New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-04

had the natural result of eXaspcratng the French
men, and only the wisely conciliatory behavior OF
their naval officers has prevented serious conflcts
1t does not look however, as IL these could be
much longer postponed Every day adds TO the
determination Of the colonists TO deliver them
selves by one means or another OF the yoke they
have so long borne, and they fast getting into
that frame of mind in which riots appeal to them
as the one force calculated TO arouse the British
Government from what seems TO them an incom-
prehensible lethargy.
Lord Salisbury's evident intention of making
use of this crisis to force Newfoundland into the
Canadian Confederation is a Circumstance par
ticularly exasperating to the colonists. Since
confederation first mooted there has been
strong party In the island favorable TO 1t. Two
years ago, just after the Bayard- Chamberlain
Fisheries Treaty was negotiated at Washington,
strong effort was made by the Canadian
Governor-General and his Ministers TO
induce the islanders to come In IL Is
thought that this was the result Of what
some call an "arrane ement" and some a. con-
spiracy" formed" or "hatched" at Washington
Sir James Winter. who vert 20 Washington as the
Newfoundland Commissioner. came back bent on
making Newfoundland a party 10 the modus
vvendi He succeeded in that, though not with
out opposition based rather upon general Cd
lection TO any Canadian compact than to the
terms OF the modus lie also came back Knight
and more devoted than ever TO the Empire. lie
had no more than got his Governments con-
sent to Join in the modus than the Canadian propo-
sition 70 confederate presented itself and Sn
James became its especial champion. But he
failed TO induce Sir Robert Thorburn to support
him, and still more signally failed to secure
popular approval Indeed, tidal wave of oppo-
49, md a
decd issue until, when the French shore question
arose, hints began to come over from LONDON
and from OTTAWA, also. that Newtoundlands best
and surest way out of her trouble lay in making
common cause with Canada
storm of angry protest at once arose Many
who had formerly thought well of confederation
now openly talked against it. declaring that they
would not endure TO see the islands weakness
thus meanly taken advantage of. The antlcon-
federation party is corglomerate. IL incndes
members of both the regular political divisions
IL includes the AnneXationists strong and grow
ing force, and hundreds who, though scarcely
ready for annexation with the States. mnch pre-
fer that 10 an alliance with Canada. there IS
widespread feeling Of something that IS AKIN
to contempt for Canada. as a county which is
too big 70 be baby but too nttIe
10 stand alone. It's future is regarded by
the Newfoundlanders as problcmatic. and they
see no reason why they should join that kind OF a
future II they are TO join any, other than that
naturally their own, they much prefer to como
over 10 America and to obtain something tangible
for the loss of their independence. There can
be no doubt that this correctly represents the feel
ing of fve-sixths of the Observation-Disclosures, and
they are therefore in no humor TO be TITLED with
by England They argue in this wise: II, hav-
ing exhausted all other resources we shall DECIDE
to resist France TO forbid her the use of our coasts
any longer, and if she replies by making war
upon US, England must come 10 our defence or
stand before all her colonies convicted of having
refused TO defend one of them in its dearest rights
That will mean revolution in every quarter OF
the globe-especially in Canada, Australia ana
South Africa But if she decides 10 take that
chance if she leaves us TO our fate, we Will ap-
peal to the United Statqi. America can never per-
nit France to enter upon war which Will mean
conquest and empire in this hemisphere
These are the secret thoughts OF the Newfouna-
landers, and now they are beginning to speak
them openly With this spirit and this confidence
animating them, 10 Is idle to ask them what those
old treaties mean. They are rapidly reaching the
point where they neither think nor care about
the treaties. Their ideas are expanding, their
plans charging, their hopes mounting higher and
-, 7. r. O.