New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-02
HAPLESS NEWFOUNDLAND.
HOPES OF CONFEDERATION DASHED TO
EARTH.


ENGLANDs RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE
OF THE OTTAWA CONFERENCE.-THE
ISLAND NAY BE REDUCED TO
THE CONDITION OF
CROWN COLONY.
St Johns. y. F.. May e.
On MAY ls the delegates appointed to confer at
Ottawa with he Canadian Government regarding
terms CT union made their report to the local House
Of Assembly. The purport Of il was that the ne
! goatons for union had proved 4 failure. as the
terms offered by Canada could not be accepted by
! Newfoundland. The main and indeed. almost the
only difficulty arose in connection with the
assumption OF the Newfoundland debt by Canada
That debt has reachci formidable proportions
! The funded debt ut the present time Is near'y
sil 10000 but the Colony entered !no a contract
for the construction of Inc Of railway $50 miles
In length, having It's weston terminus at Port-au-
Basque one-half OF which IS now built. To leave
1t unfinished would be disastrous TO the colony IL
would nvolva the loss - the large sum already
spent TO a great extent I'D would blight the pros
poets OF developing the agricultural! numbering and
! mining resources of the country. leaving only the
fishing industries for the support OF the population
| But the completion Of the railway will add S,~"oOo
more the debt. making total Of S6oo.OCo, or 80
per head for a population Of 2O7CO0 1t must be al
lowed that This is a formidable amount The pub
The Newfoundland delegates insisted. as sine
qua non 10 union that Canada should assume the
whole debts and liabilities Of the colony incudins
| the required for the completion ~ the railway.
! No doubt this would be a heavy burden for Carada
! TO shoulder especially at this time. when her rev.
| cnue shows a deficit. and her debt is not less
than s250N00c0 Canada offered - assume the pres
cnt debt Of SllCOGo leaving sj.0thO0. tho interest
on which NEWFOUNDLAND would lave TO provide out
Of the subsidies granted by Canada FOR the pro-
r4.To f4ss,v :, "a
tcry impra ticable and could not be entertained
The Canadian and Newfoundland delegates then
agreed to make a appeal 10 the Imperial Govern
rnctt 70 remove this obstacle TO union By assuming
$4,000 Of tho debt. 1t confidently anticipated
that lrea; britain would allow the projected
union 70 be marred. when near completion b.
difficulty o. this kind she had long wished TO see
Newfoundland united to Canada. II woull relieve
her from the worry connected with the manage
ment u a troublesome colony. and the acquisition
Of the island by Canaia would round off the Do
r,inlon and adj 10 It's safety and stability. Be-
SIDES Great Britain bound to make some atone
| men, for her harsh treatment OF her Oldest colony
IN byeone days and for deprivirg 1t OF haif It's
| coast-line by imperial treaties with France
| Tn. Canadian statesmen were most anxious 20
| consumma,e the union both Government and O2-
position. Lord Aberdeen. the Governor-Genera. took
| a lively interest in IT, All the other terms were
arranged in satisfactory manner only the an
on the subject was prepared ana ,b 10y
| mail Colonial once, ana II was dsreed tnal
both parties should await tne rrpy Delo's aSp'ii ~
Ing 10 their respective Legislaiures AFTER some ue
| lay IL came and found 10 De unfavoraoe Lord
Ripon declined TO comply win the request ana there
was nothing for II out TO acknowledge 'na' ''e
80 biame can be ibid at the door OF Canada for
this failure. Her representatives proved their SIN,
at siy e ps last 1 they oe sr 10 allow 5000 per mile Tor
the completion Of the railway leaving 5000 TO New
but n even n.a Ss osra to aa S0d 90
any to blame 4s b acnd TO xs~oundand
rejecting the terms. II would nave pesn. ina'Ir ~
to a,temp, to carry on the affairs Of local Legs
ia,ure and the various to De provided for
GU, OF subsidies amounting 70 some soovo or 5000
a1coco Both Government and Opposition con-
Cured in TIE rejection Of me terms r..s the
repno Of the taurs T rns.n nsv aid nj" to this
Istressed Colony in its present perons condition
IL is Gear that had union gone on 10 consnm ma
OF NewfounIand All her present Liabilities. when
now threaten 10 swamp her would nave oeen AK.
have been provided for and the cos, Of living tor
c WORKING cases w01 rr.d nsVe ebr Sed Would have
been placed on a level with thai % 'anada n1 'n
,ss 'y ~' nnas sne valuable forests and mines
me moment It was seen hat union was N'y ~
take pace he Newfounland S's per cen, o22" ,hs
ls-uci In connection with tho construction oi Wv
railway, which had dfoppcl - ~ al IT had uaon
tnk,n place would have soon been ~ re"psc'a1hs
lrcm.nm Now they have IrYppop 99% could have
former rate ON he ether hand an, ,, VV' Yen,
reapcl no immediate benefit rpm me unIy of II
s..
%Swfo9ndsnd hal The strongest claims not only NIL,
ON 0 her h." Justice Icr depressed and surcrins con-
@ 9, her goo s,r %G Gmcrcantc arms nsoyep
her s3rinrs bank f1r the safety ~ winch the cr'iu
%, ~, on ne IS rer shoal it be compelled 70
osc is doors inc bankruptcy OF the colony must
r,"r Nmi yet Engiaid- called. euphonlously. tne
mother colons refuses to iiii nnger 70 nsp
hcs suffering eldest born orSprns, WI" no. 80,
guarantee loan OF 100000 to save Il from run h
seY II looks as # the Imperial Government wanted
II 20 ian into the degraded condition q a crown col
into he hands Of England and she might use the
opportunity OF settling the French shore question ,.
Of her Gac nesh6or In The absence Of IA any es
y!anation. her treatment on Ne"'o"n''a"u '"'''
VIA, is Eciy ' to be- ihr .ssuc The local Gov
crMmcnt haYlng ir.cd confederation and failed Is
retrenehn.ent Il the most drastic DESCRIPTION hai
iii been tried at earlier date much gocd would
have como from t. bu, Is to be feared II IS now
too late There is floating dsht a" I'M ms no nnn
Of Manea obtained snfe January 10 nse on cue h
rnbc Aebi to be provided on July i; the revenue
th.s year will not be more than two-thirds the
n pr @mSn h n w no ae over N dcutes
Under such conditions rctrcnchmcn; seems almost
irtcrcst on It's debt England viii withdraw It's Con,
stuion and for time ssvrIn as is so mo-" sTei
OF Representative government Under such regime
In the c5u E@ Of the discussions resardlng union
the Newfoundland delegates claimed subsidies
amounting In all to $4,000 per annum. out or this
education. roads public buildings. POOR relief Legs,
lattve expenses. etc. must be met BUT II ali the
Newfoundland Liabilities were assumed by canada
they .forcd to cur down expenses 50 as TO be con-
toni with a subsidy OF $3.50 oD per annum. can
adi's final offer came nearly 10 ms amount but
lcf the 100000 Of debt to BE- met by Newtonn Land
THO contracting parties very near cach other.
but there was means found OF bridging the chasm
between them: so that. for the present contedera.
ton Is shcved II is. however. sure to be revived
sooner or later. The manifest destiny OF New
foundlanl is to unite with Canada now and 10 share
It's fortunes the future. whether that may mean
independence absorption IN the great Republic;
For A time-and but a brief time Newfoundland
may be held IN bondage az Crown colony. but !,
will be found very difficult 10 manage and i.ng'and
will soon be glad make such arrangements as VIII
enable II to enter the Dominion Confsderacy OF Brit
Ish Provinces.