The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
CANADA'S ANSWER TO US.
The Dominion Wishes to DiscuHs Reciprocity
PIrst and Then Sealing.

OTTAWA. Nov. 27.-The Dominion Govern
ment has transmitted to Washington II reply
to the proposals of Mr.. J. W. Foster in regard to
the means of arriving at q settlement Of the
various questions between the United States
and Canada. From what is given out semi
officially to-day 1t Is learned that the tenor Of
the reply 10 that the Dominion Government do
sirea to discuss reciprocity first and seals after
ward. The Canadian contention. as embodied
in the reply, appears to be as follows:
Whom Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Sir Louis
Davies were in London Mr.. Foster. representing
the United States In the sealing matter. invited
them to visit Washington and take part in a
conference on the sealing question. Sir Wilfrid
Laurier was not disposed to accept this invita-.
ton, but told Mr.. Foster that II such questions
as the Alien Labor law, FREQ lumber. protection
of fisheries In the great lakes free coal, and
other such matters could in addition be dis
cussed at Warrington. he and Sir Louis Davies
would gladly attend.
Then Mr.. Foster on behalf OF the United States
submitted . proposition that IL the Canadian
sealers were prohibited from pelagic scaling for
q season. beginning in January next, the United
States would stop the killing OF seals on the
Pribylov Islands and would agree to a joint
commission discussing the subje Is mentioned
arriving at an amicable understanding on the
whole Of them. 1t is also mentioned that the
United states nret proposed 10 pay tne canadian
Government n lump sum to extinguish pelagic
sealing. nut this Sir Wilfrld Laurier refused.
The proposal that the killing OF seals by the
lessees of the United States on the PriOylov
Islands should be suspended for the same period
as pelagic sealing Is held to be not Ms fair as it
seems, because the United States and their citi-
zens. as tho owners of the Pribylov Islands,
have a great deal to gain by the suspension
of all sealing for one year, while the Cana
dian sealers. with their ships idle for a year,
would have everything TO lose by such suspen-
sion. Pelagic sealing being carried on under
the sanction of an international tribunal and a
statute, law enacted by the imperial Par.in-
ment. the Canadian Parliament, irrespective nj
the Dominion Ministry, has no power to sup
press pelagic sealing even for one year without
imperial legislation.
Reasons for delay are that the British Parlia-
ment will not meet until February, so that up
to the month Of March il Is not possible to com.
ply with the proposal of the United States even
fit were considered advisable. Pelngic scaling
cannot take place until after March. and there
is held to be no reason why the proposed joint
commission should not be appointed at once
and meet within a month and conclude the con-
sideration of the half dozen questions to be sub
mitted.
If tho joint commission cannot agree upon
these questions, that will then end the matter
for the present and pelaRic sealing will go on as
usual. II, however. the commission agree on
the various questions to be taken up, and the
Senate ratihes the treaty. then the necessary
legislation can be procured from the British
Parliament without delay, and the suspension
Of pelagic sealing go Into effect.
II as n result OF the sitttngs OF the Joint COM
mission, pelaRic sealing were stopped COM
would be entitled would. of, course, be paid by
the United States and be calculated on a nun
Der of years and the national advantages which
might accrue to Canada as a whole.