The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-11-27
\ GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR Mr..
BLAINE.

The British Minister at Wash
ington intimates that he has been
authorized by his Government to
open negotiations concerning all the
important questions outstanding be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain. These questions, including
the Canadian fisheries, Behring Sea
Jurisdiction, and a new Extradition
treaty, it need hardly be said, are of
vastl y more public moment than the
Samoan controversy with Germany,
in regard to which the present Ad-
ministration has manifested so much
activity and zeal.
In bringing to an honorable and
satisfactory close the chronic differ
ence with Great Britain and Canada
Secretary Blaine has an opportunity
worthy of the highest ambition.
His qualities of craftsmanship will
inevitably be judged by the measure
Of his success in his negotiations.
The position of Mr.. Blaine is very
different from that of Mr.. Bayard
during Cleveland's administration.
Instead of encountering a rancor-
ously partisan opposition, which
made it a point to defeat every
treaty presented by Secretary Bay
ard for consideration, his successor
in Office will be greeted by SEN
atorial body filed with complaisance.
The successful operation of the
modus vivendi in Canadian waters
under the rejected treaty of Secre-
tary Bayard makes the negotiation
of a new Fisheries treaty an easy
task for Mr.. Blaine. During the
last season and the season before
there was hardly any friction of
American fisherman with the Cana
dian authorities. All parties seemed
to be entirely satisfied with the ex-
listing arrangement. Secretary
Blaine has only to trace a new treaty
over the lines of the Bayard- Cham
berlain agreement, and he need have
no fear that the Senate would re-
ject it.
So, too, with the .Extradition treaty,
which was rejected on the sole
ground that it was negotiated by a
Democratic Administration, and that
by keeping the question open an OPP
portunity might be afforded for
making partisan appeals to inter
national antipathies. This maneuver
has served its purpose, and there is
now no obstacle to the negotiation Of
a new treaty for mutually surrender
ing criminals on the basis of the
treaty which failed last year.
AS for the Behrlng Sea question,
Secretary Blaine has only to bring
to a conclusion the negotiations
opened by Secretary Bayard for
placing the seal fisheries under the
protection of the maritime nations.
Mr.. Blaine has seen for himself how
ridiculous is the attempt to police
the vast waters of Behring Sea with
two or three United States revenue
cutters. Unless some satisfactory
settlement shall be speedily made
for protecting the seals Behring Sea
will swarm next season with poach-
ers and pot-hunters from San Fran
cisco and Victoria, who will laugh
at the preposterous pretention of
putting a great segment of the
Northern Pacific Ocean under the
exclusive jurisdiction of the United
States for the sake of the Alaska
fur seal monopoly.
Such is the Importance of these
questions to the commercial inter
ests of the country, as well as to its
future peace, that no possible ex-
cuse can exist for delaying their
negotiation. There could be but one
motive for deferring a settlement
with Great Britain and Canada, and
that would be the hope that by keep
ing the controversy open it might