Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-09-05
PARTISAN SPEECHES
ON THE RETALIATION BILL DELIVER
ED IN THE HOUSE
By Representatives McCreary and Hit
Chapman of Michigan Gives the Tail of
the Lion Another Twist--Basiness
Transacted in Both Branches Of Con-
gress.

as the special order at the expiration OF the
morning hour.
Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, introduced
Q resolution directing the special committee
investigating the construction of the new
library building to inqnire whether any
member of the House had sought by inn
proper or corrupt means TO influence the
architect to accept inferior material to be
used in the construction of the building.
Mr.. Kelley, when requested by several
members to name the man." said he was
prompted to offer the resolution by infor-
nation which he had received early in the
session, and which had since been corrobor-
sted BY increasing testimony and addition
al facts, but declined to name the member
implicated by the resolution until sum-
moned before the committe.
The resolution was amended by refer
ring the inquiry TO new committee, and
then adopted.
Mr.. Townshend called up the conference
report on the army appropriation bill.
Agreement had been reached on all amend
ments excepting those relating to the es-
tablishing of e gun factory st Watervliet
n. ", and the manufacture of heavy
ordnance. A further conference was or
dered on these amendments.
The House then took up the retaliation
bill, Mr.. Belmont. chairman of the COM
mittee on foreign affairs, heartily endorsed
the bill and urged its prompt passage.
Mr.. McCreary praised the administration
for its firm and courageous attitude on the
fisheries controversy. The Presidents
messages on the tariff and on the fisheries
should be recorded together in history.
The Republican Senate in rejecting the
treaty had given notice that no treaty which
could be negotiated would be satisfactory
to them; so the time for negotiation was
past, and the time Tor retaliation had come.
The rights of American fishermen should
be projected, and stop should be put to
an unjust discrimination against American
vessels in Canadian canals. The pending
bill provided the necessary legisla-
ton. He controverted the assertion
that the President already had sufficient
authority under which to act. Existing
law did not authorize him to suspend
transportation of Canadian goods across the
country free of duty; nor did it authorize
him to meet discrimination against Ameri-
can vessels passing through Canadian ca
mails, by collecting toll on foreign vessels
passing through American canals. 1t was
claimed that the power now sought to be
conferred upon the President, was in oppo-
sition to the 10Th article of the treaty of
1871 He held that the article was not now
in force: but il was by the terms of article
Gle 33 repealed after ten years. He be-
lieved that article - died when the fisher
les articles of the treaty of 1871 died. Gen
eral Grant had sent message to Congress
on our relations with Canada and almost
instantly messengers were sent from Lon
don TO Canada 10 warn the Canadians
that their unjust acts must cease and so on
the joint high commission which nego-
tiated the treaty of Washington was auth
orized. Congress should not be unmindful
OF the obligations which the government
nwad IN TIE l0l lsll ,ba mo rod hal
6,Ooo vessels engaged in the sea and lake
fisheries. The annual product of the busi-
ness was valued at SIS. Sc0.000 The time
had come when the government ought to
be in earnest and legislation should be
such as to prove to Canada. Great Britain
and the world, that it was in earnest. 1t
was time that Canadian wrongs should be
resented by the United States and sup
pressed by Great Britain. 1t was by no
means certain that the President would
be required to issue the proclamation au-
thorized by the bill. He (Mr. MCreary)
hoped and believed that when the bill was
enacted into law the usual good Judgment
of the English and Canadian authorities
would be manifested, and all difficulties
would be arranged without anything which
would break up the cordial relations which
had existed for many years between Great
Britain and the United States. But let the
result be what it might the people would
be supported by the people of the United
States without regard to party. The men
of the South and North would stand shoul-
der to shoulder in solid phalanx to defend
American rights and American honor.
[Applause.
Mr.. Hit, of Illinois, said that the gentle
man from Kentucky (Mr. McCreary) con-
nected the message on the fisheries with
what was known as the free trade message.
1t was an apt combination. The treatment
of our fishermen and the tendency toward
free trade had gone hand in hand since the
day OF Inauguration. (Applause on Repub-
lican side By joint resolution both
Houses of Congress had resolved to give
notice of the termination of the fishery
articles of the treaty. The fishermen were
impatiently awaiting the time when the
arrangement would terminate which had
been so greatly to their disadvan-
tage: 1t was only after the begin
ming of the new administration when
discussion took place between the
British Minister and our Government look
to a renewal of the agreement The news
filled the Canadians with Joy and the
American fisherman with dismay. If the
administration could not suspend the tariff
laws and give them free trade in fish, they
were promised tnat the President would
recommend the appointment of commits
sion TO take up the subject and enlarge the
treaty. The President had sent message
to Congress asking that recommendation.
The House would do nothing of the kind
and the Senate sent him back word that it
disapproved of any such course. The Ca
nadians greatly encouraged by what had
been done by our Government,
now began a course of veXatious
tactics TO secure this free trade in fish
which they believed they would ultimately
secure indirectly. The commission of out
RACES on our fishermen was begun Was
there anyone who could forget the indig-
nant feeling in the United States in 1886.
at the recurrent scene from week to week
of American ships tied up, and of inhu-
manity to American fishermen. The
whole story was one of wrong and out
rage-wrong unredressed and insult un-
avenged. Congress had taken the matter
up and passed the retaliation act. Ii
stood on the statute book still; and eigh-
teen months had passed by and
none of the powers conferred by
it had been exercised. The sys-
tenn of outrages had been checked
in past, largely by the influence Of the pas
sage of that retaliation bill, which was
pretty strong indication by the representa-
tives of the people of the sentiment of the
nation and the method the people pointed
out to the executive to enforce the rights
and redress the wrongs of American citi-
zens. Then negotiations went on and
blossomed in the Bayard-C Chamberlain
treaty. The treaty of 1885 was the aban-
donment of the rights of American citi.
gems. The treaty 1871 dealt with them in
a spirit the nation and mankind approved.
The treaty of 1888 abandoned a vast
region of fishing waters which American
fishermen had before, and kept it exclu-
for Hanad;ap fsharr,an The opip.
ion Of the country rejected it long before
the vote Of the Senate. The treaty was
bargain. There was more of a bargain than