The morning call., 1892-12-14
FAlTHLESS CANADA
No Obligation Has Been
Sacred.
WHERE THE TROUBLE cA1E.
President Harrison Would Never Yield
the Free Navigation of the Hud-
son TO a Foreign Power.
Special TO THE MORNING CALI

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-The attention of
Secretary of State Foster has been called TO
& lengthy interview with the Canadian
Finance Minister Foster. telegraphed from
Ottawa, in which the Canadian severely
critieizes President Harrison's annual mes
sage with reference to the illusions to
Canada. Speaking of the reciprocity mat
ter. Secretary Foster said that during the
conference last win ter Mr.. Blaine did not
insist On q uniform tariff for both countries,
but did ask that the schedule be not con-
fined to natural products but that it also
include an agreed list of manufactured
goods. The fishery question covers more
than a century Of voluminous discussion
and prolonged controversy, but the most
limited examination Of it shows that at
every step In It's history the exactine and
unreasonable demands of Canada have
frustrated the otherwise harmonious adjust
ments of the difficulties between Great
Britain and the United States. This WAS
especially noticeable in the fur seal contro-
veFsy. 1t is a well-known fact that In 1883
the subject had reached a complete basis of
settlement in London between Lord Sails
bDry and Minister Phelps when Canada's
Iemonstranees defeated the arrangement and
preeipitated the two Governments into
bitter discussion, out of which has grown
the Bering arbitration.
The Canadian statement of the issues in
volved in the controversy is also mislead-
iDg." said Secretary Foster at is not a
question of free fishing in the high seas.
The Government OF the United States does
not claim that Bering Sea is mare clausum,
and does not seek to restrict the legitimate
freedom Of the ocean; but, in the language
of Mr. Blaine, it does claim that the law
of the sea is not lawIessness' 1t holds
that the fur seals born and reared on the
PTibylov Islands, on which they spend a
large part of their existence, and TO which
they return with unyaTying instinct, rep
resent q large and valuable interest and
industry and should not be permitted to be
exterminated by the inhuman methods of
CaRad ian poachers.
1.-THE Canadian Minister clouds the canal
controversy by shifting the real ground to
an alleged comparison of the relative ad-
yantages the two countries will derive from
eaeh others concessions under the treaty
Of Washington in the matter Of navigation.
The whole movement Is evidently designed
10 force the United States to yield to Canada
free navigation Of the Hudson River, a
concession which was left unconsidered in
tHe conference Nn1cl leo up TO the treaty
Of Washington. The navigation OF Lake
Michigan by the Canadians was made then
the express equivalent Of the navigation of
the ST. Lawrence River.
Every attempt to bring about better
understanding of the canal tolls has been
met by demand from Canada that free
navigation OF the Hudson River should be
thrown In by the United States as the price
of Canada's fulfllment of the simple terms
OF the treaty Of Washington. All nations
have carefully guarded their internal ave-
nues of communication and their coastwise
commerce from foreign Intrusion, and the
President has neither inclination nor power
to pay the price OF its surrender In this In
stance to secure the observance by Canada
of what he regards as plain treaty opliga-
tiens."
Secretary Foster also deyotes some space
10 Canada's attitude toward our railway
traffic. and says our tolerating of the opera
tions of the Canadian railway system thus
far has been only one of many instances of
the forbearance of the executive and dis
tinguished marx Of desire to cultivate
friendly relations with Canada.