Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-12-16
SETTLING SEALING DISPUTES.
Arrangements for the Arbitration of the
Behring Sea Question.

Behr1ng sea question.
The work OF the State Department during the
last year has been characterized by an unusual
number of important negotiations and by dip
lomatic results OF g. notable ana highly Dene-
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 for its West India posses
sions, and with San Domingo Like negotla
lions with other countries have been much id
Vanced, and it is hoped that before the close OF
the year further definitive trade arrangements
of great value will be concluded.
In view of the reports which had been re-
ce1ved to the diminution of the seal herds in
the Behring Sea, deemed it wise to propose to
Her Majesty s government In February last that
Engagement Tor closed season should b e made
pending the negotiations for arbitration which
then seemed to be approaching favorable con-
cluslon. Alter much correspondence ana de-
lays, tor which this government was not respon-
sble, an agreement was reached and signed on
the 10Th OF June, by which Great Britain I'M
dertOok from that date and until May l, 1892, TO
prohibit the killing by her subjects of seals in
the Behring Sea, and the government of the
United States during the same period, TO en-
force its existing prohibition against pelagic
sealing, and TO limit the catch by the fur seal
company upon the islands to 1900 skins If this
agreement could have been reached earlier, in
response to the strenuous endeayorS of this gov
eminent, it WOuld have been more effective; but
coming even as late as it did, it unquestionably
resulted In greatly diminishing the destruction
of the seals by the Canadian Sealers.
In my last annual message l stated that the
basis of arbitration proposed by Her Majesty's
government for the adjustment of the Long
pending controversy as 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, and mat an
agreement as to arbitrators all that Is neces
sary to the completion of the convention In
view of the advanced position which this gov
eminent has taken upon the subject of 1nterna-
tional arbitration, this renewed expression of
our adherence to this method for the settl ement
of disputes such as have arisen in the Behrlng
Sea will, l doubt not meet with the concur
renee of Congress-
Provision should be made for joint demarca :
ton of the frontier line between Canada and
the United States, wherever required by the in
creasng border settlements, and especially for
the exact location of the water boundary in
the straits and rivers
| should have been glad to announce some IA
vorable 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 unayailing. This
government will continue to express its concern
at any appearance of foreign encroachment on
territories long under the administrative con-
troll of American states. The determination of
a disputed boundary is easily attainable by
amicable arbitration. where the rights of the
respective parties rest, as here on historic factS
readily ascertaina BILE.
The law OF the last Congress, providing sys-
tenn of inspection for our meats intended tor
export, and clothing the President with power
to exclude fOreig products from our market in
case the country sending them should perpetu-
OF the United States. placed this government in
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 for and
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 fancied, which had been
previously urged. The State Department., our
ministers abroad, and the secretary of agri-
culture have co-operated with unhagging 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 the 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
meager to enable to form 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 advice that
| great moderation should be observed in the
clash of parties and the contest for leadership.
These counsels were received in the most
| friendly spirit. and the latest information is
| that constitutional government has been re-es-
| tabllshed without bloodshed.