Evening star., 1898-06-28
Joint Commission to Be Held at
Quebec, Canada.
MANY QUESTIONS NEED 4 DECISION
Appropriation Struck Out by the
Senate Committee.
MORTIFYING POSITION

The President is deeply concerned at the
action of the Senate appropriation commit
tee in striking out of the sundry civil ap-
preparation act the item appropriating $oO,-
900 to defray the expenses OF the joint
commission to be held at Quebec, Canada,
this fall to endeavor to effect settlement
of the many important questions at issue
between the United States and Canada.
This commission had been arranged for
by the Secretary of State, acting under the
direction of the President in answer to
what was believed by both of them to be an
almost unanimous popular demand. There
were many questions pending between the
two governments that contained possibili-
ties of serious complications, and some In
the immediate future if they were not ad-
justed. Such, for instance, was the Alas
kan boundary question, which, on account
of the extraordinary development of the
Klondike country, had become matter of
the greatest consequence over which the
two countries could easily have quarreled.
Then there We're questions connected with
the great lake boundaries, with the tran
sit of goods in bond over Canadian ana
American territory, and with the supply OF
bait to American fishermen.
The growing fraternal spirit between the
United States on the one side and Canada
and England on the other, seemed to make
the time suspicious for an easy settlement
of these and other questions that nave
long given trouble to the State Depart
ment Therefore, as an outgroWth or the
Bering sea negotiations, there was an ex-
change of notes between the United States
and Canada, through the medium of the
British embassy here, during the late win
ter and early spring, that finally resulted
in an agreement to appoint joint COM
mission to meet at Ottawa and endeavor
to adjust these open issues.
The Presidents Action.
In arranging for this commission the
President it Is claimed, was acting clear
ly within his constitutional powers, for
whatever agreement is reached between
the parties will not be effective until it has
assumed the form of a treaty, and it is or
course the Presidents sole prerogatiVe TO
frame treaties.
So the action of the Senate committee mas
been received with great surprise as in
dicating a clear purpose to interfere Win
the free exercise of this constitutional func-
ton by the President, it is not deemed
practicable to conduct negotiations for
treaty through commission without
means to defray the expenses of the body.
the reason that, owing to the number Of
questions to be taken under negotiation,
large amount of data is required, involving
the employment of clerical force and
other expenses.
1t is not believed that the opposition to
this commission manifested in the Senate
committee will prevail in the Senate when
attention is drawn to the facts. The ap-
nrOpriati of the m
not in any way commit the Senate to an
approval of the treaty when 1t is submitted
to 1t, but the President having so far ad-
vanced the negotiations as to permit the
British side to name the personnel of the
commission which will represent it, the
Department of State would be placed in a
mortifying position If now prevented from
carrying out Its part of the agreement
through the lack of small appropriation.
Popular Interest.
The popular interest felt on this subject
is exhibited in the number of communica-
tions that are being received at the State
Department from all sections of the coun-
try, not inspired by sentiment alone.
though there is considerable exhibition of
this, but dictated in a large degree by the
commercial interests of the country Our
ious for q successful outcome of these
negotiations, which, among other things,
will include preferential tariff rates for
American produce and manufactures,
through the approach of the month Of
August, when, according to a special ar
rangement recently entered into between
the dominion authorities and the British
government. British manufacturers will
secure reduction of % per cent on their
goods imported into Canada.
The CommIssiOn's Personnel.
The British government has signified its
approval of the plan for the commission 20
consider the pending controversies between
the United States and Canada and 10 pro-
claim a treaty for their settlement. Fol-
lowing this approval an understanding has
been reached that the commission will be-
GIN its session within the Eext few weeks
dL ring the latter part of July, at Quebec
1t is possible that the personnel of the
con. mission will show some distinguished
names, as it is understood that Baron
Herschel, one of the foremost public men
and jurists of Erglar d, will be one of the
commissioners in behalf of Great Britain
and Canada, and that Sir Louis Davies, the
Canadian minister of marine, will be asso-
c:ated with him.
1t is expected that President Mckinley
will name the American commissioners at
an early date, al 1t is understood that a
United States Sci ator will be among those
designated to represent the United States,
and the name OF Senator Hoar of Massa-
chIsetts has been mentioned in this con-
nection. Mr.. Hoar has an Intimate ac-
quaintance with Canadian affairs having
been at one time chairman Of Senate
committee on relations with Canada, at
which time the committee made an ex-
haustive inquiry into the several subjects
of discussion between the United States
and dominion. 1t Is quite likely also that
Mr.. John A. Kasscn or Mr.. John w. Foster
or possibly both, will be on the commission.
Each has taken a part in the preliminary
negotiations. The subjects to come before
the commission are those Of long standing
and although the officials decline to state
just what questions are covered by the
protocol, there are understood to he tho
fisheries of the great lakes and the North
Atlantic, Bering sea sealing. border immi-
grafton, tariff reciprocity and mining reg
MI