Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-11-24
TO STOP SEALING.
Believed United States and Canada
will Settle a Vexatious
Question,


Washington, D. c., Nov. 19.--The dis
patches from Ottawa announcing that
the Canadian cabinet has decided to
send q committee to Washington to ne
gotiate with a similar committee to be
appointed 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 a statement
of the exact proposition that was laid be-
fore the Canadian contingent when they
were in Washington a few days ago.
The Two Propositions.
1t can now be stated that the pro-
pOsal Of Mr.. Foster, representing the
United States government, which the
Canadian delegates took home with them
to submit to their COuLcil was:
/. That both nations agree at once to
q suspension of all killing of seals dur
ing the next season in the Pacific ocean
and Behring sea; the modus to go into
operation on the first Of next month
2. That representatives of the govern
ments of the United States and Great
Britain, including Canada, be designated
to enter with as little delay as possible
upon the consideration of all unsettled
questions between Canada and the United
States with the view to a settlement by
treaty, this TO include the sealing Ques-
ton and any other matters which either
government may choose to bring forward.
So far the state department has not been
advised that the Canadian council has
acted upon the proposition, 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 no later than the first Of next
month.
One important fact that is not clearly
disclosed in the Canadian dispatches is
that the modus must be agreed upon pos
ltively before our government consents to
the commission.
In Effect at Once.
In other words, there must be no more
killing of seals while the commission is
at work. The committee might occupy
long time in it's deliberations, and if
pelagic sealing is to go on meanwhile it
is believed by our experts that there will
negotiations.
The proposition of our government hav-
ing been SO explicitly stated, it may be
understood that the announcement of the
purpose of the Canadians to appoint a
commission implies that they have de-
cided to accept the premise; namely, the
agreement upon mOduS vlvendl. Moth
ing has yet been done towards arranging
the details of the commissions work,
should one be agree upon. Prob
ably Messrs. Foster and Kasson,
and possibly Mr.. Hamin, will be of
our side, and owing to the nature and
complexity of the questions that would
come before the commission, under the
liberal permiSSive clause, other members
might be required, in the nature of ex-
perts in particular lines, such as the fish
cries, reciprocity, labor, immigration
questions, mining and timber issue and
such matters.
Ambassador to Take Part.
A definite feature Of the proposed COM
mission is that Sir Julian Pauncefote,
the British ambassador, shall be at the
head of the British Canadian commits
sloners, and in all probability that Sir
Wilfrid Laurier shall be associated with
the ambassador on the commission. This
choice of the British ambassador is sig
niicant as showing the purpose of this
government to fully recognize the i'm
perial character of the negotiations, and
to conduct them only through the au-
thorized 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 repre-
senting Canada can conduct negotiations
with the United States government This
was fully recognized during the recent
meetings, and it took form in the propo-
sitions submitted.
At least one of these propositions dis
tinctly states that the arrangement for
the commission shall be made between
the government of her Britannia majesty
and the United States, and that, the Brit
ish ambassador should be at the head of
the commission representing the British
American side.
Some Misrpprehension.
Much misrepresentation was caused dur
ing the recent visit Of the Canadians by
the unofficial character of their discus
sions, as it was recognized that official
negotiations were possible only between
the United States and Great Britain and
not through the medium of the Canadian
arise again, it is said. Any commission
determined upon at Ottawa will first
have. to be submitted to the colonial Of
fee in London, and if approved in that
quarter it would assume an official form
as between the United States and Great
Britain. The action of the Canadian
cabinet is not, therefore, final, but is ex-
pressive Of the wishes of the Dominion
authorities subject to final action in Lon
don. Up to the present time, there has
been no intimation as to how the British
government would view the formation of
a committee. Mr.. Adams of the British
embassy was present at the meeting ct
Mr. Fosters house when the question of
a committee was discussed between Mr..
Foster and the Canadians 1t is under
stood, however, that Mr.. Adams attend
ance was informal and unofficial, and not
as representative of the British govern