The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-20
MIR. FOSTERS PROPOSITION.
United States and Canada Were to
Agree to Stop PeIagic Sealing.

United States and Canada Were to
Agree to Stop PeIagic Sealing.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.-The dispatches
from Ottawa announcing that the Canadian
Cabinet has decided to send commission
to washington to negotiate with a similar
commission to be appointed by the United
States government touching all the ques-
lions at issue, between the United States
and Canada has had the important effect
of drawing forth here, for the first time,
statement of the exact proposition that was
laid before the Canadians when they were
in Washington d few days ago. 1t can now
be stated that the proposal of Mr.. Foster,
representing the United States government,
which the Canadian delegates took home
with them to submit TO their council, was:
'First-That both nations agree at once
to a suspension Of all killing of seals during
the next season in the Pacific ocean and
Bering sea, the modus TO go into operation
on the 1St of next month.
"Second-That the representatives OF the
government of the United States and Great
Britain, Including Canada, be designated to
enter with as little delay as possible, on the
consideration of all unsettled quesuons Pc
tween Canada and the United States, with
the view to a settlement by treaty and TO
include the sealing question and any other
matters which either either government may
So far the State Department has not been
advised that the Canadian council mas
acted on the propositions, but an early an
swer is expected. as is evidenced by the
fact that the date set for the beginning or
the modus. stopping the killing of the seals,
is no later than the first of next month.
One important fact that is not clearly dis
closed in the Canadian dispatches is that
the modus must be agreed on positively De-
fore our government consents to the COM
mission. In other words, there must be no
more killing of seals while the commission
is at work The commission might occupy
a tiYoa in deliberations and IN
pelagic sealing is to go on meanwhile, II IS
believed by our experts that there VIII Dc
no seals left to serve as basis Tor negotia,-
lions. The proposition of our government
having been so explicitly stated, 1t may be
understood that the announcement OF the
purpose of the Canadians TO appoint COM
mission implies that they nave decided TO
accept the promise, namely, the agreement
upon a modus vivendi.
tNotbine has vet been done towards ar
ranging the details Of the commissions
work. should one be agreed upon, Proba-
bly, MeSsrs. Foster and Kasson and possibly
Mr.. Hamlin will be our side, and, owing to
the nature and compexity of the questions
that would come before the commission.
under the liberal permissive clause, otner
members might be required In the nature
of experts in particular lines such as the
fisheries reciprocity, labor immigration
such matters. A definite feature of the pro-
posed commission is that Sir Julian
be at the head of the British-Canadian com
mssioners, and in all probability sir
Wilfrid Laurier win be associated with the
ambassador on the commission. This
choice of the British ambassador is signii-
cant as showing the purpose of this gov
eminent to fully recognize the imperial
character Of the negotiations and to con-
duct 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 COM
mission, and nobody representing Canada
can conduct negotiations with the United
States government This was fully recog-
nized during the recent meetings and II
took form in the propositions submitted.
At least one of these propositions distinctly
states that the arrangement for the COM
mission shall be made between the govern
ment officials of her Britannia Majesty and
the United States, and that the British am
bassador should be at the head OF the COM
mission representing the British American
side.