New-York tribune., 1890-01-05
THE FISHERY QUESTION.
A NEW LINE OF POLICY SUGGESTED By
MR.. NiMMO.
srERNEn STATUTORY RETALIATION AGAINST

THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT.
TO ne razor OF TAe Trtbune.
Sir: As tine temporary arrangement in regard to
the North Atlantic Fisheries. known as modus
yvendi,7 will expire by limitation on the 18th Of
February next the duty dcvolvc, upon Congress and
the Administration t. provide safeguards for
the honor and interest of tie country regarding
that important industry The whole subject has be
come utterly befoggcd by debate over the terms
Of contradictory and unintellicbc treaties that the
only way out Of the ENHANCEMENT appears to be the
one suggested by Daniel Webster in those memorable
words which he uttered in the opening Of his speech
in reply to Iayue:
When the mariner has been tossed for many days
IN thick weather, and on an unknown sea, he nat
ulaly avail, himself Of the r>t pause IN the Storm
me earliest glance oi thc sun 'ahe ms ial'uac,
and ascertain how far the elements have driven him
from hi, true course.
Let u attempt an observation Of that character: ::
The catching # fish on the broad Atlantic, beyond
the limits OF any national jurisd,ction and outside
the embrace Of any projecting hcddands, IS com
and 10 is navigation, and no quibbling over the
language Of tlcatic, tcrgiycrsaion Of diplomatic
phrd cOlOgy can cast the shadow of doubt upon the
propositions The practical question Is, where arc
to-day commercially IN our fishing intcrc>t'l !
answer, outside Of the provisions Of the Transit
Trade which are secured by treaty. and far more
important to Canada than to the United states out
side Of the privileges Of rc-cXportation from ware
house without payment Of duty, outside Of those
rights and privileges Of maritime reciprocity which
now characterize the commercial intercourse Of the
civilized globe, outside the commercial i-ht, secured
to American citizens 10y treaty with Great britain,
and outside even Of those rights Of hospitality and
Of shelter which prompted by tine humane I'M
pulses of mankind and are universally regarded as
matters Of international comfy. From the stand
point Of diplomacy We are lin thick weather. and
on unknown sea-
in order {, present these foregoing general state
mcnts in . clear light. shall invite your attention
to certain specific facts descriptive Of the exact com
mcrical status Of fishery interest, at the present
time.
First-Undcr the provisions Of the Transit Trade'
Canada j, allowed to ship merchandise Of every de
-cription acro-. our territory, without payment OF
duty. The value Of goods shipped by Canadians
during the year ended June 80. l--", amounted 10
S3i-3.Og-. bat Canada REFUSES to allow to American
fishermen the comparatively small privilege Of ship
ping fish acro,, her territory free of duty although
obviously bound o do hy the provisions OF Article
xxx Of the Treaty Of Washington.
sccond-Undcr our watchou,ng laws. the privilege
is freely accoricd 10 the citizens II Canada and OF
Great Britain of entering good Of every sort and dc
scripton at ,capprt>. and there to hold thcm as
long A. they choose with the privilege oi rccNpoHhs
them al any time 10 foreign country without pay
mcnt Of duty in thl, country, but Canada even re
another I'm her port, and there 10 trau,,hp cargo Of
fish although such fish have been caught in the ocean
far beyond any pretended jurisdiction of The Dominion
Government. The same is true a, 10 Ncwfoundland
which D., independent of the Dominion.
Third Dry ard ,atcd Canadian h>h in BOND Is
shipped in large quautte, 10 American ports, thence
To bee exported % foreign countries free Of duty but
not pound Of American f>h ], allowed similar
privilege in Canadian ports.
Fourth The vc,-cl- Of Great Britain and Of Canada
may freely purchase u our ports food and ship stores
OF every sort dc>cr pou nccc- arg 10 the comfort
Of -camcu Pat Canada apn" oi All Oh" c'untur- "i the
globe pretending to hr civilized dcnic- to American
fishing yc,-cl- this privilege. except upon the pN
mcnt Of a license fec of 81 30 ton on the vessels
tonnage.
F!th-rlc Dominion Of Canada absolutely refuses 10
allow American fishing vessel, the right tp purchase
in her ports. b." irc -cuc-. lines and All other sup
plies and outnt-. except upon payment Of the out
r,-cou, tax ~ ~ 90 tom, while the tln"dan- are
freely purchasing bait .n our port boo large PHanuuc-
ad all other supplies freely a- thc} are purchased
hy Americans.
s-Nh Tho United state, and all other countries
pretending 10 bc civilized. except Canada. allow Oh"
vessel, Of other nation, o. ship CROW or part. ot
crew, at pleasure iu their ports. uut Oh" Dominion
Government dcu.cs this privilege 60 American A7hin-
vessels.
~cvcnth-In case British or Canadian fishing or
other vessel l disabled at -ca and put- into ore of our
port, n distress. -hc may have an necessary repairs
done a., frccly a- au American vessel, bat t an
American fishing vc--c with load Of d-h. caught
900 miles ou 700 .ra como, into Canadian port in
d stress. -hc .- denied tl. privilege. Under the
present ,aodu- v.vcudi ri, privilege secured los the
license fee of n 80 per tou This is a. ha-rau vioa
ton ~ tine ugt Of uav cation were the sound dues
formerly cNactcd hy Denmark, or the tribute levied
upon the ship, Of other nations by ihc Alscrn" 'oF
crIiuc-t a piracy which the tinted states broke mp
iu i-l2 Diplomacy h,, brought us even 10 this
humilatIn. position. only lat september the master
of lc schooner Lorur T.. Haskell. Of Gloucester
Ma. put into Lou-burs. Cape Breton. in distress.
lie had lost hl, sails. Another set of sail, Va' sent
to him from gloucester to sydney, cape Breton. The
Collector Of that port tclcsmplcd the Canadian Com
mission Of Customs at ottawa a. king wia, he should
do about it, Thi, reply came back,
To the Collector Of customs. sydney
sail, now iu bond. nor any other Ne,-ei imNc Them
without payment Of duty y. J'iiNN'N
The meaning Of th, j, that the sails sent To this
American vessel would hc corh-catcd 81 she wa, not
uccn.cd under the uodu, yivcnd. I'm other words.
the Dominion Government declared that this vessel
.noiild nav tribute for privilege which the Iuitci
state, freely accord- to all Canadian vessels, and
,rbi,b tb,. human impulses Of even half civilized
nations accord to distressed mariners generally.
Another, vessel. the VI. -. Ea-tou." few months
AGO arrived AZ Halifax lh distress ana was """t'" "
unload her catch entering them at til" Custom House
and having duty upon them. For This offence. Mr.
Eo-- collector OF custom, at that port was summary
removed from Office h1 the authoritic, at ottawa.
EiehtI. The vessels Of ''rca Britain and of canada
under the tratlc- of amty ANA OF commerce uctWc"n
Tie United STATES and G,cat Euhin, may freely enter
our port, aud nud shelter from storms, remaining "a,
long as th"y please and purchasing all necessary
,upplics for their comfort. Iut American fishing
vessel, are denied shelter m Canadian port, and IA"
right To purchase food or water The Hon. Daniel
Manning late secretary OF the Treasury. IN oioa
letter 10 Couero-- dated February p. 1--7, i'm con
,dcrnr thi- outrageous denial of the rights 90 common
humanity to American h-hiuL vessels. characterized
IT q, au act Of laliAr-m. fiji only for savage
as coutcmptilc aad odou. as for a Government
conducting naval war to fire lon these days ou %