New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-03
THREATS OF RETALIATION

Prominence is given in 1.-The Herald' TO
Washington dispatch purporting to explain the
Presidents intentions respecting the Retalla-
ton Act. in the event of the rejection OF the
Fisheries Treaty. He will enforce the act by
placing an embargo on the Canadian railways,
il American fishermen are subjected to outrages
and indignities along the Dominion seaboard
This announcement OF his policy is probably
premature, since the State Department is max
ing extraordinary eff orts to secure the post
ponement of final action on the Treaty until
December SO as to enable the fishing feet to OBJ
tain licenses for the present season. and make
a practical trial of the modus vivendi. Ii the
President has expressed determination to en-
force the Retaliation Act it may be suspected
that he hopes to brighten the Senators by
threatening to apply the law in drastic
method, so as to disturb business relations and
cause much excitement along the Northern
frontier. We prefer to believe that the Presi-
dent, having submitted the Treaty and cor
respondence to the Senate, is quietly awaiting
the decision Of that body instead OF attempting
to make menace of the discretionary powers
with which he has been armed.
If the Treaty be rejected the President will
have no alternative choice. In his first mes
sage he proposed method of diplomatic arbi-
tration. which the Senate condemned by an
emphatic majority. Two Retaliation Acts wore
passed, but he declined to enforce them, pre-
ferrng to adhere to his policy Of effecting dip
lomatic settlement. If the Senate refuses to
ratify the Treaty he will be under moral obi
cations to abandon his own abortive schemes
and to carry out its policy without delay.
Retaliation Act was In operation at the time the
Treaty of 1918 was negotiated and IL was en-
forced until principles of maritime reciprocity
were recognized by Great Britain. The Eng
lsh Government has frequently had recourse to
the same expedient in order to secure CONNER
cial privileges from nations which were reluc-
tant to grant them. There can be no surer
means of bringing the Canadians to their senses
than wise and discreet use of the large pow
ers conferred upon the President There is no
reason why any Senator should be frightened
by the prospect of Retaliation. 1t may simply
involve the withholding of commercial priyi-
leges like the purchase Of bait and supplies, the
transshipment Of cargoes and the recruiting OF
crews and yet prove sufficiently effective to Sc
cure recognition of all the principles of mari
time reciprocity which are now denied to Amer
leans in Dominion ports.
While the President will have no alternative
choice, as we have said, it is probable that he
will obstinately persist in defying the wishes
of Congress in this matter, as he has done for
three years He has not been moved by many
acts of grievous injustice on the part Of Cana
dams to defend American rights and interests
thus far, and there is not the least reason to
suppose that he will be. The Treaty itself is a
sufficient proof that the President either does
not know what American rights and interests
are, or does not really care to defend them. His
importation Of Minister Phelps to lobby for the
Treaty, step which is in fact. certain to rem
der it moro unpopular in this country, only
shows that the President does not at all COM
prehend American feeling in regard 10 this mat
ter. The root Il The whole difficulty is just
there; we have in this country not an Ameri-
can but British-American Administration.
To expect from such an Administration any
decisive action against Canadian pretensions
and Canadian interests would be folly.