The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-06-12
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
The Senate Debates the Fishery Treaty,
Dir. Gray Sustaining the Agreement.
The House Devotes the Day TO Talking About
Pension Legislation-A Personal Spat Be-
tween Messrs. Woodburn and Cox.


ie lands in Florida from all but homestead
,ntriss; also. the postofice and District Of Co
umbia appropriation bills; also. the Senate bill
'or the reconstruction Of the government dam at
The Rock Island Arsenal and for the immediate
Of temporary dam
The credentials Of Senator Gibson. Of Louisi-
Ana, for his next term. were presented and laid
N the table.
On motion Of Mr. Sherman, the Senate pro-
,esdsd 20 consideration OF the fisheries treaty In
open executive session. and was addressed By
Mr. Gray IN support Of its ratification.
II he knew himself. no party considerations
soud influence bis judgment as to the merits OF
The treaty The Senate was bound to presume
hat this treaty was the outcome or an honest
puieavor and 40 earnest and patriotic desire, on
the part OF the executive. to make satisfacto-
~ and advantageous settlement or the vexed
1uestion to which il related. and that the Presi-
dent was correct. until the contrary appeared,
when be said that it had been made on q basis
honorable and just to both parties. He WAS
proud to believe that there never had been an
American President 70 whose performance OF
he hien function of treaty making this pre-
sumption did not rightfuly attach; aud be
grsatlv mlstook the temper and serse of
he American people If they would toll
crate any other discussion Of the pend
ne treaty but one which appealed
sassious. and not to class section. or II they
gould couptenance rejection Of it for any
sasons which did not concern the interests and
Welfare Of the whole country. or the honor, the
)restige and the dignity OF the Republic. God
aslp the country and the people. he said. if
hose into whose hands they had placed power
.hould refuse TO look at both sides and all sides
4 questions which involved the peace and hon.
~, and welfare of tho Nation. Some slurs had
,sen vigorously cast by the Senator from Maine
.Sir. FryeI towards the Secretary of State, but
here had never come from the State Depart
uent ANYTHING like the surrender of American
lights 10 the treaty Of 1871. under President
Grants administration, and yet that treaty was
me Of the triumphs of General Grants ad-
ministrarion; although for the privilege Of an
'nshore fishery. when American fishermen had
lust abandoned, as not worth the license fee OF
81 ton. IL gave the American market to Cana
lian fishermen and s5.500.0O0 besides Notice
aad been gwen by Congress of the abroestion
sf that treaty At the expiration OF its term. and
sbe United States had been again remitted TO
The privileges, conditions and restrictions pre-
seribed by the convention of 1878 Was it sur
prsiug, therefore. that the old conditions OF dis
quite and of differing interpretation should
again recuri The Gates Of 1854 and 1871 had
cot attempted to settle these questions; they
bad only postponed them. The United States,
be said, could not in view Of the valuable fisher
iss OF Behring sea-that mare claustrum-
afford to establish any narrow or restrict
i've doctrine Of territorial waters Such had
not been the doctrine of the American pubic
AID statesmen. He went on to argue that the
pending treaty was . practical, sensible and
Staresmanliks way of dealing with the question.
Coming down 60 the eleventh article Of the
treaty, he argued that it gave TO American 6sh.
Drmsn the right to enter Canadian ports on oil
occasions TO rnrchsse all the supplies ordinarily
wanted for trading vessels; the only exception
being supplies disSinctively peculiar to fishing
vssssls, and asked whether il was not the part
u statesmanship TO secure impartial privi-
eyes by the ratification of the treaty.
, m Gray e0 sss hi: %sa.
Do the other side that the subject was not one
for negotiation. that the difficulties arising from
The abrogation OF the treaties OF 1871 and 1885
we're not to be again the subject of diplomatic
sorrespondeuce. and asked why the subject
sbould not be one for international negotiation.
What had occurred TO change the disposition
character Of the people so that the United
States should not endeavor 70 do to-day what
the statesmen of 1871 had attempted 20 do. aud
Aid. in the negotiation of the treaty Of Washing
ton and what the men of 1854 had attempted TO
10, and did. in the negotiation of the reciprocity
treatyf BE knew that the New ENGLAND
Of the duty on Hsh-but this treaty did not
french on that ground. The treaty se-
sured every right of American fishermen and
eft the tariff on fish where IL ought to be left,
, subject TO be dealt with by the legislative
sranch of Congress. No party had . monopoly Of
patriotism in this country, but. II any party had
> right to be proud of its record, its traditions
and It's history, as being distinctively and en-
phaticaly American. it was the Democratic par
ty. Holding within it's ranks the great bodv OF
the plain men of the country, who depend on
their daily toll for their daily Bread it had from
The beginning fought the battle of the masses
against the classes. The Democratic party to-
Gay Was on the American side Of this question.
The Secretary Of State and the negotiators Of
che treaty were on the American side Of the
question. Those who defended IL in the
Senate were on the American side. The
President Was on the American side,
and the American people would recognize the
courage and self-sacrifcing devotion TO their
highest In terests with which that brave, honest
Rhs-forward and saeacious man had sought
10 serve them. II. in obedience tn party caucus,
which sat with closed doors, and kept yelled in
Becrecy the real motives of opposition, the treaty
shouid be defeated by bare majority, an APP
peal would be made TO the sober JUDGEMENT of
sixty millions OF people; aud the brave and hon.
Sst fishermen themselves would be appealed to,
whose rights and interests were secured and
main tanned by this treaty.
At the close OF Mr.. Grsys speech, Mr.. Hoar
obtained the floor. and the further consideration
Of the fisheries treaty was, on motion OF Mr.
Sherman, postponed till Monday, the 25th Of
June. Adjourned
The Pension Question In fte House.
WAsH1NeToN. June 1L-Mr. Anderson, Of
Illinois, from the committee on postoffices and
post-roads, reported back the resolution calling
On the Postmaster general for a tabulated state
mont Of disallowed claims of postmsstsrs from
the State Of Kentucky under the act Of March
90. 1883 Laid over.
Under the call OF States the following bills.
stc., were introduc aud referred:
By Dir. Herbert. OF Alabama, providing for
IN Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
By Mr.. Dougherty, of Florida: A resolution
eseitine that At this time there seems 20 be no
probability Of the passage. at this session Of
Congr~ss Of the Mills bill; that there Is . large
surplus in the Treasury. which is daily accumu-
3ating, to the detriment Of general business and
which tends to the contraction of the circulat-
Ing medium Of the country; that the uncertainty
~ 10 Whistler the Mills BILL in its present shape.
viii ever become law. -. TO say the least. great
almost certainly not In time 10 give the relief
demanded; and that the late unfortunate and
unnecessary civil war made al enormous and
daily increasing pension list. just and necessary;
that the success OF the armies of the United
States made possible and secured the sccumula-
ton of large private and corporate fortunes all
over The country. and instructing the committee
on ways and means 10 report 10 the House bills:
First, repeating all laws providing for internal
sevenue taxation. aud removing all OF said tax
except that now collected upon spirits distilled
In whole or IN part from grain and upon malt
liquors. Second. providing for the levy and col
lection OF grad uated tar upon all incomes OF