Morris tribune., 1892-03-30
BEHRING SEA MATTERS.
THE SENATE AGREES TO BACK UP
THE ADMINISTRATION.

THE ADMINISTRATION.
Latest Correspondence Between Sails
bury and the State Department Made
PaSIic-yhe President Says United
States Property and Honor wnl BE
Protected at Any Cost.
WASHINGTON, March 25. Lord Sails
bury may renew the modus vivendi,
keep his hands off while the United
States protects its property and juris-
diction and rights in Behring sea OK
have fight on his hands. That is the
summary Of the situation in the senate
at the close of an executive session
nearly four hours long. 1t began at
about o'clock and ended shortly be-
fore 5.
Senator Sherman, chairman of the
committee on foreign relations, report
ed the treaty providing for the arbitra-
tion of the Behring sea matter to the
senate with recommendation that it
be ratified. He supported the report
with speech of some length, contend
ing that the treaty should be ratified in
order to carry out the programme en-
tered upon by the United States govern
ment when it agreed to refer its claims
to arbitration. In addition to the re-
port on the treaty, Mr.. Sherman re-
ported resolution in line with the ar
gument put forth by the president in
his response to Salisbury's latest sug-
gestion that having submitted the case
TO arbitration, the senate
Would Support the President
in any course he might adopt for pro-
tecting the property and rights involved
in the arbitration. This, it was argued,
would commend itself to the good judg-
ment of the people, not only of this
country but of all countries. Mr.. Sher-
man was followed by Morgan and
Bray, of the committee, who agreed
with him that the government ought to
protect its property pending arbitra-
ton.
Messes. Frey, Chandler, Teller, But
ler, Pugh and others were outspoken
against the treaty, stating, it is said,
that unless the treaty provided for a
renewal of the modus vivendi they
would not vote for it, and if the treaty
failed for that reason they were willing
to abide the consequence. Senators
from the several Southern states gave
utterance to equally earnest sentiments,
bat there was a general expression that
the United States could not afford to
treat Great Britain any differently from
what it did Chill, because of any al
legged superiority of its navy. The re-
port that the English squadron had
been ordered to proceed to Behring sea
was mentioned and commented on in
this connection.
One thing was made manifest in the
afternoon which was that anything the
president determined to do for the pro-
lection of the seals and the maintenance
of our claims pending arbitration,
would meet the approval of the senate.
No action was taken on the treaty or
the resolution.
The Correspondence.
At the close of the executive session
Of the senate the correspondence be-
tween Lord Salisbury and the state de-
partment was given to the public. In
the course of Sir Julian's note he says:
Lord Salisbury again points out that
the information in the possession of her
msjesty's government does not lead
them to believe that another years sus-
pension of sealing is necessary to pre-
vent an undue diminution of the seal
herds.
Lord Salisbury then goes on to sug-
geat that in case any agreement for the
current year is made the United States
should guarantee damages for loss in
CURED by Canadian sealers in case arbi-
traitors should decide against the United
States. He further states that the
United States might indemnify itself
against loss by taking bonds from Cana
dian vessel owners to satisfy any dam
age the arbitrators might adjudge.
The Presidents Reply.
The most important portions of the
answer to Lord Salisbury's note is con-
tanned in the following paragraphs:
That in view of this serious and con-
6dent contention of this government his
lordship should assume that another
years suspension of such sealing is not
necessary ''to prevent an undue diminu-
ton Of the seal herds" and should insist
that pending an arbitration it shall go
On, precisely as if no arbitration had
been agreed upon, is as surprising as it
is disappointing. If her majesty's gov
srnment so little respects the claims
and contentious of this government as
TO be unwilling to forbear for a single
season to disregard them, the president
cannot understand why Lord Salisbury
should have proposed and agreed to
give to those claims the dignity and
standing which reference to high
court of arbitration implies.
From the moment an arbitration was
agreed upon neither party was at lib
erty to disregard the contentious of the
other. It must be assumed that the
sincere purpose of the two governments
was to promote peace and good will, but
if, pending the arbitration, either deals
with the subject of it solely upon the
basis of it's own contention and in utter
disregard Of the claims of the other,
this friendly end is not only not at
tanned, but new sense of injury and
injustice is added, even if it should be
found possible to proceed with an arbi-
tration under such conditions.
For it must not be forgotten that, if
her majesty's government proceeds dur
ing this sealing season upon the basis of
its contention as to the rights of the
Canadisn sealers, no choice is left to
this government but to proceed upon
the basis of its confident contention that
pelagic sealing in the Behring sea is an
fnfraction Of its jurisdiction and prop
Ierty rights. His lordship will hardly