enjoy those privileges can
form no impediment to those intend
ing to use them fairly.
HosPrrAL1TIEs ARE. SECURED
For our vessels in all cases OF dis
tress with the liberty TO unload, sell
and re-ship their cargoes.
These provisions will secure sub
stantial enjoyment of the treaty rights
for our fishermen under the treaty of
1878, for which contention has been
steadily m ade. The rights of our fish
ermen under that treaty do no, extend
tothe procurement OF distinctive fish
cry supplies in Canadian ports and har-
bors and one item supposed to be es-
sential viz bait was plainly denied
then by the explicit words OF that
treaty emphasize,t by the course of the
neg tiations and the express decisions
which preceded the conclusion OF that
treaty. The treaty now submitted
contains no provision affecting the
tariff duties and it is assumed on the
part of the United States that no al
teration could be made as a price
or consideration for obtaining the
rights OF our citizens secured by
the treaty. 1t was considered
more expedient to allow that
any change in the revenue laws
OF the United States be made by the
ordinary exercise Of legisl alive will
and in the promotion Of public inter
ests. Therefore the addition to the
free list Of fish oil, whale and seal oil,
etc., reeited in the last article of the
treaty, is wholly left to the action OF
G ngress, and in connection there
with the Canadian and Newfoundland
rights to regulate
THE SALES OF BAIT
And Other fishing supplies within
their own jurisdiction is recognized.
Our social and commercial intercourse
with those populations our on border
is made apparent by the list of United
States common carriers, marine anC
inland, connecting their lines with
Canada. which was returned by the
Secretary OF the Treasury to the Sen
ate on the 9TH day Of February, 1888
and this is instructive "a to the grea
volume OF mutually profitable inter
chanvea which have cona into az