The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-03-31
SUITS UNCLE SAM.
President Harrison and His Cab
met Pleased With Lord
Salisbury's Reply.
Salisbury's Conditions for a Re
neWal of the. Modus Vi
vendi Accepted.

WASHINGTON, March 20 Lord Saisbury's
last communication to the president stating
the grounds upon which he would consent
10 renew the modus vivendi as to Bering
sea was laid before the senate soon alter it
went into executive session to-day.
In transmitting the paper to the senate
the president added to ii a letter stating
that Lord Salisbury's reply was very salts
factory to This government, and that it was
preparing suitable response The charac-
ter OF this response was indicated briefly in
the Presidents letter as being a
substantial acceptance of Lord Sails
bury's tender with few notifications that
could doubtless be arranged without diff
Guilty. There can be no question that the
reception OF the communication has LARGELY
removed any debut of the favorable action
o. the senate upon the treaty. and, in fact,
when an adjournment was had it was the
general belief that the treaty would be
ratified tomorrow. and without any condi-
tlols or resolutions that might operate to
defeat the completion of the negotiations.
One view put forth by a Western senator
has won many adherents to the treaty 1t
was in substance that the United States had
everything 10 gain and nothing to lose by
THE RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY.
Assuming the worst possible outcome of
the arbitration-a decision against the
United States OH each OF the points submit
ted, it was argued that there still remained
enough of value i'll the seventh article o!
the treaty to warrant its ratification That
article pledges Great Britain to cooperate
with the United States in the protection o.
the seal fisheries under regulations to be
formulated by the arbitrators. So that
even damages to a considerable amount
were assessed against the United States
and in favor of the British sealers,
the United States would receive
in return the assurance that the
value of the seal fisheries would be en-
hanced to muck larger amount through
efficient International protection. Much
of the debate to-day was devoted to the
question o the damages that might be
awarded by the arbitrators ,or or against
this country. Senator George took promi-
nent part in discussing this point, and for
titled by number of authorities, uch as
dress the senate at length, the newest fca-
ture Of his speech being an eulogistic refer
ence to
PRESIDENT HARRIsoN's ATTITUDE
in the negotiations Nospeeitic predictions
as to the amount of the damages was at
tempted, but senators familiar with the
subject cited figures to show that thel oach-
ers had secured 65. 600 seal skins last year,
which means the destruction OF over 3O0,-
600 seals i1aslnuch Gs only small pro-
portion of the total number of seals killed
at sea are recovered. But it was be-
lieved that not more than 10000
skins we're taken in Btring lea
proper, and taking the government
valuation of $40 per skin, the damage we
could right ully claim Tor last years OPP
erations of the poachers would not be con-
siderable. On the other hand, the loss
sustained by the Canadian vessel owners
assuming that they were illegally excluded
from the seal waters must have been much
larger th..n our own. These considera.
tions were all cisscd at It length to-
day. and, as a result it appears that a ma
jority of the senate have concluded that
public policy requires the ratification of
the arbitration treaty.
A prominent Western senator, who op.
poses ratification of the treaty without a
resolution Withholding final exchange of
agreement between the two governments
until England agrees to renew the modus,
and who has vigorously advocated this po-
sition in executive session, said tonight
that he was confident he voiced the senti-
ment of a majority in saying that Lord
Salisbury's response to the Presidents last
letter, published this morning, shows a de.
cided diplomatic victory :or this govern
ment, and virtually back down on Great
Britain's part from the elevated position OH
the contention to which she has tenacious
ly cIung during the correspondence.