Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-14
FOSTER ANSWERS FOSTER.
An international Cabinet
Controversy.
The Canadian Finance Minister
Taken to Task.
His Structures on the Presidents
Message Criticised.
The American Secretary of State Defends
the Policy of His Country as
Regards Treaty Relations
With Canada.
By the Associated Press.

WARRINGTON, Dec. 13.-The attention
OF Secretary of State Foster was today
called to lengthy interview with Cana
dian Finance Minister Foster tele.
graphed from Ottawa, in which the
Canadian severely criticises President
Harrison's annual message with refer.
ence to Canada. Speaking of the reci-
procity matter, Secretary Foster said:
"During the conference last winter
Mr.. Blaine did not insist on uniform
tariff for both countries, but did ask that
the schedule should not be confined to
natural products, but include an agreed
list of manufactured goods.
''The fisheries question has covered
more than century OF voluminous dis
cussion and prolonged controversy, but
the most limited examination of it
shows that at every step in its history
the exacting and unreasonable demands
of Canada have frustrated otherwise
harmonious adjustments between Great
Britain and the United States. This is
especially noticeable in the fur seal con-
troveray. 1t is well-known fact that
in 1883 the subject had reached a COM
plete basis Of settlement in London be-
tween Lord Salisbury and Minister
Phelps, when Canada's remonstrances
defeated the arrangement and precipita-
ted the two governments into bitter
discussion out of which has grown the
Befing sea arbitration"
'Canada's statement of the issue in
volved in the controversy is also mis-
leading" said Secretary Foster. "It is
not a question Of free fishing on the
high seas. The government of the
United States does not claim that the
Bering sea ih a mare clausam, and
does not seek to restrict the legitimate
freedom of the ocean; but in the Ian
guage OF Mr.. Blaine. it does claim that
the law OF the sea ia not lawless. 1t
holds that fur seals born and reared on
the Pribyloff islands, ,on which they spend
large part of their existence, and to
which they return with unvarying in
stiTet, represent large aad valuable
industry which should not be permitted
to be exterminated by the inhuman
methods of the Canadian poachers.
"The Canadian minister clouds the
canal controversy by shifting the real
ground to an alleged comparison of the
relative advantages the two countries
derive from each others concessions
under the treaty of Washington in the
matter of navigation. The whole move
ment is evidently designed to force the
United States TO yield to Canada free
navigation of the Hudson river, a con-
cession which wac left unconeidered in
the conference which led up to the
treaty OF Washington. The navigation
of Lake Michigan by the Canadians was
made then an express equivalent to the
navigation of the St. Lawrence river.
Every attempt to bring about better
understanding OF canal tolls has been
met by the demand OF Canada that the
free navigation of the Hudson river be
thrown in by the United States as
the price of Canada's tulfillment of the
simple terms of the treaty of Washing
ton. ALI nations have carefully guarded
their internal avenues OF communication
and cOastwise commerce from foreign
intrusion, and the president has neither
the inclination nor the power to pay the
price of its surrender in this instance to
secure the observance by Canada of
what he regards as plain treaty obliga-
TONS"
Secretary Foster also devotes some
space to Canada's attitude toward our
railway traffic, and says: "Our tolera-
tion OF the Canadian railroad eystem's
operations has thus far been one of
many instances of the forbearance of
the executive, and a disti lguiehed mark
OF our desire to cultivate friendly rela-
tions with Canada"