Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-24
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
THE MESSAGE IN THE SENATE.
Mr.. Edmunds' Comments on It.
DEFICIENCY BILL IN THE HOUSE.

DEFICIENCY BILL IN THE HOUSE.
Immediately after the reading Of the journa
the message from the President ON the subject OF
the rejection Of the fisheries treaty was laid before
the Senate. and was read in fun by the clerk, MI.
Johnson
The reading was listened TO by Senators on both
1t came to q close Mr.. Sherman moved that 1t be
printed and referred TO the committee ON foreign
relations
Mr.. KDNUNps ON TIE MESSAGE
Mr.. Eimunds-On that motion would like to
say q word-although / am in favor Of 1t. II I
had been fve or six years younger than am
should have been surprised at that message. But
| am not; and I am only very highly grauned at
intentions, OF the President OF the United states
in reference TO the protection OF American inter-
ests and American rights But the peculiarity Of
the situation (s seems to me) Is that having mad
statute providing for self-defense, approved by
the President OF the United States and by the
substantially unanimous vote OF both Houses Qf
that made any difference to mis- duty In IaiJhfuiy
executing the laws) and arter full consideration OF
all It's points and bearings the extent TO which It
and the circumstances under which 1t should be
brought Into play, eighteen months On round num-
the PRESIDENT Of Tie United states (for take il
that that Is what he means, although no word OF
that kind is in the message) that no step OF any
kind has been taken to carry into execution the
plain provisions Of that law.
CRITICIzING THE PRESIDENTS COURSE.
1t is true that the law did not require the Pres-
dent to put 1t into eject In the way OF selfderense
as prefer to call it, rather than retaliation un-
less case should have arisen OF wrong and injus-
tice which should satisfy him that American
| tntRreStl hflnU nnfuStly
with. Now, what has happened since the passage
OF that act? II nothing has happened, II there
American rights, OF unjust treatment OF American
citizens In the provinces OF the Dominion, then OF
course the President has been entirely right In
taking no step In respect OF the matter.
II, however, in his opinion (as he now states ny
there have been instances OF denial OF just right
to American citizens engaged In the business de-
1dent has not taken any In the exercise OF the
powers which the law imposed upon him and In
tion imposes upon him, OF taking care that the
laws are faithfully executed7 Here was law
Which he was to execute when the contingency
should arise, or on the existence OF particular
fact; and when he was satisfied that the
fact existed, then 1t was made his duty 70 take
steps to obtain redress in the method which the
statute pointed out So that we have now the case
OF period OF nearly eighteen months, during
which, as he states in his message action has been
1886, an American ishing vessel catchIng ish on
the nigh seas outside OF the ten and OF the twenty
mile ILLUMINATION, and sail (as purely CON-
America for the purpose Of sending ner cargo OF
f1sn by rail TO Boston, was, by general orders,
Sweeping sus orders denied that privilege and ex-
WHY HAS THE PRESIDENT BERN SILENT xIGHrEEN
AONTHA
NOW the President says (and says justly, that
that was great and most important and grievous
injury to American interests and 70 American
sntS why has he been silent @,
hands! And why has he remained tnactlve1
doubtless under the patriotic advice Of the gen.
VINO w3 bs os MS Sa1lne' a1a
that might be best to submit 10 what Is now de-
clared TO be gross and grievOus wrong with the
means at hand 10 redress IL or to defend against
it), and TO enter into q discussion with the wrong
dOer TO provide for q new arrangement on q
broader basis OF British territonality. and a new
arrangement on broader basis OF British free
trade.
THE PRESIDENTS PRRRoaATIvEs
And so must suppose that these important and
urgent powers which Congress unanimously put
into his hands to be exercised duty In case he
found the facts to exist which were described
In the Statutes have been suspended by
Executive authority, by prerogative, as think 1t
Is mentioned In some OF the minority reports,
OF some Committee as being one OF the prerOgatves
OF the President just as an English king in some
Old time would undertake to suspend an act or
Palnane1s ho' 10 carry inIo @ enect 80 long as
tinuing, even while talking, the very wrongs now
SO fully and well set forth In TINS message.
MUST CONFESS NY AsTOKHHMENT
at such course OF action on the part OF the Pres-
dent Of the United States; must express my sur
prise and my regret-nOt (uslng the language OF
the mesSage) the regret OF partisan, but the re-
gret OF q cltiZen-that 1Or more than year, with
the means in his hands to redress IT, he has failed
bst 70 as
Gas he SuppOses) on broader el0 OF retaliation,
and covering other topics, be given him. And l
| already acted upOn that until these powers are
given 70 him he Will do nothing at all
IT Is VERY ODD.
Mr. President, 1t is very odd-this business, And
wish TO call attention To one incident in this
message which struck me with q good deal OF sur.
| The course OF the negotiations which led to
this treaty. We apparently do not now know
what tsub-supulations and engagements and under
tons existed. Here We md In this message "a
thing TO which wish TO call special aLtentiOn)
srss,v as to whsnsr saY the SSn article
| not. The Canadian government has not re-
fused TO transship nsh on the ground
no such pretensi0n. II has refused TO transship
nsh on the ground that that article did not over
ride the convention OF 1878, by which an American
hshing vessel was not 10 come within three miles
| OF the land.
| THE TwENTY-NINTH ARTICLE.
After an extended discussion OF the point as to
whether the Goth article OF the treaty was still In
force and as to the intent OF Congress in limiting
the retaliation law TO matters connected with the
| fishing interests, Mr.. Edmunds said:
| Now, II Will ba seen that one OF the very things
| about which the President is now for
the first time apparently solicitous was
| brought TO the attention OF the two
houses OF Congress pending the passage OF
the law OF 1887, and that the Senate was
OF opinion that the provisions contained in
it nually passed, were entirely adequate TO the
| respects in which they had been tntruded upon
| and assailed. The message OF the President con-
| tatns q reference to
| SOME TOPICS or DIsCoNTINr
which he has for the nrst time communicated
TO Congress- although they are very old
ones, and although the attention of Congress
was called to them In reports OF committees
| q very long time ago touching canals. &C This
act OF 1887 does not touch those topics at all be-
cause the basis on which the President Is TO exert
the powers given him in that act,
refer to the treatment Of American vessels In ca.
| madam ports and not TO the treatment OF Ameri-
act referred to was really the fishery question.
can fishermen the right TO transship their nsh
| from Halifax TO Boston or New YORK
the President was Justified in Denying and
IL was his duty TO deny, TO Canadian
fish transportation across our country or any
other Canadian goods just a. TAR and as fast as be
should deem It an adequate fedress for the wrong
cOmmttted ON us