The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-04
THE CONFERENCE WITH CANADA.

ID Y a brief dispatch from Quebec the public has
~ been notified that the conference between the
- American and the Canadian Commissioners in
that city progressing favoraby, and both sides are
sanguine OF reaching satisfactory agreement. The
results of the work of the first week reported to
be gratifying and it is said they indicate prompt
well as an adequate settlement of all the points
troversy.
1t is not to be expected that the proceedings of the
conference will always maintain this roseate hue
The Commissioners have hardly yet outlined their
claims and countercaims. They have, in fact, hardly
had time to digest the dinners which the hospitality
OF the romantic old French city has invited them
When they arrive at the point where they must de-
termne disputes by deciding for side or the other
the inevitable clash will come, and something of an
tagonism is sure to be engendered Nevertheless
there appear really substantial for believing
that the conclusion of the whole will be bright
the beginning and that after all the controversy the
farewell banquets will be pleasing those which
have welcomed the Commissioners to the opening Of
the conference
The extent of the work to be accomplished is about
as great as that of any submitted to diploatist
1t includes every of the many questions that
list between ourselves and the Canadians. Among
these issues involving the fur seals in Boring Sea-
fisheries on both the Atlantic and the Pacific Coast
the Alaskan boundary the transit of merchandise
from and to points in either country across the ter
rtory OF the other alien labor laws applicable to the
citizens of the two countries, mining rights OF the
citizens of country in the territory OF the other
commercial reciprocity, Encouragement of the treaty
concerning vessels the lakes, reciprocity in
wreckng salvage rights, and finally, provisions
for the conveyance for trial punishment of persons
in the lawful custody of the officers OF one country
through the territory Of the other.
These issues have furnished fruitful field for con-
troversy between the two countries Nor years. and
some of them have seemed we'll nigh impossible Of
solution by any other method than that of annexing
Canada to the United States. Now that all of them
are to be considered together however, settlement
may be effected by the process OF granting conces
sons on point for the sake of equal concessions
on another. In that way by judicious compromises
an agreement may be reached which will be sufi-
GENTLY fair to merit ratification by the Senate.
The only danger in the situation is that when
promising becomes the order of the day the inter
ests of the Pacific Coast may be sacrificed for the
sake OF advantages in the East The American COM
missoners at the conference Senator Fairbanks Of
Indiana (chairman), John w. Foster of Ohio, John
A. Kasson of Iowa, Thomas J. Coolidge Of Massa-
chusetts Nelson Dingley OF Maine, Senator George
Gray of Delaware The Pacific Coast it will be seen,
| has not representative
| There is. however no advantage in borrowing
trouble The commission is an able one, and when
the work is done we may have as good reason the
rest of the country to be satisfied with what it ac-
complishes.