The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-08-16
THE BEHRING SEA.
Canada's Attitude Indefensible
Questions Concerning the settle.
ment Of the Difficulties.
England Interested With the United
States in Saving the Fisheries
From Destruction.

In failing to settle the Behrtng sea dispute
before it reached on irritating stage, the at
titule OF Canada Ia indefcnsible. The DO.
minion press aud the dominion government
have figured from tho beginning Is the apol-
J ogists and defenders Of q crew Of pOachers
and pirutes whose ravages threaten the
destruction Of IN industry the whole
commercial world is interested 10 mnin-
tanning. The seal fisheries Of Behring SEQ
nre said to reptcscnt u capitalized value OF
y25, 900. 600 Such estimates are necos-
sariy vague, bue that the value Of the fish
cries IL enormous goes without saying.
Their preservation depends upon their pro-
lection from unlicensed taking Of seal at i'm.
proper seasons ind In excessive quantities
Two or thrce ycars' ravaging OF the Alaska
fisheries by reckless and greedy sealers
would destroy them as completely as similar
fisheries once equally productive, In other
parts OF the world have been destroyed.
| The United States would not DO the only
nor even the chief sufferer by such catas-
tropEc The sealskins which are taken In
Alaska arc marketed in London. where tho
costly PROCESSES of dressing and dyeing
which give them their value ore gone
through. There is probably moro capital
invested in these than in the fisherisa En-
glish industry would suffer more than Amer
lean by the determination Of the Alaska
seal. The British imperial government IL
equally interested with our own In
saving the fisheries from obstruction
The dominion government assails the
national industries end vested interests Of
both when 1t defends and excuses the depre-
uatons OF the ponchers and pirates Of i:s
| 1r,,n k1,n nrift ah
Columbian sealers are not tho only nor even
the chief offenders. Behring seq swarms
with American poachiny sealcrs. But our
revenue marine can take care Of them with
out embarrassing the state department or
creating international complications II is
in the performance of the Imperative duty
o, protecting the interests of tho whole COM
mercial world from depredators Of oil ma
in the absence OF aninternational agreement.
to transcend somewhat strict diplomatic
limits and place itself in what may appear to
the uninstructed IL false position
This duty has fallen to tho United States
because there was no one else to perform It,
The United States has dealt with the seal
poachcrs because 1t was the nearest nation
among all those interested. II has done on
done BY international warrant, In coMjunc-
ton, perhaps, with other maritime NATIONS
poiccd Behring sea 1t has played the part,
in international affairs. of the pubiic-spirited
citizen who takes the law into his own
hands and scizes u midnight burglar in the
absence of u policeman with a warrant This
~ well understood in London. and Ia ample
guaranty that no serious complication with
| uett ,vil ,,t ths,
Canadian seulers. 1t will be noticed that the
belligerent cutlery OF the Canadian officials
md newspapers has not evoked the smallest
echo from the English press 1t IN case
where the sympathies az well us the interests
If the English arc with the United States
rather than with their own colonists though
national obligation prevents frank avowal
Of their feeling.
The natural fisinc.ination to offend Canada
has held the British government back from
rational settlement OF The Behring sen dis
quite by international agreement The
Unitod States, tn Mr. Bayard's time, was
,imid and sluggish enough In urging negotia-
tion to this end; but this country is not
more than half responsible for leaving u
vexcd question open 10 long. Great Britain
was ready ut ono time to go into con
| tcEeHCe lOE I'LL lEEcetueuUs UuL u6'
llberatey drew back, ut tho instance
Of the dominion government, IN order to
keep open controversy 1t was to the inter-
est OF both nations TO close to use 1t US q
makewcight in the entirely irrelevant and
unrelated Atlantic fisheries dispute. The
best possible way to sturtle tho British gov
eminent out OF this deliberate policy of inac-
ton against its own larger interests was rig
idly to enforce the American law for the pro-
lection of the seal fisheries The discussion
OF the claim for damages wh ch will undoubt-
adiy be made for the seizure OF British seal
ERA will certainly lead to consideration of
tho merits of the main question. The
,ulcitude of Great Britain for the material
welfare of her own people will certainly force
her in the end deal with that question
from the point Of view Of imperial rather
than CanpilaD interests II the Behring sen
md Atlu6.c fsherios disputes GAN be settled
At the same time. SO much tho better; but
the t6rnler will haye to be settled after the
Vigorous policy pursued this summer. ltcail
WY be settled by an international agree.
Ehcnt in the interest Of tho whole cQnlmer.
n nal world. regardless OF those Of Y few Can
adam pOachels, backed by the noisy clamOl
II petty group of colonies +. 4 CARL r