New-York tribune., 1890-06-30
NEWFOUNDLANDS PREMlth'
THE opJrcr OF HIS MISSION TO ENGLAND
ps.n.plLrrY THAT THE QUESTION OF f"f''O"
.,eurs WILL. BE Neutrality-suspicious.
TO THE FRENCH BouNrr sYs1hN
RECIPROCITY WITH The
...-rn crATFS DIE lRED.
uSIrED STATES DEF lRLD'
,ox STAY, CORRESPONDENT or mr rslhoNh''

REC1PEOCIIf
UNITED STATES DE:IRED.
x.v, coRnsspoxpKyI OF rrlE rSIRuSk''
c, John's n. F.. June 81 In leaving ,o' Ene
"a n.xt week Sir William Whittway' inc ""
~-sI.ra Premier. carries with him III no sh'''
.on.. tho fate of his country. Many siEn' no."
80 c;xen within the last two moh,hs '"'' ."e
mech nation was waking up 10 'he h'o'','~
"a ao;nc something. Until recently no col'i'oi
nj. section Of the English people had any acou-
80. ide. Of what the Newfoundland complaints
~. ,.re Indeed the published official cor
..ordence which has been passing between tre
.C.Iorial ON,ce and the Colonial Government gives
-, s,ons that these complaints were nut I'M
.,.r,oc,,v understood by the British Government
80, Wben the modus vivcndi appeared, tne
c,,,,cns Of St. Johns became intensely ANXIOUS
and angry. There were mutterlnss aoo". "n-
nexation," a word that has been much spo'e, ~
this island lately. Mass-meetines were o"iieu
,d IL was determined to send some clever Soul's
mon 70 England by the next boat 10 euuca'e W ."'
Government the press and the puphc' Inv
Commission were elected. At its head was Pu'
Cir James Winter who will I've remempereu III
America as one Of the negotiators OF the baS"'"-
Chamberlain Fisheries Treaty Arhoush ',"'
treaty never became reality. Mr. Win'er' at W.
Chambcrlain's suggestion. was maze hn's n'
Commander of ST. Michael and ST. George ''
James was a conspicuous mempcr OF ''e "V.
Thorburn Government, and. whcther oy uoo'"'"O
or design, it so happened that each oil MS "s'o-
.ia,.s nnon the English mission was stout OPP
moment of Sir William Whiteway. Inns mas ieu
70 good deal of bitter local feeling The WhiIe-
wav organ has proclaimed that the missionaries
were not representative OF Newfoundland senu-
H.. bo OF 1ncm were
persons whom TIE people had rejected at the pois
nnlv a few months ago. while the Ihorburn organ
retor,s that if the Premier would not go nome
when he was sent for he mustn't blame the puo-
lie for declining 10 wait upon his convenience
Sir James appears 70 have performed his MIS-
.ion with mucl, discretion and ability. by the
Government he was at first received coldly' Inc
Colonial Office in effect told him that il preferred
10 take its information and advice from inc
,olonys responsible Ministers. But SIR james
got himself and his cause before the punhc
through the London newspapers lie toid Ms
story thoroughly and often. lie did not allow MS
nos;tion n no misunderstood He did not assume
,o sneak for the Government Of the colony and
still less for the Opposition He was there not
ss politician, but as a citizen. the representa-
tive Of citizens. and with no obecr In view bnt
the narration Of plain facts. His candor. his
fairness and his zeal. and the support he received
from the British press, at length won him
hearing from Lord kn6tslofd. Frcnzied as Is
party feeling here there is really no difference OF
purpose in Newfoundland as to the fisheries ques-
ton, so that Sir James has in no respect en-
barrassed Sir William Whiteway. On the con-
trarr he has aided Sir William, i,nn,enseIy. Tie
he's worked up national sentiment in England
that will bc of priceless value To the Premier.
pr;, Ccx. ,cptb bos horn in fnp mood
10 act with something like resolution and purpose
and in sympathy with Newfoundland's hopes and
necessities For the first time in two centuries
the Imperial authorities have acquired grasp OF
the fishery question and a realization Of its i'm
portancc.
! asked Sir William what be hoped to accom-
plish by visiting London.
Il 60 home at the request Of the Imperial Gov
ernmcnt," he said. for the purpose, fancy, Of
advising them in their negotiations with France.
Have they undertaken negotiations YETI"
i understand that they have. but don't think
they have got very far. They waiting for
me-
Upon what basis have the negotiations been
instituted'7
Il am rot fully informed as 10 that hut the
Effort think, is 20 reopen the whole question OF
French rights in and about Newfoundland. The
French take one view Of the treaties and say
are infringing upon their rights. We take an
other view and say they are infringing on our
rights. Certainly, then. both sides should be
willing 10 talk over the matter and to see if
common understanding cannot he arrived at
=" II France were TO agree &c your view Of the
treaties, would that satisfy YOU? ?'
We'll, Of course the French have rirhts-wc
can't deny that. If they attempt 10 take no more
ehoir riokte ehou1 Iox-o L.
We ihini tie time has come when they should
give up, for a proper remuneration. even such
rights as they really have. but Of course we
can't force them 10 do So We can only try TO
make IL matter OF interest 10 them 10 oblige us
" Do YOU look for trouble in case they refuse
I'm sure can't say what might happen. Our
people are very much aroused. Their endurance
has been put TO a great strain. The French rights
hang over all enterprise like a wet blanket Great
Britain has not wanted any trouble with France
and her attitude has lcen conciliatory. She has
always said 10 us: " You undeniably right in
your view Of the treaties. but don't make n row
over IL il you can possibly avoid it, France has
nisconstrned this lberality. She has got the
notion that Great Britain lacks the courage of
her convictions. have no II reats 70 make. ncr
alternatives TO suggest, but don't think the An
go-Saxon is timid-
But suppose France will not meet you. Sup
pose she holds out for her view Of her rights
and insists on acting up TO it?-
The case wouh then be too grave 10 warrant
my giving irresponsible opinions about it, France
is wrong IN her contention and don't doubt she
knows IT, Moreover, she doesn't really want what
she IS oontsnding for She demands what She
doesn't want. and holds on to what she has no usr
ior, IN order to obtain quite another thing which
MIN las
give her all the bait she wants for her own
use We don't object TO her controlling her own
market, nor TO her giving her fishermen million
francs IL she pleases, for every fish they sell in
france But VIC object TO her operations in for
eisn markets by means of bounties. and if she
"iii persist in that practice we see no reason
why she should expect us to furnish her the
.oois 10 cut our throats with Our bait acts are
formed IN order TO render her access to such
'ooi" as diihcul' as possible. But she cannot
oo"Pi.ih tiat the present one is a discriminating
act. III applies TO all nofio,o .ud sso.. A. r..