National Republican., 1888-02-24
TIE TREATY CONDEMNED.
Severe Criticisms of MIR. Bayardt
Work


The New York S,p, speaks for many
Democrats when 1t concludes a candid rs.
view OF the fisheries treaty with these re.
Elections:
mo settlement Of the material and all
important American claims throughDuI
this controversy is reached by the treaty.
The concession Of the right Of American
fehinC vessels to enter Canadian ports and
to enjoy there the same privileges which are
accorded to Canadian vessels in American
harbors is deferred to such time as the
American people may see fit to give Canada
free trade In fish. The makers OF the treaty
seem to have had faith that the era OF free
trade IN iish would begin inede OF two
years; for in the protocol they provide an
arrangement, good for two years, by which,
while we are getting ready to give Cauaia
'rte trade IN fish, we glay purchase ~ an
eXurbiIant aud proGibltory rate the trailing
facilities which We have claimed rs right.
ain other words, the treaty says to the
American fishermen Wait til the glorious
day when your American industry dies for
lack OF protection, and then we VIII grant
all ihat YOU claim
"But this Is precisely what Cauala's -.
sitiOn has been all along, and, therefore,
!, the treaty does not settle the main point OF
conSroyeisy, but merely postpones II.
"ArG It pOstpones 1t In the Interest OF
the free trade movement. The treaty VIII
be spprovGd 6y evliyI statesman and every
citizen who is willing tJ'Rake beginning
in the way Of general frec.asde by sairi,
iicipg the fishermen Of Massachusetts and
Maine.
"There Is no doubt, finally, that the rASl
tcatOn OF the treaty would remove friCti IN
between the two governments and promote
harmonious relations with our usishbJrs
across the Canadian border. But 1t must
be remembered that In International rsd.
tions peace can always be had at the price
| of surrender"
On fuller review of the treaty negutii.
| tions the New York lfiblHe condemns tue
result In severer language than on first
readiI r, aud pays Its respects to Mr. Bayard
as follows:
Throughout these transactions Secre-
tary Bayard seems to have stood before the
| British commissioners, cap IN hand, obse-
| quiously asking them how little, II anything
at all, they would be pleased to let the
| Americans have. Not content with condon-
ing the insults to the flag and the wrongs
| which American citizens have endured, he
| has reduced the ilshermen's rights to a
minimum and with amazing credulity has
| accepted the Canadian estimate OF the value
| ri the privileges withheld under article
| Nv as an equivalent for free market for
| fish. Ills Difference for the British commits
| sioners who have outwitted him is SO ah ect
that he receives with grateful heart the
| proposition for a 'modus vivendi' by which
| American vessels can obtain their commer-
cial rights on the payment Of from 800 to
| $500 in tonnage licenses-rights which
Dominion fishermen enjoy gratuitously in
| American ports. This last touch Of sub
| missiveness on the part Of the American
commissioners reminds us Of SterDe's meek
donkey: do not beat me, my masters,
beseech you; yet you may beat me II you
wish The Secretarys masters certainly
were merciless. Toe treaty is q shameful
one; with the 'modus vlvendi' It is an in.
| tolerable disgrace. The Senate should make
short work OF It. We hope the Convention
may be voted down and buried out OF sight
as soon as possible
Dispatches from Portland, the home Of
Mr.. Putnam, one Of Mr.. Bayard's Iesu-
tiRtois, display strong feeling against rue
treaty there. We quote the following criri-
cisms from Portland authorities ON the
lisberes:
secretary Written, of the fishery ex.
change, regards the treaty rs failure.
! ns.-" taxis obnoxious ana We don't be.
| lieve In paying 1t. We don't see that we
| have gained much.n
| Horace Sargent said: 1--WE have paid
Canada good deal, and in the Ella W.
Doughty case, still pending, So 900 in ex
perses. don't Ike the way we are used
by the Canadians. ! wish Cleveland would
apply the retaliation act
| \ NJ, Smith said "lhe vital point OF
the whole thing, the bait question, has been
left 10 us One advantage is that We know
| what limits are. ] eXpeCta narrow con
struction Of the treaty by the Canadians
They have lost nothing by It, though"