Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-06-04
rnE F1sHERIEs rREArE.
The Work Done by MIR. Bayard--How
Blaine Began Where He Left ON.
Philadelphia Record, May 20.

The Work Done by MIR. Bayard--How
Blaine Began Where He Left on.
Philadelphia Record, May 20.
The aduge, Party politics should never
be carried beyond low-water mark was
never violated in olir Federal Congress
until the Republican majority in the
Senate conspired to prevent President
| Cleyeland's administration from accom-
| plishing anything that would meet with
| public appreciation. The adage was con
| splcuously violated when this majority
defeated an amendment which was de
| signed to meet some of their own oh.
| 1ectionsi when they refused to commit tho
i treaty tothe committee on Federal relations
with instructions to frame amendments
| or remedy defects, and refused to do any
| thing but to reject the treaty. they were
| determined that the Democratic admins
tration should not have the credit of set
| ting an international difficulty Practi-
| cally, if not literally, they cancllsed upon
| the measure from the low standpoint of
party eNpediency, regardless of national
| considerations or international conlplica-
tons, and they sought to cloud their true
purpose by bold misrepresentation of the
| treaty, by expressions Of rudeness and hos
| tility toward Canada and Great Britain,
and by assailing the integrity Of Secretary
Bayard,
From the present outlook it appears that
Mr.. l}ayard and those who were his fellow
pleniputentiaries can justly claim the ex-
ceptlunal honor of having framed q treaty
which has survived its rejection by one Of
the high contracting powers and which
has practically settled an international DIFF
ticulty of more than 10 years standing
The spirit of the rejected treaty has lived
and still lives in the mOdus viyendi which
has recently been again renewed This
modus vivendi, like the treaty itself, pro-
Init tr,,sN ~. 4
move the duties on fish, iish-oil whale and
seal oil, American fishing vessels shall be
licensed free q charge. There is hardly Il
possibility Of another convention between
| representatives of the United States and
| Great Britain on the subject of Canadian
fisheries alone, for there is no room for
either power to expect any further conces-
sion from the other.
The circumstances attending the reiec-
ton by the United States Senate uf the
fisheries treaty have an intimate bearing
upon branch of the present international
middle respecting the irregular killing of
seals in BchrinGSea. About threemonths
before the organization Of the fisheries
conference, active measures were taken by
our state department to, stop the promis-
tueua slaughter of seals in Iichring sea
and in other parts Of the world Under
date Of August 18th, 1887 Secretary
BaNard instructed the United states min
listers to England Russia, Japan and other
countries to call the attention of the re-
spective governments to which they
We're accredited 60 the indiscriminate
killing Of seals, and to invite their
cooperation with this government
in preventing such practices as
threaten their determination, il being
understood that such action should be ire
srectlpe of conflicting iurisiictional claims
over liehring sea or other waters Russia
and Japan promptly signiiied their readi-
ness 70 cooperate, and Minister Phelps
Wrote 70 Secretary Bayard, November 18th,
1857, in part us follows. Lord Salisbury
promptly aequicsced IN the proposition
that, by mutual agreement Of the two gov
ernineuis, code Of regulations should be
adopted for the preservation Of seals in
Behring sea from destruction at mproper
tlmes,and bYimproper means ny citizens of
either country; sHeh agreements TO be en-
tirely irrespective If conflicting iurisdic-
ton in those waters Secretary Bavards
prpp9sitiunE and he requests that should
obtain from the United states government
and submit to him sketch of 4 system of
regulations which would be adequate for
the purpose
The correspondence Of the state depart
ment on this subject and the documents
sent BY secretary Bayard to Minister
Phelps cover - pages Of F0rfipi R.iations,
part 2 Enough has been quoted 10 show
THAT Willie endtayuring to adjust the fish
cries troubles, secretary Bayard was en-
gagged IN negotiations To provide effective
means 70 prevent the indiscriminate kill
Ing u seals in liehring Sea, and that Lord
salisbury, in his recent voluntary offer to
unite with eHr government in providing
such means, has only begun with Secrc-
trN Blaine where lie left OFF with secre-
ttry laNard. The records Of the United
States Senate for August lSAS and those
of the department If state, above referred
70, shuN GOncltsiyely why Secretary
liayardi negotiations for the protection Gf
seals were discontinued. The apparent
hostility Of thenaIuritvof senatorstoward
tfiiada and tireat Britain in their efforts
e defelt the fisheries treaty did the bust.
mss They carried their party politics
beyond l6w-waler mark. Il