Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-11

to the passage of the act Mar. 5, 1887, author
izing the President in certain cases TO pro-
iect and defend the rights of American
| fishing vessels, etc, this act was quoted in
full and the report continues: $50 far as
known to the committee no steps wheteyer
have been taken by the President 10 put the
law into execution, but negotiations were
initiated and continued TO be apparent TO that
end for accomplishing shat Congress thought
unfit to uniertake in such way aud for the
adjustment OF these difficulties by the diplo-
matte course, securing a part of the
American rights al an expense yielding the
other and the most fundamental and import
ant of them. The report complains that
the President gave no intimation TO Congress
of the meeting of the plenipotentaries and
says il is not difficult TO see that in evil times
when the President may be under the intiu-
ence OF foreign or adverse interests such
course might result in great disaster 10 the
interests and safety of our government and
the people. The peoples rights might be
neglected, misunderstood, abandoned or sold
by the Presidents plenipotentaries as to
greatly embarass if not defeat their ultimate
reassertion in better times, under a better
administration. The majority report fur
ther objects to the treaty because by il the
United Sta'es renounces all right in the
great and valuable bays, on the coasts named
in the treaty, in which fishing may become
profitable in the future; that the right of
United States vessels to visit and trade in
any part of the public sea ought not To be
surrendered on any considerations that the
new area of delinitation greatly increase the
dangers of American fishermen unintention-
ally invading the prohibited waters; that il
completely surreuders the rights under the
treaties AMI acts of 1888, ISIS, 1880, and
1915 that il binds the United States to be
content with lis provisions forever until great
er freedom can be gained by further
concessions by us. Further, because the
much limited rights obtained by article Is
are obtained only at the price of exempting
all Canadian fishery products from our Gus
toms duties. The treatment accorded ar
rested vessels of fishermen is only such as
any civilized nation should adopt anyway,
and because instead of diminishing it will in
crease the friction. The report concludes
with the hope that if the Senate rejects the
treaty the British government will provide
that American vessels will get the same
rights in Canadian waters that Canadian yes
sels get in United States waters The mi |
nority report expresses the belief that the
treaty would benefit our fishermen, and urges
the necessity of aiiaying bitter feeling and
cultivating friendly relations with Canada, |
and that all in retaliation which would re-
suit in war; that the 1918 treaty is the su-
preme law until superseded; that the treaty |
is perpetual in the remuneration of our right |
to common fishery. We cannot, save by |
successful war, reinstatc the United States /
by our own act in the ENJOYMENT of the right |
renounced. That the treaty is framed |
in the spirit of conformity to
the progressive interests of our country |
and that further increase in commercial |
privileges naturally follows from the policy /
of both countries in matters governed by |
delimitation and are disputed rights The |
American statesmen heretofore acknowledged |
the sincerity of the British construction of /
the 1918 treaty, that nothing of any value /
is surrendered that what we yield is of val /
ue TO the Provinces in conducting the local
government, that the treaty is just and |
tar settlement and that no fault |
can be found in the manner of negotiation
and the President has not exceeded consti- /
tutlonal powers, or withheld any courtesy
due the Senate