New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-18
SIR WILFRID'S LETTER.
! The communications exchanged between sir
| Wilfrid Laurier and Mr.. Foster are now for the
| first time published, and az follows:
Prlvy Council. Canada. y.

nrSt Time puDIlSneO, ana dIc nv loiiV'o'
Prlvy Council. Canada. ,oo-
Ottawa. November ~. lWi
Dear Mr.. Foster: Your memorandum embracing
ference held between You and myself. Sir Louis
Davies ana Mr. Adam OF me Briiish rep,,2n 70
Your second proposition practically emb9des the
and meets. need hardly say with TIE run a a
poynl OF the Canadi2n 80 TnSuEG ihs
Killing Of seals in Retiring sea and In The Pacific
withou; waiting FOR the end Of the period thus nxed
ton, for the object Of settling by treaty stipula-
tons no; that question alone, put al o;hSrs IN
countries are not satisfactory rs they ought 70
be- W. TIE protection 9I ,h I'm IN re , %1s ssc c
and Canada. the subJcct OF reciprocal immgra-
S Sd queton bstween the n3ed States and Can
ada which either Government may see proper to
This proposition, however, Is made by YOU CON
tngsGt upon and subject TO tho condition, con-
Great Britain and the United states agree at once
pensl6n o. the Fng o! seals in ali Tie waters
OF The paclac OCEAN sni RehrIng Sea tor one
o. all killing q seals on the Priby on Islands for
si on'' vSiS s o' e,T Vii S e. iond las a S
Immediately on my return requested nv col
10 The number OF seaer- VINO ar nttirg OF, for
tho coming years operations and ~ 20 tho ap-
proxmaic co;nponsltion which woull he eHp"r'fd
TO be pa!l 70 them IN case pc..sir scaling vas
me Is TO the effect that the feot g. Preparing IS
us lal. that the TrohI1l!o- ~ pe agc scaling for
soy y E yeafs bcca.S the nT, M mas
ond the cTeHs for no iarger gar' t'oaginF 70
bia The sun .hi.h WOULD lltey be t..r,nd"d 70
sble FOR rs 20 induce Ilriiamcnt e. vote "Ycn
y we ccilf recommend T. Unier th,so circun.
~ the late conference tha: IN he greater r.SiS,ion
o. the pciagic catch o. late wears compared with
dtncy toward equilibrium or siage ~ witch ,hs
numbers Of thu breeding herd would neither n
ahHiI1 ngo OK NE NJ - ~ 'a 'n 1ts'
ton o. the sptcios 80 long "a Il f. protected IN ~
TO the %r6sost,on I,hnnl,,eI n, orr vcrhnl con
ference b. sr Louis Da,'e. md nv .ef ana ro'
press for the immediate suspension 81 pel"sc seal
TIE PLAN FOR A JOINT COMMISSION.
The coast zach during the months O, January.
February March and April. gnured by the
catches ~ the last fcys years Is ve-y small Last
year the catch Of tho Canadian sealing feet
amounted 20 only Goo. and IN the year before 20
$50 II the feet Therefore. y permitted 70 prose-
comparative harm would 10 done 10 tho hofd Fol
lowing those months IS me close season embracing
pciagc scaling can be carried on except on 'he
As!iic coast
Il appears 10 me. therefore, ne Mighty prob,hlc
that the Joint Commi-sion suggested could finally
conclude It's labors Ions oefose no ume When, IN
gin ia Benring Sea. X that Commission reached a
satisfactory conclusion and The fOugrogs ~ tn"
United states approved OF H. there would ne no
difficulty In obtaining tie necessary imperial leglS-
agree! TO with respect 10 the suspension or cessa
ton OF peaRic sealing in time 10 event the prose
cutiOn o. the business Ia Hehr!ug Sea next ycar Il
rs obvious, however. thai any conclusion which
might be reached by the Joint Commission must
20 be- effective. he rat.hed icy Congress a. well az
by imperial legislation. and unless the session OF
Congress which crcns IN the coming month OF De
ceInhcr. AID closes understand. about March
T. "a iGcs any treaty which might he agreed
TO before - termination, Il would necessarily lie
over for another year This would involve The re-
newal 0. IN Suspension FOR q second year. with a
further claim for compensation on the part OF the
sealCrs
I would also moro strongly urge upon YOU the
view here presented. bccause pclagc scnilrc being
a. pr, sent legitimate busiref1 carried on under
the sanction OF the Paris rcRUIa Ions cannot Ia
stopped until the imperial Parliament hnH enacted
the necessary legislation Prohibiting II, ana ns that
Parliament will not meet until early In Fcbru-
AIRY It seems obvious that such legislation could
not be hoped for ur' 20 at any rate. lat" IN the
month OF February. 4 that date the result OF the
labors OF a Joint commission. II II was constituted
at An carly date would bc known and could be
submitted for approval q. the coming session OF
Congress
Under oil these circumstanccs. therefore, 90
how 1t Is possible to agree to The fug-
II the appointment Of Join. commission results
In the submission Of treaty which Congress
would ratify. the necessary Imperial legislation
could be procured In time TO carry out It's recon-
mendation with regard to Bchring Sea scaling be-
fore the close season enda and peagic sealing be-
gins and attain tho object you have I'm view.
Yours respectfully, WfLFRTD LAURIER.