The Portland daily press., 1888-03-06

advanced claims 10 the nedulauu tucOiys Du'
what have been the practical claims of Can
ada as defended and maintained by an armed
patrol these past years? Not one vessel dis
turbed except those fishing within three
miles of the shore, neither has there been
during half a century to my knowledge, and
Mr.. Putnam admits this fact in connection
with seizures of late. But looking into the
dim future, he sees the possibilities after all
these years of virtual surrender by Great
Britain that she may conclude to enforce her
headlond theories and pounce upsn our un-
wary fishermen and drag them before the ad-
miralty courts at Halifax for summary trial,
and his claim is that this treaty settles all
this question-but how does it settle it? By
pledging the United States to agree to GER
tain lines of delimitation from certain light
houses to other.certain light houses, and GER
tain points or headlands already designated
by England and Canada, and from said TO
be established lines shall be measured the
three miles, inside of which our vessels can
not fish, thus virtually shutting our Usher
men out of large areas of fishing grounds
enjoyed by them for the last nifty
years without treaty stipulatl0ns, and thus
virtually reinstating England in her long
since abandoned headland claim. The claim
ed there will be less liability Of unwilling
trespass on the part of our fishermen: L
contend there Will be ten-fOld more liability
of unwilling trespass; and why? L ask
any candid man which would be the easier
TO guard from trespassing, within the three
mile line of any coast or from an imaginary
line measured from line drawn from GER
tain lighthouse to another certain lighthouse
where the distance from central point be-
tween said lighthouses may be five or ten
sro, tt.n N a n
other, three miles further out, inside Of
which he must not fish. Is 1t not plain that
any such imaginary line as this so far sea-
ward in many instances, because OF the sin
uosties of the coast, must place our fisher.
men in constant jeopardy and liability OF
trespass, and the danger largely augmented
from the fact of their previous custom Of
fishing in these waters heretofore common
property of all nations? / admit that one
point in the treaty is favorable to us in view
the arrangement for speedy trial Tor all
such offences, and knowing that offences
must largely multiply by this new line of de-
limitation, it would seem that this consoling
privilege was granted us in return for giving
up, without recompense, valuable fishing
grounds enjoyed for scores Of years.
The second point is the question Of the Bay
of Chaleur fishing rights, and is dismissed
without arguments by Mr.. Putnam from the
fact that he finds no evidence OF fishing at
all in what he terms the body Of this Bay"
presume that where he speaks Of evidence
on this matter, he must refer to evidence
from Canadian sources for most assuredly
evidence of this most valuable fishing
ground, common and open to us for years,
but now by treaty to be closed would be
easily obtained among our fishermen but 1t
would refer mostly TO the hook and line
method of fishing. His third point-Stralt
of Canso. All nationalities for the last half
century without treaty stipulations have
had unrestricted privilege OF this highway
from ocean to inland sea and st. Lawrence
river, and l question If ever an American
vessel was seized or molested in exercising
the privilege accorded all nations of the use
of these Straits. Now Canada comes for
ward and proposes by this treaty to make
this privilege matter of commerce and for
certain valuable considerations our United
States fishermen may continue to pass through
these Straits, privilege granted to all other
nations without treaty stipulations, and
thus surely discriminating against us in the
bestowal of her favors.
His fourth point is the treaty of 1878.
From his standpoint which is the standpoint
of our opponents. he admits we have no
right except for shelter, ana now what Is the
spectacle presented by this treaty? The Unit
ed States numbering sixty millions OF people,
humbly pleading by treaty stipulations, that
common humane treatment shall be extend
ed to our unfortunate fishermen, who
through stress of weather become disabled
and are forced to enter their ports for re-
pairs. claim that this privilege granted
by said treaty says just this, Canada is
an uncivilized, barbarons and hostile coun-
try, and we now have wisely concluded q
treaty whereby this barbar0us nation shall
grant to our unfortunate victims OF disaster
common, humane treatment such as IS grant
ed to all unfortunate seamen, gladly and
willingly by every other nation on the
globe, and that without treaty stipulation.
Shame on the commissi oners of any country
who would thus degrade their own people by
making merchandise of their humanity. !
claim boldly thai this is all the much vaunted
treaty brings us that we did not enjoy before
in absence of any treaty with perhaps this
single additional privilege OF home
ward bound, hungry men, being per-
mitted to purchase few supplies to enable
them to reach the United States, privilege
inhumanly denied some of our own hungry
fishermen last summer
Having briefly reviewed Mr.. Putnam 5
claims of advantage to us by said treaty, l
wish simply to say that none of these points
touch the vital questian at issue, viz; Com
mon, commercial rights, claim that
Secretary Bayard brought forward as
the one subject of controversy, and of
rightful claim, not to be denied our fishermen
by fair Interpretation of the treaty of 1918
or by previous treaties. All these claims are
entirely abandoned, and our commissioners
go over to the enemy in toto.
Now brief summary of gain and loss, and
fi-st loss to us. Large areas of fishing
grounds, formerly ours without treaty. Sec
Ond, right of passage through Strait OF
Canso, once free to snow right by purchase.
Third, common commercial rights, accorded
by all other nations What we gain. first,
right of speedy trial when captured lawfully
or unlawtully; second, the right to receive
common humane treatment In case OF dlsa-
bilities to vessels or tackle or crew; third,
| right granted starving h0meward bound fish,
ermen to purchase few necessaries OF life
| to enable them to reach their home ports
| fourth, the right to remain in their harbors
| for shelter twenty-four hours without re-
porting at custom house providing none OF
| the crew go on shore,
Now as to the rights we claim as recipro-
| cal to rights granted by us: First, common
| commercial privileges. such as purchase OF
| bait or supplies. and shipment of men; sec
| ond, right to fish within three miles of their
| coast line; third, right of shipment in hond,
| fish from Canadian ports to our own ports.
| All the above privileges are now freely
| granted them by our government. We sup
| ply largely the bait for their hand line fish
| ermen. We allow their vessels to fit out fol
| fishing voyages at our ports. We allow them
| to pass across our territory and through OuI
| custom houses in bond, thousands of quintals
| of fish to go by our lines of steamers to va.
rious distributing points in the West Indies
| For this inequality of treatment there is q
| simple but effectual remedy. Our United
| States Senate last Writer framed a bill called
the retaliatory bill. This bill, if l remember
correctly, proposed retaliation in kind, prin-
| cipaly, I. e., treat them as they treat us.
| The House of Representatives, it would
appear, fearing this bill would settle
| all difficulties and thus gain credit
| for the Republican Senate, refused tC
| adopt such a bill, but passed one most sweep
| ing in its measures and one calculated Il
| cause serious interference with our CONNER
| cial relations with Canada--a retaliation 81
| uncalled for that the whole question of retail
| iation became odious to the whole country
| Now, the simple path into clear sailing il
this: Let our Congress pass bill Of EQud
| Recompense, if you please so to call it, ant
| here it is. Forbid all further supply Of clam
| or other bait, fresh or salt, to Canada; forbiC
her vessels fitting out for fishing voyages a
our ports; forbid all passage Of fish, duty
| free, through our custom houses for re-ship
ment; make our duty on all fish landed from
| Canadian ports or vessels the same as hers
one cent per pound on fish, fresh or salt
| keutch, picked or dry cured. Here is a yer,
simple cure for all our troubles, and l hav'
have no question but that it would be entire
| ly effectual, and before one twelvem0nth WI
would have Canada knocking at our door
for fair adjustment of all difficulties. w,
have here a remedy that would not interfer,
with our general commercial intercourse will
Canada, and would not be a source of irrta
tion from the fact that we were only returning
treatment for treatment, and would only b.
felt by our citizens, perchance, having to pa.
| one-half cent pound more for their Goldfish
.K,1 hat nnl " In a IN