The Portland daily press., 1889-04-06
FROM THE CITY BY THE POTOMAC.
Policy of the United States Regard
Ing Behring's Sea.
The President Said to Intend to Favor
Southern Protectionists.
PIums for New Yorkers-other Time
iy Topics of Interest.

WASHINGTON, April 5.-The discussion of
the Behring Sea question in the Senate at
Ottawa on Wednesday omitted what has re-
Gently been elevated into perhaps the most
important part of the controversy. The
speech of Mr.. Abbott, the government
leader, turned on the point whether the re-
cent proclamation of President Harrison re-
asserted claim to jurisdiction over the en-
tire eastern half of Behring Sea; and he con-
cluded that it could not bear that interpreta-
tion. He held that its phrase, "the domin-
ion of the United States in the waters Of
Behring Sea-" was still left to be defined un-
der international law. But recent efforts have
been directed in different direction-that
framing an International agreement to pro-
tect the fur seal from determination, while
leaving in allegiance the dispute as to the
ownership of Behring Sea and the validity
of the Russian maritime cession as against
foreign nations.
There wuold be decided advantages in this
form of compromise. In the first place, an
agreement based upon the paactical need of
preventing the extinction Of the seal through
unlimited hunting would avoid some delicate
questions as to jurisdiction beyond the
marine league. These latter questions en-
ter into our dispute with Canada in re-
regard regsa to to- the North h,. Atlantic fish
not settled by Mr.. Bayard. the controversy
as to what shall be interpreted as closed seas
and closed CULTS is one that must be treated
warily. In the next place, such an arrange
ment for the protection of the seal would
probably be for the benefit of the United
States. since some one government should
incur the expenses and receive the net earn
ings of leasing the seal islands and mas
much as not only these Islands but the en-
tire coast line of Behring Sea on this con-
tinent belong to us, and since the seal fish
cries were the leading element of value in
our purchase from Russia, and what has
been received from them annually as a rent
ing of the privileges does not meet the an
nual interest on the purchase money, reck-
oned at moderate percentage, our govern
ment should be the one selected for control
ling and regulating these privileges.
Under such an arrangement it might be
possible to open to the inhabitants of British
Columbia the privilege of competing for the
lease as well as the people of our Pacific
States and territories and others. The per-
feet good faith of our government in the
matter has already been shown in the fact
that American citizens not authorized to
hunt the seals have been driven off and
punished for violations of the statutes quite
as vigorously as the subjects of Great Bri-
tain. There has been no discrimination on
grounds of atienality in this matter. The
twofold purpose of our government was to
prevent the indiscriminate slaughter of the
animals, duu III oO uOiuS w plcfcnL dloU tu6
loss of that principal element of govern
ment property which had been taken into
consideration when the price paid for Alaska
was fixed.
This method of considering the subject
was initiated fully year and half ago, and
had been responded to with a promising
spirit on the part of several of the govern
ments addressed. Even the British govern
ment replied to Mr.. Bayard's proposals on
the subject by asking for further informa-
tion as to the manner in which our govern
ment proposed to protect the seals. Instead
of being ready with an answer to this ques-
ton, which might have been foreseen, our
State Department delayed, in order, appar-
emily, to discover what Great Britain might
propose. In the mean time Canada got wind
of what was going on and became alarmed,
and no conclusion was reached.
Nevertheless, it may be found practicable
by Mr.. Blaine to pursue this very line of me-
gotiation, only with more adroitness and
vigor. The question of jurisdiction beyond
the marine league is dangerous, double
edged one, as he is well aware; but to Sc
cure practically all that we want by the vol
untary concession of other nations, based
on the common commercial interests of man
kind, would be quite different