Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1888-09-07
>'oV For Retaliation.
A Message from the President on the
Fisheries Question
CANADA GIrEx FAIR WARNINe
The Administration Calls for I'tcre"sed
po,sers, 80 TEat IL Shall Not Hare to
..Send Boy TO- Mia
The Canals

W ASHISGToN, aug. zo.-1hs iIesi
dent sent the following message to
congress this afternoon:
Tc the Congress: The rejection by
the senate OF the treaty negotiated for
the settlement and adjustment Of the
differences existing between the United
States and Great Britain concerning
the rights and privileges of American
fishermen In ports and waters of Brit
ish North America seems to Justify a
survey Of the condition to which the
pending questionis thus RENTED. The
treaty upon this subject concluded in
5l8l8, through disagreements as to the
meaning of its terms, has been fruit
full source of irritation and trouble.
Our citizens engaged in fishing in waters
adjacent to Canada have beensubiectsd
to numerous vexations, interferences
. and aDnoyances; their vessels have been
seized upon pretexts which appeared to
be entirely inadnissable, and they have
been otherwise treated by the Canadian
authorities and officers in manner
inexcusably hars, and oppressive.
This conduct has been justified by
Great Britain and Canada by the claim
that the treaty of 1918 permitted it,
and upon the ground that it was nec-
essary to proper protection of Canadian
interests. We deny that treaty agree
ments Justify these acts, and further
-eaintain that, aside from any restraints
of disputed Interpretation, the rela-
tive positions of the United States and
canada, as near neighbors, the growth
If our joint commerce, and the devel.
opment and prosperity of both coun-
5ries, which amicable relations surely
guarantee, and above all the llberality
.lways extended by the United States
to the people of Canada furnished more
le4s for kindness and consideration,
ID better than treaty covenants.
While keenIy sensitive to all that
was exAsperating in their condition, and
by no means indisposed to support the
just complaints of our injured citizens,
/ still deem it my duty to attempt, by
negotiation, to remedy the existing
wrongs, and finally to eliminate, by a
fair and just treaty, those ever-recurr.
ing causes of difficulty. 1 fully believe
that the treaty just rejected by the sen.
ate was well suited to the exigency
and that its provisions were adequate
fdf eur security in future from yexa
ii0Sss incidents, and for the promotion
friendly neighborhood and intimacy
thout sacrificing in the least oul
raaonal pride or dignity. It Is of i'm
portance to note that this has been eff
fected without any apparent disposi'
ton on the part of the senate to amend
its provisions, and with the evident
intention that no negotiation should al
present be concluded touching the mat
ter 1T issue
NOW FOR RETALIATION.
| am by no means disposed to aban,
den the interests and rights Of our peo
pie in the premises, or neglect then
grievance, and therefore turn to con.
: temptation of the plan of retaliation
rs the mode which still remains Of
treating the situation. l am not un-
mindful of the gravity of the response
bility assumed ID. adopting this line Of
conduct, nor do fail to appreciate its
seriousness 1t will be impossible to
iniure our Canadian neighbors by retail
iatory measures without infictinc
i some damage upon our own citizens.
The policy Of retaliation embraces the
infiction of the greatest harm upon
those who have injured US, with the
least possible damage to ourselves, and
above all things, plan of retaliation
if entered upon, should be thorough
and vigorous. These considerations
lead me to invoke the aid and counse
of congress, and its support, in sucf
further grant of power as seems necess-
ary and desirable to render effective
the policy I have indicated Congress
has already passed law providing
that in case American fishing vessels
being in or visiting in the waters OF
ut anv Of the ports of the British do
minions of North America should bt
or have been lately deprived of rights
to which they were entitled by law, OIL
if they were denied other privileges
therein specified; the president might
deny to vessels and their masters and
crews, Of the British dominlons oi
North America any entrance into she
waters, ports or harbors of the Unite'
States, and also deny entry into any
,lace Of the United States Of
uct Of said dominions, or 9th
coming from there TO the
States.
le / shall not hesitate, upon
occasions, to enforce this act, il
seem necessary to suggest that
5 enforcement is limited in such 8
amer as shall result in the least pos
ible injury toeur own people, it would
robably be entirely inadequate to the
ecomplishment of the purpose. |
eem it duty, therefore, to call the
ttention of congress to certain partic
lars in the action of the authorities
f the Dominion of Cauada, in addition
to general legislation already made,
which appear to be in such marked
ontrast to the friendly position of our
country as, in my opinion, call fol such