Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-06


gentlemen, IN disturbing the commercial
relations between our country and the
Dominion at remote western points, be-
cause there i q dispute between Halifax
and GIoucestor that can be easily settled
on the ground? Why should the railways
of the United States, that annually trans
port $4,000 600 Of Canadian goods in
transit, be deprived of their business and
endure d large loss on account of sud
den whip. Of the president? Why should
the transit from Detroit to Buffalo and
Ne@ York over both American and Cana
d1aa lines o. rail DE suspended, when it
has no relation whatever to the fisheries
question? Why should the large traffic
between Quebec and Montreal on the one
hand aud Portland On the other. by which
Portland becomes the winter port of
Canada, be summarily stopped at the
caprice of the president, on chagriu over
the course of an independent, but as he
says, REFRACTORY senate?
It is the design of the PRESIDENT to
make the fishery question odtous by EN-
barrassing commercial relations and com
mercial excnange along the thousand
miles of a frontier, and inhic5 upon
American communities q needless, q vex
atiOGs, perllou. confusion of trade?
Does he not practically say to his sup
pUrters that if the republicans viii not
JOIN him in surrendering our fishery
rights 80 Esglepd, he will give them some
medicine ON the other, and if they will
give him the epactments which he asks
shat he will give them retaliation until
they cry bold enough, and will allow him
TO settle the fishery question in the pre-
IN, Oh
contem ptuously r. let's it. After all, fell
low cIrlZ rs, Is not the presidents pc
stion q mere political device 20 divert
the attention of the American from his
free trade message and from the Mills
tariff bill? Is not this buster on the
fisheries to De the plan of the campaign
for TIE democratic party? Are not per
mits for bravado 10 be used BY the politi-
cal agents of the administration, marked
on the back, Good till after the first
Tuefday OF November?
My friends, history repeats itself. Let
me call your attention TO a remarkable
parallel between the course of President
Cleveland and the Course of President
johnson, after he returned to the demo
cracy, in more woighty negotiation with
England than that relating TO the fisheries
You will remember that under instfuc-
ions from Andrew Johnsou's adniniStra-
ton, our minister to England, the late
Reverdy johnson, negotiated treaty
designed TO settle the Alabama claim. Is
was negotiated with Lord Clarendon, the
foreign secretary of England, and is
known as the JohUsCn-CiareHdon treaty.
1t was communicated to the senate just
before the expiration of Johnson's term,
\ IN b.,l - -.
when President Grant was inaugurated.
It was rejected with emphasis and in dig
nation, just as the senate has no rejected
the fisheries treaty. A few months later,
President Grant sent TO the senate COM
munication on the whole su hject OF Ala
bama claims. Referring to the Johnson
Clarendon treaty he used these weighty
words, which | beg to read to you: BE
iieving that treaty thus misconstrued
IN its scope. aud inadequate in it's pro
visions would have not produced the
hearty, cordial sentiments of pending
questions which alone is consistent with
the relations which desire TO have firm
ly established between the United S states
aud Great Britain. regard the action
of the senate in rejecting the treaty, 10
have been wisely taken in the interest OF
peace, and rs necessary step in the in
terese OF a perfect aud cordial friendship
between the two countries"
In his next annual communication,
President Grant recommended 10 Con.
gress the appointment of a commission
10 take proof of the accounts and the
ownership of the several Alabama claims
on Dotice 10 the representative OF her
majsety's government at Washington
anc that authority be given for settle
ment of these claims by the United
States and that the government
have the ownership of the private claims.
as we'll the responsible control of all
the demands against Great Britain. The
result, you know, WAS that the British
government proposed a joint commits
Sion to set lie all claims between the ccua-
tries; that President Grant, unlike Presi
cent Cleveland, secured the assent of the
Senate before appointing commissioners
IN return, and that the joint mmission
made settlement which, on the whole,
was satisfactory TO both parties. This
was brought about TO the honor of both
nations, in consequence of the firm presi-
ton assumed by President Grant. Why
would not like attitude of 30 day on the
part of the president produce like re-
suit, peacefully honorahly and 10 the last
ing advantage Of both nations?
The truth is my friends, the democratic
party has never been fortunate In con
Quoting diplomatic negotiations with
Great Britain. The English pasty love
for the democratic party is not difficult To
ex olain. 1t Is not solely because the
democracy is free trade party, and lie
now proposing to open our home market
for the benefit of the British m anufactur.
ers ut the expense of American working
men. But 1t is true that In every oegotia-
tiOn with the democratic administration,
Engiand has succeeded in attaining pre-
clsely the result which she desired. A
great historic case in point is familiar to
all who have studied our history for the
so years since the democrat party was
| first organized. From the administration
of Mr.. j ffersOn onward, there was dis
pute between the two countries as TO
rights of each or the territory bordering
the Pacific ocean, and the question vas
adl listed from time to time by our earl
| Ter presidents and lastly By q treaty
made by Mr.. Clay when he was secretary
of she state under Mr. Adams, providing
| for joint occupation of the country for
au indefinite period, neither party losing
| tights. But from pure denagogism the
democrats raised the cry in the national
election of 1914 that the whole OF what
constitutes British Columbia up to lati-
| tude 81 40 belonged unquestlonably 60
! the Unired States.
The pretense was put forth as blind
| IL order to show that they were as zeal-
| Gus 30 secure the northern territory as
/ they were bent on acquiring southern
TERRITORY. The democratic national con-