The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-14
CANADIAN CONFERENCE AT WASH
INGTON ARRANGED DURING
QUEENS JUBILEE.
Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN APPROVES.
THE STORIES OF IMPERIAL OPPO-
SITION WITHOUT FOUNDATION
IN FACT.
EXCELLENT IMPRESSION.
Him Approve of the Dominion
Premier.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.-The state
ment was made today that the pres
ent visit of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Sir
Louis Davies was arranged at London
during the queens jubilee, when con-
ferences were held between Lord Sails
bury, Mr.. Chamberlain, secretary of
state for the colonies, and the Cana
dian officials. Gen. Foster, the Amer
lean seal commissioner, was in London
at the time and was apprised of the
proposed visit and of the sanction of
the London authorities. This state
meft was called out by the misappre-
hension as to the official character of
the present visit.
The Canadian visitors have been an
noyed at reports telegraphed to Can
ada to the effect that the visit was ar
ranged by a private gentleman of To-
ronto, who was recently in Washington.
When this report was called to the at
tention of Sir Louis Davies, he laugh
ingly stated that it was doubtless in
spired by a desire to prejudice and be-
little the present visit in the eyes of
the Canadian people. Without re1ec-
ton on this gentleman personally, it
was stated that he had no part in
bringing about the visit, and that the
entire arrangement had been made in
London during the jubilee. That plan,
it was stated, referred only to the
Boring sea meeting. and the present
visit was official only in relation to
that one question. At the same time
the visit afforded the opportunity for
an unofficial exchange of views on all
the various questions affecting the
relations between the United States
and Canada. These problems are more
or less interviewer with the Boring sea
question, and the consideration of one
involves, to some extent the discussion
of all of them. The desire was, there
for, to give the views of the Canadian
officials on all these subjects, and at
the same time to secure the views of
the American officials, in the hope that
some common good of agreement might
be secured.
While the plans of the Canadian con-
tingent now in Washington in connec-
ton with the seal conference are not
firmly fixed, it is the present eXpecta-
ton that Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the pre-
mier, with Sir Louis Davies and his
personal following, will leave Wash
lHSlOl VII lIlClI ISluI HOIllc AhOIlucy
or Tuesday The experts on seal life
for England and Canada, Messrs.
Thompson and Macoun, however, will
remain here for a time, pursuing the
conference. They will resume their
sessions Monday. Something of the
view taken of this Canadian mission
by our government, perhaps, may be
gathered by the following utterance of
a high administrative official who has
had dealings with the Canadian pre-
mier:
"Sir Wilfrid Laurier has not only
been received by the government with
great consideration, but has made an
excellent impression upon all of the
gentlemen with whom he has come in
contact. AS a staunch Canadian states
man, he naturally demands conces-
sion for concession. At the same time
he has shown a liberal spirit toward
the plan of increasing the commercial
intercourse of the two countries, and,
if he meets the views of the United
States half way, there is very fair
chance of removing from the present
field of view the most important ques-
tons which have produced so much If
ritation between the two countries dur
ing the preceding period of Conserva-
tive administration in Canada"
The Boring sea meeting was resumed
at the state department at II o'clock
today. 1t was soon determined that
the comparison of statistical informa-
ton as to the seals could - carr1ed
on informally by the experts at their
quarters at the Shoreham hotel as
we'll as at the department The OK
perts thereupon temporarily adjourned
to their private rooms, where the con-
ference proceeded. At p m. the ses-
sion at the state department will be
resumed.
The change of quarters led to many
wild reports that the meeting had
come to a summary close, and that
an open rupture had occurred. As
stated, however, the meeting proceeded
in the parlor of one of the experts
where, up to 2 o'clock, the comparison
of notes was in progress under the
most agreeable circumstances.