The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-08-31
President Cleveland and the Fisheries
Treaty


President Cleveland, on the ed instant,
transmitted to Congress message with re-
ference to our relations with Canada on the
subject of fisheries aud general reciprocity
of trade, the Senate having rejected pre-
vi0usly proposed treaty with that country,
which was intended to secure the rights of
American fishermen in Canadian waters and
provide an amicable settlement of difficulties
with our neighboring county. When the
message was presented in the Senate Mr..
Edmunds, Republican, Immediately moved
an adjournment and his motion was sustain.
cd by strict party vote The object of the
Republicans was merely TO show contempt
for President Cleveland, by refusing to hear
his message 1t was, however, read in the
House.
The President in ii makes plain the entire
status of the fisheries trouble and our rela-
lions with Canada. 1t appears that by
treaty made in 1918 our fisherman were al
lowed to fish in Canadian waters. Disputes
arose as to the precise grounds upon which
they were to exercise their calling, and 10
1871 the differences were adjusted by a treaty.
This treaty, at the instance of New England
fishermen, was terminated in 1885. Since
that time the Canadian authorities have time
seized American vessels found in forbidden
waters, and an angry feeling has resulted
Last winter President Cleveland negotiat.
ell treaty with Canada, which the Senate
rejected in
President, in his discretion, to issue u pro-
clamation terminating all further commercial
intercourse with Canada Such action, of
course, might or might not mean war with
England, and in the interest of peace, while
making no sacrifice of national honor, the
President negotiated another treaty, which
the Senate promptly rejected last week
The President now declares his determine
nation to carry into effect the re,alia,ory in.
tention of Congress and ask for further
powers to make the retaliation effective, the
resolution not being mandatory and it being
doubtful whether the President, under its
provisions, could lawfully proceed to extreme
measures.
Hy certain laws, dating buck to 1866, the
Canadians are permitted to land their goods
imported from foreign countries at Ameri.
can ports free of duty, the goods being then
transhpped TO Canada. Canadian merchants
were thereby enabled to save several DAYS
time in receiving merchandise from abroad.
Our people, in return, were also allowed to
land good on Canadian shores, free ofduty, the
duty being paid at the border, upon entering
The United States. This privilege has been
OF little use, about the only merchandise we
nave landed there being fish for the Ameri-
ctn market.
during the last six years 5000 900 of
dutlable goods on their way to Canada were
landed in the United States. The suspen.
sion oil this transit trade, therefore, means a
severe blow to Canadian mercantile interests
and one which they will feel keenIy. At the
same time American interests must suffer
although not to the same extent
by the treaty of 1871, also, certain Cana.
dian canals, it was promised, would be
thrown open to American citizens, on terns
OF equality with the citizens of Canada but
ihis promise has not been kept, and the re-
'aIiatory measures will include the depriva-
ton of the use ofour canals to Canadian yes
seis' except upon such terms as are granted
TO American vessels on Canadian canals.
The treaty proposed dealt fairly with the
whole subject and the Senate could find no
fault with it, 1t was rejected, apparently, for
no other reason than that it removed source
OF irritation and reflected credit upon Demo
cratic administration, which the Republican
senators supposed would benefit the Demo
cratic side in this campaign.
Whom the gods wonld destroy they first
make mad, and this partisan spirit oflhe Re
publican majority in the United States
Senate, in the treatment of grave national
questions, indicates the madness preceding
destruction.