The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-20

on behalf of the United States. with ere
Secretary Foster at its head, and endeavor
TO reach = settlement on all boundary ana
other questions at present at issue betwsen
the two countries.
Mr.. Fosters propositions.
WASHINGTON. Nov. ls-Dispatchso
from ottawa announce that the Canadian
cabinet has decided To send o commiss,on
10 Washington te consider all questions at
issue between the United States and Cam
ada. This announcement has had the I'm.
portant effect of drawing from Canada for
the first time a statement of the exact
propositions laid before the Canadians In
Washington few days ago. 1t can now
be stated that the proposals OF Mr. Fosses.
representing the United States. which the
Canadian officials took home with them to
submit 10 their council were:
'Flrst-That both nations agree to cessa-
tion or the killing of seals next season
In Berng sea. TO so into effect ON the
first of next month.
''Seennd~-TAat the representatives Of
the governments of tho United States and
Great Britain. including Canada, he In
vitcd 70 enter upon the consideration of
all unsettled questions between Canada
ard the United States with the view of
settlement by treaty. this to include the
sealing question and other matters which
they may choose to bring forward
So far the state department has no: been
advised that the Canadian council has
acted upon the propositions, but an early
reply Is expected. One important fact
not clearly disclosed In the Canadian dis
patch Is that modus vivendi must b
agreed upon positively before our govern
ment consents to receiving a commission;
In other words. there must be no killing
of seals while the commission II At work
The position of our government has been
so explicitly stated that the fact Of the
Canadians appointing a commission indi-
Gates that they have decided to adopt
the moaus vivendl. Messrs Foster and
kasson. and possibly Mr.. Hamin. will b
on our side. and owing TO the nature
and co!npieSity Of the questions that VIII
come before the commission uBder the
liberal permlssive clause other members
might he required IN the nature Of experts
In particular lines. such ns fisheries. rcci-
proclty labor. immigration questions,
fStstfts af1 iSHuts anu u1tSk H&&Ss
ters.
Canada Awaits Britnfn's VIII.
A definite feature Of the proposed cou-
mission Is that Sir Julian Pauncefote. the
British ambassador. shaii be- at the head Of
the BritiSh-Canadian commissioners. ana
In all probability that sir wifrcd f4aur4ef
shall be associated with the ambassador On
the commission. This choice Of the british
Ambassador Is significant, showing tn
purpose of this government fully to reroGs
nize the imperial character OF the neg0-
ijations. and 10 conduct them only thrOukh
the authorized representative OF shs Brit.
Ish government.
The dispatches from Ottawa ran 20
state this fact. ard 70 this extent are satd
to be misleading There can he no Cana
dian commission. and nobody representing
Canada can conduct negotiations with tne
United States government. THIS Wa
fully ret ognized during the recent meet-
iuex. and IL took form In the propositions
submitted At least one of these rrcpo~s-
tioas distinctly states that the arranRe-
rneut for the commission shall be mAde
between the government OF her brstnnnio
majesty and the United States. ana INST
the British ambassador should be ~ ine
head Of the commission representing shs
Brsiish-3.s madam side.
Much fn.yapprehension Was caused uns-
ing the recent visit Of the Canadians ~
the unofficial character nf this diseusksoas
az II was recognized that Official rexoiu-
tiOus couid GENE only between the tn'ten
States and Great britain. This aprrehsn.
sion caunut arise agaln. II ID said Tag
commission determined on at p1Aws
would have 10 be first sahmitfsu 10 s"s
eoionial office az London. and II suhsn''tsa
20 in that quarter IL would assume an ~
rs.,gl form IA between the United btases
ana Great Bri.asn The action OF ths -
radiHn cabinet ls not, therefore, hnaI. nas
exnre>sive OF the wishes Of the Dom'n'on
authorities. -.
I'm 10 the present time there has nesn
no .,,tirnation az 20 how the British gov.
ernrneut would view the formafion ~
commission Mr.. Adams. OF the
-. .gaa rre~s.ut a, the meeting AZ
~. ts.,,e-s~ hf,,,sa when the question %
"a, 4e',,e,,se.f.f, yxas discussed. II = ua-
lu@ '"''s''+.@ ,t.t Mr kdssnf At