Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-12-17
SETTLING SEALING DISPUTES.
Arrangements for the Arbitration OF the
Behring Sea Question.

Arrangements for the Arbitration OF the
Behring Sea Question.
The work of the State Department during tn c
last year has been characterized by an unusual
number of important negotiations and by dip
lomatic results of notable and highly bene-
fetal character. Among these are the reciprocal
trade arrangements which have been con
Guided, In the exercise of the powers conferred
by section of the tariff law, with the republic
of Brazil with Spain tor its West India posses
sions, and with san Domingo Like negotla-
lions with other countries have been much ad-
yanced, and it is hoped that before the close of
the year further defnitive trade arrangements
ofgreat value will be concluded.
In view of the reports which had been re-
cciyed as TO the dimlnution OF the seal herds IN
the Behring Sea- deemed it wise to propose to
Her Majesty government In February last that
an agreement Tor Il closed season should b &c made,
pending the negotiations for arbitration which
then seemed to be approaching favorable con-
cluSion. After much correspondence ana de-
lays, to- which this government was not reSpon-
the 18th OF June, by which Great Britain un-
dertook from that date and until May l, 1892 TO
prohibit the killing by her subjects OF seals III
the Behring sea- and the government OF the
United States, during the same period, 10 en-
force its existing prohibition against pelaglc
sealing. and to limit the catch by the fur seal
company upon the islands to $500 skins. III this
agreement cOulG have been reached carrier III
response to the strenuous endeavors OF this gov
ernment, 1t would have been more electives but,
coming even as late as it did, it unquestionably
of the seals by the Canadian sealers.
In my last annual message stated that the
basis of arbitration proposed by Her Majesty s
government for the adjustment OF the loug-
pending controversy 10 the seal fisheries was
not acceptable. am glad now to be able TO
announce that terms satisfactory to this gov
eminent have been agreed upon, ana that an
agreement as to arbitrators IS all that Is neccS-
sary to the completion of the convention. In
view of the advanced position which TINS gov
eminent has taken upon the subject of 1nterna-
tional arbitration, this renewed expression OF
our adherence to this method for the settlement
of disputes such as have arisen in the Behrlng
Sea will, / doubt not, meet with the concur
renee of Congress
Provision should be made fora JOINT dcmarca
ton of the frontier line between Canada and
the United States wherever required by the in
creasing border settlements, and especially Tor
the exact location of the water boundary In
the straits and rivers
/ should have been glad to announce some IA
vorahle disposition of the boundary dispute be-
tween Great Britain and Venezuela, touching
the western frontier of British Guiana, but the
friendly efforts of the United States in that d.
rection have thus far been unnvailing. mis-
government will continue to express It's concern
at any appearance of foreign encroachment on
territories long under the administrative con
troll of American states. The determination OF
n disputed boundary is easily attalnable by
amicable arbitration. where the rights of the
respective parties rest, rs here on historic actS,
readily ascertaina bic.
The law o. the last Congress, providing n sys-
tenn of inspection for our meats lnteIded Tor
export, ana ClOtnlnR the ITeSldeht Win power
to exclude foreign products from our market i'll
case the country sending them should perpetu-
ate unjust determinations against any product
OF the United States, placed this government i'll
a position to effectively urge the removal of
such determinations against our meats. 1t is
gratifying to be able to state that Germany,
Denmark, Italy, Austria and France IN the or
der named, have opened their ports to inspected
American pork products. The removal OF these
restrictions In every instance was asked Tor ana
given solely upon the ground that we had now
provided a meat inspection that should be ac-
Cepted as adequate to the complete removal OF
the dangers, real or tanCied, which had been
previously urged. The State Department, our
ministers abroad, and the secretary OF agrl-
culture have co-operated with uniagging and
intelligent zeal for the Accomplishment Of this
great result. The outlines of an agreement
have been reached with Germany, looking to
equitable trade concessions in consideration of
the continued free importation OF her sugars,
but ths time has not yet arrived when this cor
respondence can be submitted to Congress.
The recent political disturbances in the re-
public of Brazil have excited regret and solicit
tude. The information we possessed was too
menger to enable us to form q satisfactory judg-
ment of the causes leading to the temporary as
sumption of supreme power by President Fon-
SEGA, but this government did not fail to eX-
press to him its anxious solicitude for the peace
Of Brazil and for the maintenance of the free
political institutions which had recently been
established there, nor to offer our advice that
great moderation should be observed in the
clash of parties and the contest for leadership.
These counSels received in the most
friendly spirit and the latest information is
that constitutional government has been re- es-
tabllShed without bloodShed.