The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-05
Sir Charles Tupper Describes
Interviews With Blaine.
RECIPROCITY OUTLOOK GOOD.
Negotiations Postponed Till October
Owing to Presidents Tour.
upper Boasts OF Large Number OF
Canadians in the Union Army, and
Blaine Points to the Bounty Induce
ment-sir John Macd onald still Lives.

OTTAWA, June 4.-The first installment
OF papers dealing with the Washing
ton City reciprocity negotiations
have been laid before the Do
minion parliament. When Newfoundland
negotiated its treaty Sir Julian Paunce-
fote cabled to the colonial Office that Cana
dian opinion should be invited. Stimuli.
taneously Sir John Macdonald commune
Gated with Sir Charles Tupper, urging him
to enter an objection on the ground that
1t would be injurious to Canada, and would
violate the imperial policy in considering
the Atlantic fisheries as whole. Letters
which indicate the attitude of Mr.. Blaine
toward Canada's proposal are missing
For the publication of these permission
has not yet been obtained.
One interesting communication, dated
January %, is from Lord Knutsford, coll
onial secretary. He says that the New
foundland ministers are willing to nego-
tiate for arrangements with Canada on a
basis similar to the United States. and her
majesty's government strongly hopes that
the Dominion will, on this understanding,
withdraw its application. The reply to
this is not given.
The most important communications
are the reports of Sir Charles Tupper of
interviews with Mr.. Blaine. Tupper gives
the details of the first talk with Blaine in
company with Pauncefote, and says:
/ told Mr.. Blaine wished at the outset to
recognize the accuracy OF the statement con-
tanned in his letter to Pauncefote, which had
seen, in reference to the invitation TO open
negotiations regarding reciprocal trade arrange
ments between the two countries, in that I
believed 1t arose from the negotiations which
had recently taken place between the United
States and Newfoundland; that desire was
expressed by Canada to be included in any
arrangements such had been understood to
have been contemplated by the United
States and Newfoundland, and that upon
that being communicated to him
by Pauncefote he had expressed his
willingness to open negotiations for reciprocity
trade arrangements between Canada and the
United States, assisted by delegates from the
Dominion government. the negotiations to be
informal and to a certain extent of confidential
nature until they could assume q more formal
character II any result were arrived at. Blaine
said he understood that Canada had taken ex-
ception to the proposed arrangements with the
United States by Newfoundland. admitted
that such was the case, and explained that the
interests OF Canada and Newfoundland had
i told Mr.. Blaine wished to remove the idea,
If he entertained il, which had been promuI-
gated In Canada aud the United States, that the
present government Of the Dominion was not
warmly in favor of the most friendly relations
with tho United States. In an article which
recently sent over my own signature to the
North american Rertew, had undertaken to give
conclusive evidence upon that point, and
needed further only to refer him to the fact that
when Sir John Macdonald, who was one OF her
majesty's high commissioners, submitted to
parliament for approval the Alabama treaty,
which settled all then pending questions
between Canada and the United States,
he was fercely denounced by the leaders and
press OF the Liberal party for having basely
sacrificed the interests of Canada in his en-
deavors to promote friendly relations between
Canada and the United States. / added that
had experienced the same treatment from the
same party when submitted for the approval of
parliament the treaty of Washington City of
1888 OF course, in 1885, and subsequently in
1885, when the treaties which gave United
States fishermen common rights with ours were
abrogated, in consequence OF the action of the
United States, we were thrown back
on the treaty of 1878; but state
ments that Canada then resorted to a sharp
construction of that treaty with the object OF
promoting freer trade relations with the United
States, were erroneous. We were compelled, in
were met with high duties in the United States
market, to protect them. Mr.. Blaine desired to
assure me that outside Of individual differences
of opinion there was no interest taken by the
members of the congress of the United States in
the recent Canadian election, and they had
taken no active part to influence the result OF
the election. Continuing, i said Canada was
most anxious to have the freest and most
friendly relations with the United States, con-
sistent with the interest of both countries. Mr..
Blame said he was free to admit that the
treaty of 1854 was not abrogated on commercial
grounds but In consequence OF a feeling that
Canada sympathized with the Southern states
in their conflict Ireplied that 1t was difficult
to see upon what basis that opinion could be
entertained; that 1t was admitted that no less
than 10000 Canadians fought in the
Northern army to maintain the Union, while /
did not suppose forty were on the other side,
Mr. Blaine supposed that the very large
bounty had q great deal of influence in
the matter / then said that the unhappy
conflict had taken place previous to confedera-
ton, but could speak with some accuracy Of
the province of Nova Scotia, with which was
then Connected that the legislature of Noya
Scotia passed q resolution deploring the war,
and one of the sharpest OF international ques-
tions arose, as he would remember, in connec-
ton with the Chesapeake incident in the harbor
of Halifax Sir John Macdonald and party had
between the two countries, and their hopes
in that direction were greatly strengthened by
the decided measures which Mr.. Blsine
had taken to promote reciprocal trade
with other countries, and could not see why
he could not with great advantage to the United
States as well as Canada, extend TO the north
the same policy he pursued with countries In
the south, as trade was very mucn smaller with
them than that between the Dominion and the
Irr,tad States said the fact that he had ex-
pressed his readiness to receive the representa-
tiops that Canada wished TO make would show
that he was quite open 10 consider that ques-
ton. was further strengthened In my views,
l added by the disposition he had shown TO make
reciprocal arrangements with the colony OF New
foundiand Some question then arose between
Sir Julian and Mr.. Blaine ss to the Bond nego-
tiations Sir Julian explained that Bond had
no authority to negotiate in any other way than
through him. Blaine said that it did not appear
necessary to negotiate any treafy with New
foundland, as that colony bad expressed It's
readiness to give to the United states privileges
they enjoyed by their own action, and they pro-
posed not only to give bait TO United states fish,
errnen. but 70 refuse to give the same privilege
to Canada told Mr.. Blaine that the bait act
in Newfoundland had received the assent OF her
majesty upon the distinct pledge that Canadian
vessels would not be affected by II Her ma
jesty had the power to disallow any Dill tnAs
might be passed upon the subject by the colony.
Upon the conclusion of the interview than1ed
Mr. Blaine very m uch for his courtesy.
Following this is Sir Charles Tupper's
report with regard TO his doings at W ash
ington City when accompanied by Sir
John Thompson and Mr.. Foster. 1t APP
pears that Sir Julian's telegram about
Blaine's desire TO postpone the conference
did not reach Sir Charles in time, and he