Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-20
ALLEGED UlT|MATUM
Presented Canada on the Seal
Question as a Condition Pre-.
cedent to a Commission.
MUST KILL NO MORE SEALS AT SEA

Before We Agree to Anything and While
the Commission Il Sitting, and Take Her
Chances with the senate-An Ottawa
Dispatch That Can He Taken with Salt,
Anyhow-Decision in the Omaha Bridge
Railway Rate Case.
Washington, Nov. 2o.-The dispatches
from Ottawa announcing that the Can
adam cabinet has decided to send Q
commission to Washington to negotiate
with similar commission to be ap-
pointed by the United States govern
ment touching all the questions at issue
between the United States and Canada
has had the important effect Of drawing
forth here, for the first time. state
ment Of the exact proposition that was
laid before the Canadian delegates
when they were in Washington a few
days ago. This proposition was as fol-
lows:
i. That both nations agree at once
to suspension Of all killing of seals
during the next season in the Pacific
ocean and Behring sea. the modus to
go into operation the first of next month.
=. That representatives Of the gov-
ernments Of the United States and
| Great Britain, including Canada, be
designated to enter with as little delay
as possible upon the consideration of ali
unsettled questions between Canada and
the United States. with the view TO a
settlement by treaty, this to include the
sealing question and any other ma.ers
which either government may choose to
bring forward"
dispatches Arc Probably Wrong,
So far the state department has not
been advised that the Canadian counci,
has acted upon the propositions, but an
early answer is expected. as Is evidenced
by the fact that the date set for the
beginning of the modus stopping the
killing Of the seals is NJ, later than the
1st or next month. One important fact
that II not clearly disclosed in the Cana
dian dispatches IS that the modus must
be agreed upon positively before our
government consents 10 the commission,
In other words there must be no more
killing Of seals while the commission il
at work. The commission might occupy
n long time in its deliberations, and If
pelagic sealing is to go on meanwhile
II Is believed by our experts that there
viii be no seals left to serve as a basis
for negotiations. Probably the dis
patches are incorrect and Canada has
not yet decided, etc.
Can BE No Canadian Commission.
| For there are several reasons why the
Canadians have probably not yet acted
upon the American proposal. One is that
q definite feature of thsproposed COM
mission is that.Sir Julian Pauncefote.
the British ambassador, shall be at the
head OF the British-Canaiian commits
sioners. and that in ell probability Sir
Wilfrid Laurier shall be associated
with the ambassador on the commission.
This choice Of the British ambassador
Is significant as showing the purpose
OF this government to fully recognize
the imperial character of the negctia-
tions and to conduct them only through
the authorized representatives Of the
British government. The dispatches
from Ottawa fail to state this fact, and
to that extent are said to be misleading.
There can be no Canadian commission.
and nobody representing Canada can
conduct negotiations with the United
states government.
Then There Is Our Senate.
Another difficulty in the way OF Can
ada agreeing very promptly to the fore
going proposition is that she might lose
all the money that could be made out
OF the seals while the negotiations were
proceeding and then have her trouble
and loss for nothing: for after the COM
mission had agreed the agreement
would have tn 90 70 Tho seoafe for rat; =
fcation and the chances for ratification
would be-it is claimed by many who
have in mind other senatorial action
against ratification of any treaty that
the Canadians would sign. So that Cam
ada would In the end perhaps-almost
probably-get nothing and be out her
share OF the seals. too. The case is Just
this: Whatever the commission decided
upon would. ten to one. be ratified by
Great Britain, while the chances are
dubious as to ratification over here.
British Preferential Is to Stand.
The commissions action would prac-
tically bind Great Britain: 1t would not
bird us. however. because the senate
would have ! veto on the whole thing.
Another dispatch from Ottawa quotes
Sir wilfrid Laurier as saying to a cor
respondent: However, You may saw
very emphatically there Is no intention
whatever OF negotiating any reciprocity
treaty which would interfere with or
affect Canada's existing British pre-
ferential tariff: this is well known to
the American statesmen"
INTERSTATE COMMERCE. DECISION.