New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-19
URGING UNION WITH CANADA
JOHN sHERNAN,s PLEA IN THE SENATE
CAUSTIC COMMENT ON THE PRESIDENTS RE
TALIATION sCHEMES-COMPLETE UNION
WITH THE DOMINION THE PANACEA
ALI, Ills


Washington, Sept. ls.-Mr. Sherman addressed
the Senate to-day on his resolution instructing the
Foreign Relations Committee la inquire into the
state of the relations Of the United States with
Great Britain and Canada and to report such
measures expedent promote friendly
commercial and political intercourse between these
countries and the United States He asked why
should Canada refuse to allow American fishing
vessels TO enter her ports and TO ship their fish
to the American market II the President had, by
proclamation, withheld the like privilege from
Canadian fishing vessels, the evil, he believed
would have been quickly corrected. But the
President. instead of exercising the powers which
he had under the Act of March 3, 1887, had
asked Congress for power to suspend commerce
which had amounted for the last six years, to
s270 600, 0O0 The Presidents proposition was, in
other words, to suspend commerce amounting TO
nearly hundred millions year. Such PROPOSE
ton had been the Presidents response TO an earnest
demand made by American fishermen that they
should be secured in the enjoyment OF what they
believed TO be their unquestionable rights Why
had the President, he asked, blended the dispute
about the transshipment Of fish with the vast
interior commerce of the country? Why connect
the controversy in the waters about the mouth
Of the St Lawrence with the commercial relations
along boundary line OF 1000 miles? No good
could come of such a movement unless it was
desired to establish non-intcrcourse between the
two countries
He denied the position taken by the Presi-
dent, that Article XXIX OF the Treaty
Of 1871 had been terminated on July /, $50.
Even il Great Britain had violated, or failed TO
observe, the provisions of Article MIX, Congress
alone could prescribe the proper remedy, either
by abrogation Of the whole treaty or a portion
Of it, or by retaliation in kind. And. in that
case Congress had furnished a remedy, simple,
ample and complete. in the Act Of March 3, 1ss7.
Congress had not undertaken TO abrogste Article
NNIA and that article, he said, in full
force and effect Neither the interests OF the
American people, nor public policy, demanded its
abrcgation but rather that 1t should be main
tanned in full force
The time had come when the people OF the
United States and Of Canada should take broader
view Of their relations TO each other than had been
hitherto practicable The whole history of the
two countries had been continuous warning that
they could not remain at peace with each other
except by political well as commercial union.
But the way to union was not by unfrendly legis-
of the Government of the United States was TO
tender to Canada freedom of trade and inter-
course in such way that IL should be an over
ture 10 the Canadian people to become part or
the American Government. He saw in that policy
no difficulties which should deter the Senate FOR
a moment. The institutions and the people or
Canada were substantially like those of the
United States. The debt Of Canada was no i'm
pediment. II could be assumed without its
being a burden. The union could only be ac-
complishcd with the free and hearty assent OF
both people The use Of any force would defeat
the object. No greater good could be accomp-
lished than by wise and peaceful policy to
unite Canada and the United States under one
common government carefully preserving to each
it's own local autonomy.