St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-24
Harrison's Rejoinder Said to
Be Diplomatic, but Very
Decided.
The Laws Will Be Enforced
Against PoachePS at All
Hazards.

WASHINGTON. March 23.-The presi-
dents message transmitting Lord Sails
bury'S reply to the last note from this
government relative to the modus
ViYendi was laid before the senate in
executive session at II O'Clock. Lord
SaliSbury'S reply. as already stated, is
virtual reiteraton Of his declina-
ton to renew the moduS vivendi Oh the
same terms as existed last year. After
a half-hour'S discussion, the correspond
ence was referred TO the committee on
foreign relations. and the doors were
reopened. The correspondence was not
made public.
The president. i'll his letter, an
nounced that he had made rejolnder
10 Lord SaliSburv's reply. Lord Sails
bury's note may be described as a syn
opsis of the detailed reply to the state
department note, which is to follow by
mail. His refusal to consent to re-
newal of the moduS vivendi is accom-
panied with several counter PROPOSE
lions, the reading of which was received
with Unsurpassed irritation by the
senate. The general character OF the
note is described as evasive and equiYo-
eating.
The presidents rejoinder was also
transmitted to the senate. 1t is pun
gent communication, in which the pres
ident broadly, but in diplomatic Ian
guage, hints that Lord Salisbury has not
met his overtures in a Straightforward,
business-iike manner. The president
toto rnn
modus vivendi, without reference
to insignificant or irrelevant condi-
tons, and closes his note with the
stirring assertion that if the govern
ment of Great Britain declines to assist
In the protection of the seals during the
arbitration of the claims of the United
States. he will proceed to
Enforce the Laws
and exclude poachers from Behring sea,
if the military force of the United
States is required to accomplish it.
The note created a sensation i'll
the senate. As intimated above,
Lord Salisbury does not in his
note refuse to enter into moduS
vlvendi of some kind; he does not fatty
refuse to he party to some arrange
ment; but. automatically speaking, he
made by this government. 1nasmuch
as the senate has refused to make
the correspondence public, it is ex-
ceedingly difficult to clear
statement of the exact idea intended to
be conveyed in the diplomatic language
of such correspondence as that laid be-
fore the senate today, but undoubtedly
the impression generally conveyed by
the reading was that Lord Salisbury
has refused to renew the arrangement
of last year.
1t can be stated that there is nothing
the nature of an ultimatum Oh the
part of either government in the corre-
Spoudence laid before the senate. The
correspondence Is still considered
incomplete, and the way is still
ODen for further letter writing
in the line of endeayor on
the part of each side to show how
far the other party is i'll the wrong.
Underlying the formal phraseology of
diplomacy. however, is an evident in
tentiOn on the part of this government
to bring the matter to the point of def
mite determination before the sealing
season is far advanced. and the presi
dents reply, it is thought, will greatly
tend to the attainment of the desired re-
suit.
Senators Maintain Secrecy.
The gravity of the case has led to
renewal of the strongest efforts of the
senators to prevent the public from be-
ing made acquainted with the facts I'M
til the correspondence has progressed
further. There was no expression Of
opinion by the president in his letter Of
transmittal, but this was not needed in
view of the clearly defined position
assumed by him in his rejoinder to Lord
Salisbury, which appeared to meet with
the unanimous approval of the senators.
although the debate itself was too short
to disclose officially the standing of the
senators. Although there has been moth
ing III the nature of direct vote upon
the treaty of arbitration, and there
is well-delined opposition to 1T
as surrender by the United
States of her rights as