Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-12-15


present rates of wages are thereby main.
tained or increased either absolutely or In
their purchasing power and that the ag
gregate volume of work to be done In this
country is increased or even main ntained
so that there are more or as many days
work at as good or better wages for the
American workman as has been the case
under the protective system, every one will
rejoice.
general process of wage reduction
cannot be contemplated by any patriotic
| citizen without the gravest apprehension.
II may be, indeed believe is, possible for
the American manufacturer to compete
successfully with his foreign rival in many
branches OF production without the de-
Tense of protective duties IL the paw rolls
are equalized, but the conflict that stands
between the producer and that result and
the distress of our working people when
1t Is attained are not pleasant to contem.
| plate. The society of the unemployed.
now holding its frequent and threatening
psrades In foreign cities, should not be
allowed to acquire an American domicile.
| Public revenues amounting to sl.4l4.-
| 01s,292 IS have been collected and dis
bursed without loss from misappropri.
alton. without single defalcation of such
Importance as to attract the public atten-
! ton and at diminished per cent. of cost
| Tor collection. The public business has
been transacted not only with fidelity but
| progressively and with a view to giving to
/ the people In the fullest possible degree
| the benefits of q service established and
maintained for their protection and com
| fort.
Our relations with other nations are
now undsturbed by any serious contro-
versy. The complicated and threatening
differences with Germany and England
relating to Samoan affairs. with England
/ IN relation to the seal fisheries In the
Behripg Sea, and with Chile growing ont
OF the Baltimore affair have been adjusted
There have been negotiated and concluded
uuder section of the tariff law, CONNER
clal agreements relating to reciprocal
trade with the following countries: Bra
I'll, Dominican Republic, Spain for Cuba
and Porto Rico, Guatemala, Salvador, the
| German Empire, Great Britain for certain
West Indian colonies and British Guiana,
Nicaragua, Honduras, and Austria Hun
gary. Of these, those with Guatemala
Salvador, the German Empire. Great Brit
ain, Nicaragua, Honduras and Austria
hungary have been concluded since NV
last annual message.
The total Increase In the value OF ex-
ports 10 all the countries with which we
nave reciprocity agreements has been
s20,7 ,62l
The alarmed attention of our European
competitors for the South American mar
ket has been attracted to this new Amer-
can policy and 10 our acquisition and their
loss of South American trade
II this policy and these trade arrangements
can be continued In force and aided By
the establishment Of American steamship
lines, do not doubt but We shall within a
short period, secure fully one third Of the
! total trade Of the countries OF Central and
South America. which now amounts to
about 5000 00o,0o0 annually. In 1855 We
had only per cent. of the trade
| treaty providing for the arbitration
| OF dispute between Great Britain aud the
| United States as to the killing of seals in
| Behrlng Sea was concluded on the goth Of
February last. This treaty Was accom-
/ panied by an agreement prohibiting pelagic
sealing pending the arbitration and a
4 vigorous effort was made during this sea l.
| son to drive out all poachiug seaiers.
! Six naval vessels, three revenue cutters
and one vessel from the flsh commission. /.
/ all under the command OF Commander
| Evans, were sent into the sea which was
systematically patroled.
| Seizures were made. and it Is believed
/ that the catch in the Behring Sea by
! poachers amounted to less than 500 seals,
! II Is true, however that in the north
/ Pacific, while the seal herds were on their
! way to the passes between the AleutIen
Islands, very large number. probably
! IS 600. were taken. The existing statutes
of the United States do not restrain our
citizens from taking seal, in the Pacific
ocean, and perhaps should not, unless the
! prohibition can be extended to The citizens
| of other nations. recommend that pow
er be given TO the President, by proclama-
! iion, TO prohibit the taking OF seals in the
| North Pacific by American vessels, in case
either as the result of the findings of the
| tribunal of arbitration or otherwise the
restraint can be applied to the vessels Of
all countries.
| The case of the United States for the
| tribunal of arbitration has been prepared
with great care and industry BY the Hon
John w. Foster and the counsel who rep
resent this government express confidence
! that result substantially establishing our
claims and preserving this great industry
| for the benefit of all nations will be at
tanned.
The President then refers to the confer
ence between Mr.. Blaine and the Canadian
| officials and says that the conference de-
veloped the fact that the Canadian govern
ment was only prepared to offer 10 the
| United States, in exchange for the conces-
sions asked for, the admission Of natural
| products. The statement was frankly
made that favored rates could not be given
| TO the United States as against the mother
country. This admission, which was fore
| seen, necessarily terminated the confer
/ ence upon this question. Some other
| topics of interest were considered in the
| conference and have resulted in the max
| Ing of convention for examining ,he
| Alaskan boundary and the waters of
| Passamaquoddy Bay adjacent to Eastport.
Maine. and in the initiation of an arrange
ment for the protection of fish life in the
neighboring waters of our Northern
| border.
Referring to the imposition Of canal
tolls at st. Mary's Falls canal, the Presi-
dent says The secretary of the treasury
| established such tolls as were thought to
be equivalent to the exactions unjustly
levied upon our commerce in the Canadian
| canals.
If, as we must suppose, the political
relations of Canada and the disposition of
| the Canadian government are to remain
unchanged. somewhat radical revision
of our trade relations should, | think, be
made. Our relations must continue to be
intimate, and they should be friendly.
l regret to say, however. that in many
of the controversies, notably those as to
the fisheries on the Atlantic, the sealing
interests on the Pacific and the canal tolls,
| our negotiations with Great Britain have
continuously been thwarted or retarded by
unfriendly objections from them. In the
matter of the canal tolls our treaty rights
we're fiagrantly disregarded. 1t is hardly
too much to say that the Canadian Pacific,
and other railroads which parallel our
northern boundary, are sustained by COM
merce having either Its origin or termina.
tion or both in the United States. Cana.
dian railroads compete with those of the
United States for our traffic, and without
the restraints of our interstate commerce
law.
There is no disposition on the part of
the people or government of the United
States to interfere In the smallest degree
with the political relations of Canada.
That question is wholly with her own peo-
pie. 1t is time for US. however, to con-
slider whether If the present state of things
and trend of things is to continue. our
interchaDges upon lines of land transpor.
tatiOn should not be put upon q different
basis. and our entire independence of Ca.
madam canals and Of the St. Lawrence as
our outlet TO the sea secured by the con-
struction of an American canal around the
Falls of Niagara and the opening of ship
communication between the Great Lakes
and one of our own seaports.
<.ft th<,v 90 h.