The Portland daily press., 1888-02-21
SENT TO THE SENATE.
The President Transmits the New
Fishery Treaty.
Senator Frye Makes a Gallant Fight
for Its Publication.
Newspaper Reporters Said to be Al
most Right, After All.


les treaty was sent to the Senate today The
document was printed. one copy only being
transmitted. The Senate In secret session
listened to the reading Of the treaty and then
for an hour ensued an earnest but unsuc-
cess full attempt to make 1t public. The lead
was taken by Senator Frye, who is anxious
that his constituents be informed authorita-
lively as TO what they have to hope for or
fear from the matter. His motion was gal
lantly supported and would have been sue
cessful but for the discovery that the Senate
Is powerless in the face of its own rules to do
what it desires. To publish the document
new would require change Of the rules and
to make change or even to discuss propasai
to make change requires days notice.
Hence, as the matter presented will come
from Ottawa within day or two, the Senate
contents itself with sending the treaty to
the public printer, ''to be printed in conf
dence." The provisions Of the document
are said to be very much as the papers have
already stated them.
Hon. Peter Mitchell Complains.
MONTREAL, Feb. 2o.-The Montreal Her
aid, owned by Hon. Peter Mitchell, who for
years was Dominion minister of marine and
fisheries, in leading article today on the
fishery treaty entitled Canada Lies Bleed
ing" says: The treaty gives the American
fishermen every advantage we have to offer.
but there is no reciprocity concession to the
fishermen or traders Of these provinces,
whose exclusive rights are thus decided
away Not the least important point Is the
concession Of the right to ship Canadians in
Canadian ports for service on American yes
sells. Our naval strength In men at least is
sapped up by this treaty, our best men are
TO be drawn away to build up American
trade and the foundation Of our future naval
strength is to be insidiously destroyed. II
these young seamen do not become Ameri-
can citizens; If they do not follow the flag
under which they follow their avoeations it
will not be the fault of Chamberlain and the
Dominion government.
A more effective blow for annexation could
hardly have been struck in the maritime
provinces. Sir John Macdonald is to blame
and alone to blame for this matter In ex-
Guiding American fishing vessels from our
harbors care should have been taken to avoid
anything resembling undue harshness and
inhumanity, but cases Of harshness amount
ing to barbarity have been perpetrated by
officers of the government, and dangerous
feeling OF anger was created In the United
States thereby. and yet sir John selected the
moment of their anger and the time when
they were necessarily In lingo" to submit
our case. Moreover, 1t was well known
that the Americans were about to discuss
the question of extended trade with Canada
on general reciprocal basis and that to end
the fisheries dispute Canada would give
American fishermen free access to Canadian
waters and generally open up Canada TO
American capital. The United States gov
ernment was prepared to approach the sub
ject in large spirit but Chamberlain would
not permit Canada to enlarge Its trade ex-
cept with English manufacturers and Sir
Charles Tupper was instructed to state that
the majority Of Canadians did not deserve
free trade facilities with the United States.
The result is that Chamberlain returns to
England possibly to be made a lion. We
have been cheated by the Americans, aided
by the shrewd gentleman from birmingham,
out of every advantage we possessed.
Another View.
All the Dominion government organs in
Montreal publish the following inspired
| despatch from Ottawa: "The American re
ports from Washington regarding the text Of
the fisheries treaty are regarded here as alto
gether misleading when it is made to appear
that the concessions granted by the British
and Canadian plenipotentiaries have sacri-
| feed Canadian interests. The statement
made by several American papers that "it Is
practically an American victory inasmuch as
the main point of contention. the right tc
touch and trade has been conceded to the
United States" should be taken cum grdnG
sails. When the terms Of the treaty come
before Parliament for consideration, it wil
not be surprising to find that the provisions
have been Improperly interpreted. And the
same may be said of the reference to the
headland question and the three-mile limit.
As to the question Of supplies as a basis OF
operation, there is also, 1t Is understood, a
misapprehension as already stated. 1t Is
| therefore manifestly unfair TO discuss the re-
| suits until the final report Of the plenipoten-
| tiaries has been made public. The report
will, in all probability, be presented to tht
| council by Sir Charles Upper Monday. Il
| Is safe to presume, however, that the term:
| Of the treaty of 1918 have been carefully de
| fined and an Interpretation placed thereon
which cannot but prove source OF satisfac
| tion to the people Of both countries.