Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-09-23
QUESTIONS AT ISSUE.
AMERlCAN-CANADlAN DISPUTES TO
BE SETTLED.

at Quebec Hopeful That They Can BE
Adiusted-Some of the Solutions Proposed
| by the Statesmen Now Gathered.
Originally topics were submitted for
the considera ton of the Joint high COM
mission at Quebec, writes w. E. Curtis
to the Chicago Record under date of Of
tawa, Sept. II. Since it assembled three
or four more have been suggested. Sew
eral relate to disputes that have afflicted
and irrtated the two countries for the
greater part of the century. The re-
mainder have arisen of recent years in
the rivalry of interests and the develop
ment of the frontier. Upon most of
them the commissioners can easily reach
an understanding. That is evident from
the conciliatory and liberal spirit shown
| by all concerned. Matters of detail only
will have to be adjusted. The DISPOSE
tons of both the Canadians and the
Americans are to yield to each other
wherever it is possible, and not dwell
upon unmportant issues. Both are
anxious to remove forever all causes Of
irritation, and both are willing to make
sacrifices to accomplish that end. AS
stated in my letter yesterday, the session
of the commission thus far has been de.
voted to general debate-to an inter
change of Views on the several topics,
and to reaching a mutual understanding.
( When the conferences are resumed next
week they will get down to business. 1t
has been practically decided to deter
mine each question separately and upon
| - 4 I Il.
prime minister of Canada, having aban-
doned his policy of punching them to-
gether.
For example, it is proposed to settle
permanently the long. standing dispute
over the seals of the north Pacific by
having the congress of the United States
/ appropriate money to buy the ships and
outfits of the Canadian sealers. There
are between forty and fifty vessels en-
gagged in the trade, aggregatng from
$500 10 1000 tons. The exact number
and tonnage will have to be determined
| by investigation, because the thrifty
sailors of British Columbia are trying to
work off a lot of old tubs that are worth
| less and won't float. They demand 5000
ton for their vessels, or a round sum in
the neighborhood of $4,000, upon the
payment of which they will turn over
their entire plant to the United States
and quit the business forever, while the
Canadian government will acknowledge
to us the sole ownership of the seals.
We can then regulate the fisheries to suit
ourselves. Mr.. Cox, the representative
of the sealers, is now in Ottawa in con-
sultation with the Canadian commission
ers. He urges them to insist upon 5000
ton, but many of the ships, being old
and practically useless, will be thrown
out if that price is agreed upon.
1t leaks out here that the Canadian
sealers, realizing that their government
intended to abandon them, sent Mr.. Cox
over to Japan to make arrangements to
transfer their headquarters to that side
of the Pacific. To encourage legitimate
seal fishing the japanese government
pays a bounty upon skins; but after a
brief inquiry Mr.. Cox became convinced
that his people could not do pelagic seal
ing under the japanese flag. He was in
formed that Japan had entered into a
treaty with the United States to protect
and preserve the seals, and that if any
one was caught violating the regulations
made under that treaty they would cut
his head Ofl-or something to that effect.
The boundary line between Alaska and
the Northwest territory will be deter
mined by score of experts. The com
missioners realize that they, sitting at
Quebec, cannot intelligently discuss the
difference between the two governments
and will enter into treaty for the. APP
pointmeDt of a commission of topograph-
ers to make a survey not only of the
Alaskan boundary, but of all other points
that are now insufliclently defined or
marked as to be liable to dispute.
The labor troubles will be settled by
passage of law by the Canadian parlia-
ment similar to the immigration law of
the United States, shutting out paupers,
lunatics, contract laborers and all other
undesirable foreigners. When this is done
the restriction against Canadian laborers
entering the United States and vice-versa
will be removed. This difficulty arose a
few years ago when mechanics were in
duced to come over from Canada to take
the places of some strikers at Buffalo.
The alen-labor law was enforced against
= them, and the Canadian parliament retail
ated by prohibiting the employment of
citizens of the United States on that side
of the border. While the prohibition has
not been strictly applied, it can. be APP
pealed to whenever a Canadian wants to
/ throw a mechanic from the United States
out of a job and has been particularly Of
fensive in the mining regions of the
Northwest territory.
What is known as the Rush-Baggott
treaty of 1917, which prohibits the con
struction or maintenance of men-of-war
upon the great lakes by either govern
ment, will be modified so that the ship
builders Of the lake ports may compete
for government business, and both Cana
da and the United States may educate
and maintain a fresh-water navy.
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