New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-24

N 81
suubbcd. ard is never SO happy as ""', "o }"
kissing the hand which smiles hi'h' n"' 'c'
the CIovclanditcS beware. II Is Wc'i h"o"h
that " even the banana-pccl when tf"inen upon
will turn iiilI may grow TIED some oi ,hc'e
d,vs Of being snubbed by his great nNai Tor
parry hOhol>.
POINTS ~ TIE BEHHING Nhi 'ANA'
l. T.. cv;dont that there are those anon. onr
friend, the enemy who are 50 bent upon OPP
D,,;n., the administration at all points tha'
,boy cnn scarcely he brought to consider
thc facts of Il given case or me nature
of the interests involved i'll 1t. 10 these
rohIc souls we are indebted Tor the
succcstior that the President and The
Soc,ot.rv or state are deliberately keeping
omen the Bchling Sea controversy and pur-
uoSclv stranng our relations with tngahd 80
rs 10 furnish the Republican party with an
ISSUE in 1892. The notion that We have IN
General Harrison and Mr.. Blame oin0aIS VINO
,,o conahlc of such dangerous and dIsrcputabc
conduct il not one thai VIII appeal 10 the
american people II" matter where their po-
litcal sentiments may place them. II there Is
one department of public business more Than
another wherein the frank. honest, iaIE.
straightforward and Scf-rcant character OF
orr people has. in the often-cNpr"N>cd Ju|G-
mcnt Of Europe shown itself clearly. y i the
conduct Of our foreign affairs. Mr. Blaine has
hrcn accused of many things. but never Yet OF
lacking respect for the elevated traditions "i
his Office or Of dcSiInc to retire from It with
the reputation OF having pro>ttuted II to 4
diScraccful service. Nor i the political genius
of statesmen who have Just supplied in Reel
pIocity the greatest issue that the country has
been favored with since the War and its que'-
rionS were decided in SlTh poverty aS Ia seek
poli,ical capital in a situation where all mems
minds would be nghuuIy and certainly
against them.
Now instead Of multiplying absurd and i'm
poSshlc tales of this sort, wouldn't il he well
for some organ which oppose, the Admni>'ra-
tons position in the seal controversy 10 give
attention to The facts and principles that have
caused Z to Ice taken! In order that they
may he readily cot at we will pvt these facts
and principles in the form of questions. They
appear T. us to touch the heart Of the subject
Upon the correct answers 10 them the issue, in
our judgment. depends.
t. i il not true that international law. a
SCI forth by lis accepted writers and II prac-
ti,cd 10y the nations, recognizes the right of
the sovereign OF the shore TO extend his luis
diction over tic contiguous >ca rot only ="
far rs may lac necessary for his peace and
safety. hut for any lawful end?
>. u - not international law as - sol forth
and prac'>cd, admit the right OF a nation 10
possess itself exclusively Of n property IN the
sea conliguors 10 lis shores including fish
cry property provided f>t, that it is in Il
! position to use and defend IL right and, sec
! ond that il is Il property which cannot 10
shared without impalinc it. value or entail
! Ing loss rron or inviting peril to the adjacent
and sovereign power?
J. DO not these principles clearly apply in
! BchinI Sea?
g. And de- sc not possess. aside from these
genera principles. other and peculiar grounds
for claiming the ownership II the seal -hord.
| CROWN. ont Of the facts. o. that it was "A
part e the Russian purchase and wns ~ Iccog-
/ nizc1 hy Russia. 50 announced by us. and not
/ in any way a>>ailcd at the time on the ground
| of incompctcmcy : O. that we own the islands
whore these seal breed and where they act
ullly live for third of the year. and that We
there care for thcii at a large annual expense
90 that our exclusive right IN them was cNcr-
| ci>cd after the purchase for eighteen years
without invasion or challenge: 80 that marine
scaling j, Wl,lcful Of seal lie and impossible
Of regulation, a fact which England, while
now dcnyin. in 1857 frankly acknowledged .
II these questions can hc negatively dis
! posed OF. then clearly we can do nothing hu,
let the seal hc slaughtered updcr our noses
,,., and
Indignation il our rockct>. Iiut if they state
sound principles and true facts then this
situation results: We may rightiully arrest
and punish poachcis. Of whatever nationality
who modest our property. whether H"hrng 80
i, a closed sen or a part 81 the hl@h sea anf
it, for reasons Of prudence or friendship, VIZ
choose 10 treat with other nations for any
p!eaSantcr way IF dealing with poacheN an1
of prcvcuting their offences. those nations aI'
mo-, entitled 10 dictate terms of treating Tho
acccpiancc of which would compel uS to ac
knowledge that their relation 10 the seal 4
in kind similar to ours, or that they posses
any night to take our property, or 'hat th'
offences We complain Of are innocent ah'
harmless These arc their contentious. They
arc the claims that we deny. They are there
fore. the questions 10 bc decided, and 10 a>l
| us TO Submi; 1" an arbitration which VIII adm
only that part of the evidence bearing on then
which fayors EHgland'S assertions, and pend
ing that arbitration, to consent to a modt
vivcndi that comedies them, is TO ask us 10 he
very foolish and stupid indeed.
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SONE POSTPRaNDIAL REFLECTIONS.
/ Not long ago Is the season of public dinner