The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-16
A BIT OF poLIrrCAL HISTORY.

Secretary Hoke Smith. who is now
making administration speeches in Geor-
gia, recently alluded to Senator Nor
gan, of Alabama, in a way that has
called out an interesting card from the
latter. He characterizes Smiths allu-
sion to him as IAN arrogant and un-
worthy insinuation as to the motives
that influenced me in accepting a place
on the Boring sea commission under the
appointment of a Republican President"
One of the unsettled questions that
will come before the next Congress is
that of the British claim for damages
for alleged seizures of British vessels
in Bering sea. This is the claim which
the late Secretary Gresham undertook to
settle by the allowance of lump sum,
which was not ratified by Congress The
British claim was for s542,169, and Sec
rotary Gresham agreed to pay $425, 900,
and an appropriation of that sum was
included in the general deficiency bill
and defeated first in the House and af-
terward in the Senate, where the at
tempt was repeated Senator Morgan
opposed the appropriation on the ground
that many of the claims it was proposed
to allow were without any foundation.
and the amount it was proposed to pay
grossly excessive. AS payment of the
amount had been recommended by the
President in his annual message. Sena-
tor Morgans course was regarded as
hostile to the administration, and hence
Secretary Smiths attack upon him.
In his,card explaining his connection
with the Boring sea arbitration tribunal
of 1892, which was appointed by Presi-
some interesting statements. AS to the
origin of the tribunal he says:
Twenty British sealing vessels were seized
during Mr.. Cleveland's first term as Pres-
dent, or under orders issued by him, and
none were seized before or since that term,
except Under Mr.. Cleveland's orders. If
the demand of our national honor was
Imperative, that "no step backward should
be taken from that Democratic attitude.
maintenance of the high ground taken In
these twenty seizures and permitted the
captured vessels in the later cases of seiz-
ure to virtually escape from custody WHEN
they chose to escape. There was time
enough to have forced a settlement of
this question in Mr.. Clevelands first adj
ton prevailed, and the task of settling 1t
fell upon President Harrison.
Great Britain, who had the sole right to
complain of these seizures, did not force
the question TO the point OF hostility, but
insisted first, negotiations, and then,
when that had failed. on arbitration of the
questions that were disclosed in the nego-
tiations. Mr.. Bayard mad promised Great
Britain TO stop the capture of vessels,
pending these negotiations, and Mr.. Cleve-
land went out OF office leaving these ques-
tons thus unsettled as a legacy to Mr.. Har-
rison's administration.
The President and the Senate found no
reason for defending Mr.. Cleveland's poll
icy with arms. as he had preferred 10
peacefully negotiate with Lord Salisbury.
and, when negotiations disclosed the wide
differences between the two governments
as to their technical legal rights. all par
settle them by arbitration rather than by
war The whole situation created by
Democratic action : first in the forcible
seizure OF the fishing vessels. and, second.
in converting these semi belligerent acts
into lawsuits-and all Democrats felt that
they had much at stake on the result.
This. In effect. charges Secretary Bay
ard with having pursued trucking
policy during Mr.. Clevelands first ad-
ministration, and charges the admins
tration and the Democratic party with
bringing on an international complica-
ton which they were unable to settle
and which was left as legacy to the
Harrison administration.
OF the two arbitrators on the part OF
the United States appointed by President
Harrison. Justice Harlan and Senator
Morgan. one was q Republican and the