The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-11-18
CANADA AND AMERICA.
The Premier and President to Have |,
Conference.

ties here have been advised that the ar
rival tomorrow of Sir Wilfred Laurier,
premier of Canada; Sir Louis Davies,
minister Of marine in the Laurier cabi-
net, and other officials of the Domin-
ion. is to have an important bearing,
not only on the Behring sea settlement,
but on all the pending questions which
have been soucres of international COM
plication between the United States
and Canada, namely, the passage OF
the alien-labor laws to and from Cam
ada, the North Atlantic fisheries ques.
ton, the presence of many Americans
in the Klondike territory belonging
to Canada, and in the mining regions
of British Columbia, I'll fisheries
trouble along the Great Lakes, the
bonding privilege granted Canadian
railroads, the controversy over the
rights in Fraser river, British Colum.
bia, and in Puget sound, and also the
question of reciprocity arrangement
between the United States and Canada.
There is direct and definite informa.
ton that Sir Wilfred comes prepared
to take up all these questions, and il
possible include them in one general
settlement whereby the constant fric
tion they have engendered may be over
come. On some of these subjects hs
will confer with President Mckinley
and on at least one Of them, that relat
ing to alien laborers crossing the bor-
der, he will suggest such mutual modi
fcations of present restrictions as in hi
opinion may be of material advantage
to the thousands of Americans now in
the Klondike country, and at the same
time will be of advantage to Canada
along the eastern borders.
The essential features of Sir Wilfred's
mission were communicated to the
officials, and are given out by per-
sons fully advised of the PREMIER
plans, and it can be said the sugges.
tions that the decks be cleared of exist
ing disputes between Canada and the
United States met with the favor of the
administration.
Sir Wilfred Laurier and his associ-
ates will urge strongly that the labor
immigration q lestion be settled, and
on this point will confer with the pres
ident. Under the premier's direction
the Canadian parliament passed an
alien-immigration law last spring, by
which contractors of American labor
would be debarred from competing in
the work on the Crows Nest pass rail-
way, a government undertaking in
Western Canada. On the other hand,
it is claimed by the Canadians that
5000 Americans are in the Klondike
territory. belonging to Canada, and
that 1000 American contract laborers
are working in the mines of British
Columbia. The United States immi-
grations laws, it is asserted, are ad-
ministered with harshness along the
Canadian border, and are daily source
of irritation. Sir Wilfred therefore
will suggest that the cause of irritation
be removed on both sides, and it is un-
derstood that he is prepared to offer
repeal of Canadian restrictions in the
Klondike and other regions, if the ad-
ministration of the American law is
made more lenlent.
In this connection the cooperation of
the United States is desired in plans OF
the Canadian authorities to make an
easy route to the Klondike. The pro
posed route is by boat from Fort Wran-
gel to the Stickeen river, which is in
territory belonging to the United
States, and up the Stickeen via Teslin
lake, to the Yukon river and thence to
the gold fields. As the Stickeen river
is on American soil. it is desired to
overcome any possible controversy, al
though the treaty of Washington is
said to make the navigation of the river
free to Canadians and Americans alike.
The need of this route under the pat
rongae of the Dominion is felt by the
Canadian premier to be imperative, in
order that 10, 900 Australians can reach
the Klondike in the spring. A total OF
1000 colonists are expected to head
that way.
In the matter of reciprocity, the gen.
eral purpose of the negotiations will be
tn give the United States the benefit of
the mlQlmum Cldu0C VI tAlO PiOOOAs
Canadian law in exchange for the 20
per cent reduction allowed under the
Dingley law. The desire of Sir Will
fred and his associates will be to con-
fine the arrangement to few import
ant articles, allowing time to develop
it's usefulness and extend its scope. On
the part Of Canada the articles likely
to be proposed for reciprocity are coal,
lumber and barley. On the part OF the
United States the articles likely to fg-
ure are coal, oil, corn, railroad and
electric supplies, machinery OF all
kinds, agricultural implements, native
woods, watches and clocks, cotton and
certain forms of iron and steel.
Relief for the Whaling Fleet.
Washington, Nov. 10.-There was q
conference at the White House today
attended by Secretaries Gage, Long
and Alger, Commodore Melville and