Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-07
MR. PUTNAMS FEARFUL BLUM
DER.
Deprivirg American Fishermen OF Rights
Which Will be Freely Exercised by
the French.


Edit0r Kennejec JoU,nai:
To-day dispatches from Newfoundland
announcing the release on bail of two French
vessels confiscated for buying bait recalls to
mind one of the most serious and inexcusa-
BILE of Mr.. Putnam's blunders Soon after
the publication of the treaty many careful
observers stated that if it were ratified we
would by our own act be debarred from ex-
ercising rights which England would not dare
to ask the French to renounce, and that con-
sequently our fishermen would be at a disad-
vantage as compared with those of the Frenc h
and other nations.
Art. 4, for instance. bound us not to enter
several specifically named bays and sounds
many of which are from l6 to 20 miles wide,
but the French would be at full liberty to
enter them as their limit of exclusion is only
10 miles. This would be bad enough, but
Mr.. Putnam's action on the bait question was
infinitely worse When the treaty of 1918
was being formulated our negotiators re-
nounced 1.-THE liberty to take, cure and dry
fish within three miles of the Atlantic coast
of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and Newfound-
land, but desired to retain the privilege of
entering the bays and harbors of the same
coasts "for the purpose of obtaining shelter,
wood, water and bait, but under such restric-
tons as may be necessary to prevent their
drying or curing fish therein" The British
refused to assent to this, and the word bait
was stricken out. But it must be remem-
bered that the privilege asked for was not to
purchase" bait but to "obtain it" them
selves by fishing in the bays and harbors.
While in there they were to be "under such
restrictions as may be necessary to prevent
their drying or curing fish
Our claim to purchase bait now in Cana
dian and Newfoundland ports is based upon
the reciprocal arrangements of 1880 and lS49
and cannot be resisted by any reference to
the treaty of 1918. 1t must also be remem-
bered that the remuneration of liberties in the
treaty of 1918 was limited to the Atlantic
coast of the British provinces, and that our
fishing and commercial rights in the Gulf of
st. Lawrence, and in the harbors and ports
of the Gulf coast are as unlimited as they are
in Boston or Penobscot Bay
To return, however, to the bait question
Mr.. Putnam agreed in Art. Is and the proc
tocol that American fishing vessels should
not be allowed to purchase bait in Canada or
Newfoundland except on the payment of
heavy tribute or license or the removal of
the duty on Canadian fish and fish oil. Mr.
Putnam has attempted to justify this action
by stating that 1.-THE sale of bait and other
special subjects of trade in the absence of
treaty stipulation may be prohibited by gem
eral law, and yet the prohibition cannot be
justly held as unfriendly. The laws of Can.
ada and Newfoundland prohibiting the sale of
bait to fishing vessels do not discriminate
against the United States but have applica-
ton to all foreigners"
Nh. PUTNAM's NEGLECT
This sounds yer, plausible but if Mr.. Put
nam had given the same amount of research
to the case of the United States fishermen
versus Bayard, Chamberlain and Co that he
would to a large real estate transaction, he
would have found that the provincial bait
law will only be enforced against United
States citizens. The government officials did
threaten to enforce it against the French, and
did seize two French vessels, but they were
compelled TO back down and will eventually
have to pay heavy damages to the French
government for violation of treaty rights.
Article Il of the convention held at Paris
on Nov. 18th, 1885, explicitly states that
French fishermen shall have the right to
buy bait, herring or caplin on land or at sea
in the harbors of Newfoundland without tax
or impeachment of any kind after the 5th day
Of April of each year, and until the end of
the fishing season" If Mr.. Putnam's article |
had been adopted we would have voluntarily !