The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-18
CANADA AND OUR COUNTRY.


A CANADIAN liberal LEADER on THE
QUESTIONS THAT sEPLRi71: THEM.
The Hon. David Mills, Once n Cabinet Min.
lister. Uphoids the United stntes in the
Fisheries Matter-us Thinks Reciprocity
- All that Either Country Needs, and
Does Not Desire Political J'nion-How
Discrimination Against American Fisher
me. Affects Cape Breton-The Stagnnnt
Mineral Industric. OF tho Dominion-Po.
iiticai Union, Mine Owners Think, Would
Help both Countries immediately.
LONDON. Ont. Doc. 1.-The Hon. David Mills
OF this city is one OF tho ablcst Of tho Liberal
members In tho Dominion Parliament. l!e is
q native Canadian. q graduate OF Michigan
University. and professor OF international law
at the University of Toronto. He has repre-
scented tho county Of Boutwell, in Parliament
since 1857. and was Minister OF tho crown
when the Liberal party was in oiiice. The
Liberal leaders are somewhat annoyed at the
rapid growth OF tho movement for political
union. which Ia carrying of many Of their
most active workers and rendering others
careless about the old issues. Mr.. Mills's
views on the questions in dispute between the
United States and Canada are particularly
valuable. He is tho host authority in the DO.
minion upon such subjects.
What" Mr.. Mills was asked. ais your opin.
ion OF the general conduct Of tho Tory Gov.
eminent at Ottawa toward the United States
and American interests :"
"There are some things in which ] think tho
United States have been at fault. hope to
treat Of them both before my constituents and
Ia Ill
itself and without reference TO the matters re-
ferred to. l venture to say that the course OF
our Government has been in the last degree
mistaken. unwisc. and unfair. lf.as believe.
the United States have been aggressive at
times. and have applied to US doctrines Of in
ternational law which they have denied to 10
such when applied TO themselves. il was of all
the moro consequence TINT We should have
most scrupulously refrained from adopting to-
ward them any course of conduct which was
not marked by tho utmost proprie:y especial
ly as we are tho weaker people.
Take the North Atlantic fishery question.
In my judgment the Ottawa Government has
failed nil through to distinguish between
police and sovereign rights. The restrictions
which were imrosel upon American fishing
vessels seeking. to enter our ports by the con-
vention of 1918. purely for police purposes.
have been used ms il they were regulations of
commerce. Under that convention American
fishing vessels wero allowed to onter our ports
for wood. water. repairs. and for protection
from storms tho object of the limitation being
to prevent Americans from poaching on our
inshore fisheries. When those regulations
were made n great part of our coast was I'm.
settled: there was not a steamship aioat;
there was not II mile Of railway in existence:
tho electric telegraph had not yet been in
vpntpI. lin Vh
changed. Now an American fishing vessel
decides to enter Canadian ports to engage
young men who may want employment as
fishermen. They como not into some quiet
harbor on an uninhubitcd coast to get wood
and to obtain water but to some town or
village to obtain fresh fruit or vegetables tea
sugar. and coffee: to buy what they need. and
what our people desire to sell them. What
difference Is there between coming in for wood
and for water and coming in for potatoes and
for sugar? The difference in tho supply is
but the difference between 1918 and 1858 or
1892. The American ilshin. vessel comes into
our port because the CAPTAIN wishes to send
. telegram. or because he may want to send
. cargo of fish in bond by rail to Boston or
Now York. Now all these things we forbid
him to do. not because tho proper police OF our
fisheries requires it. but to punish him be-
cause lie is opposed to Canadian fish entering
free from duty into tho United States market
We can Inconvenience him and make his fish,
ing less profitable il we can compel him to
spend n considerable portion OF his time in
carrying his own cargo to market. or II we
con compel him to return to some port in the
United States whenever he is in need
OF supplies. Every will see that
II such policy OF exclusion or
non-intercourse were adopted in respect
to commercial ships it would be we'll
nigh impossible that commerce should
be carried on. A steamship would 10 unable
to obtain coal abroad. and tho additional sup.
plies which the captain OF merchantmen
ENDS 1t absolutely necessary from time to time
to purchase in n foreign port could not be had
In connection with tho Ship and so those in
charge would be compelled to abandon it. In
none Of these things do we expect to directly
help any of the Canadian people. Our aim has
been to mako the business OF fishing less EN-
cient less profitable to tho Gloucester fisher
men. We do not aim to help at home. but our
design Is to hurt abroad The injury is not
remote consequence. but the main design we
have in view when We act. md so | say that.
considering tho other matters which wore.
and still are. at issne between Canada
and the United States. it was in the highest
degree impolitic to take such course. twas
q policy of veNatious worry. 1t was an cx-
preston OF Immature that ought never to have
been employed. 1t was a policy which could
never have found favor among men who hold
that II Is always wise to do right
What do you think Of the action OF tho Do
minion Government In discriminating in it's
canal tolls against American lake vessels?"
"This matter turns on Article ~ of the
Washington treaty OF 1871. You will SEQ that
this article required the sanction OF tho Cana
dian Parliament, aud By some oversight it
was not given. Tho United States authors
ties were informed that it had been. parlia-
ment knew the facts and acnuesced. and
the fu!tlment by the United States authori-
ties was sought. The United States Govern
mont held that in the treaty referred to the
New York canals were those connecting lakes
and rivers contiguous 10 the border OF the two
countries. for neither by this nor any ether
treaty had the River Hudson or other navisa-
BILE waters OF the interior been opened to for
eiCn ships. And this was no doubt true. The
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