St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-13
AFTER A SEAPORT.
DESIRE TO OPEN UP THE AGRICUL-.
TURAL PEACE RIVER VAL
LEY COUNTRY
THE BASE OF BRITAIN'S CLAIM
TO PART OF ALASKA-NO FOUNDA.
TION FOR THE DE-
MANDS.
THE BASE OF BRITAIN'S CLAIM
so SAYS SENATOR cusH X. DAVIS.
The United States VIII Never Com
sent Even to Arbitra-
ton.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator
Davis, of the committee on foreign re-
lations, has been giving considerable
attention to the Alaskan boundary dis
pute. He has found nothing in his in
vestigations which would cause him
to change the lines which have all
ways been understood as the bound
ary, and upon what both countries
have been proceeding for many years.
He says that the only question in dis
pute is whether the ten marine leagues
from the ocean meant from the MAIN
land or from the adjacent islands.
Mr.. Davis says that this does not
even present case for arbitration.
because it is manifestly plain that the
shore of the mainland of the conti-
nent is the basis of the true line 1t
is also evident from the selection OF
the mountain range as a line that the
men who drew the boundary agree
ment meant that the line should be
ten leagues from the ocean where IL
touched the mainland. Islands, he says.
always go with the shore, and when
question arises as TO whether an
island, no matter at what time set
tled or claimed, belongs to one country
or another it goes always to the coun-
try owning the mainland, if the main
land is adjacent. SO it is with the
islands Of Alaska. 1t became the prop
erty or Russia because Russia owned
the mainland of the shore, and became
the property of the United States when
Alaska was sold to this country.
The desire of Great Britain for
M ha lac
apparent, declares Senator Davis. when
1t is considered that there is a vast
country in the Northwest territory
which can reach the seaboard only
through pass in the North Rocky
mountains, and thence across the strip
of land owned by the United States.
East of the Rocky mountains and
/ east of the Alaskan coast is a country
of almost inestimable value, known as
the Peace River country There may
be 1O0,OO0,000 acres of tillable or pastural
ground there. 1t has the benefit of
the warm air currents from the Pa
clfic, which makes it a milder climate
than in those portions of the North
west territory still farther east 1t is
desired by Great Britain to open up
TINS great wheat and StOck-producing
country and secure a short route TO the
sea. A branch of the Canadian Pa
cific road could be built through this
Peace River region, and by a pass
| through the mountains to the sea coast
without much trouble, and by a much
shorter haul than by railroads further
south This would give the Canadian
Pacific another Western terminus:
would build up British city right
upon the flank of the Alaskan posi-
ton of the United States; there would
be another great naval station and a
military post commanding our Alaskan
territory and the protection which the
Alaskan coast now gives to this coun-
try would be nullified. The object of
Great Britain is quit plain. Upon
the great fertile lands to be opened by
building road to the coast through
the Peace River region there would
be vast fields of cereals competing
with the grains raised in our states
along our Northern border. At present
these fields cannot be opened nor the
lands developed because of the long
rail haul to the terminus of the Ca
madam Pacific road Without another
terminus in Alaska these great fields
cannot be opened without the consent
OF the United States. Senator Davis
does not think this government will
ever seriously consider the question of
aroitrating the Alaskan boundary