The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-05
Section Giving Canada BondIna Con-
cessions i'm Lieu of Fishing Privf-
Ieses Opposed by "a Few Senators.
PREDICTION BY Mr.. CARTER
THINKS THE OUTPUT OF GOLD WILL
REACH SIO0.OOO,0Oo a YEAR.
The AIaska-British Columbia Boun-
Diary Question Again Attracting At
tention-WhIte Pass on Our Side.


lasting several days the Senate late this
afternoon passed the bill extending the
homestead laws and providing for right of
way for railroads in the district of Alaska.
Comparatively little discussion of general
! interest was created by the bill. Section Is,
providing for certain bonding concessions
to Canada, in lieu OF privileges to be ex-
tended by the Dominion government to this
country, however. induced rather lively
debate, as II brought into the controversy
the old fisheries question on the New Eng
land coast, which has been pending between
the United States and Great Britain for a
hundred years. The statement was made
on the floor of the Senate that there was
every reason to believe that by the passage
of the bin the fisheries question could be
settled without great effort, as assurances
to that effect had been received from a large
and influential element in Canada.
AT the beginning of the session a resolu-
ton was passed authorizing the printing OF
1900 copies of a pamphlet by Commodore
George w. Melville on the commercial MILF
tary and strategic advantages to the United
States of the Nicaraguan canal and of the
Hawaiian islands.
The Alaskan bill was then laid before the
Senate. Mr.. Sewell offered the following
proviso to Section 8, which was adopted:
THAT where the space flor the construction
of a railroadl Is limited the United States
District Court shall require TIE road first
constructed to allow any other railroad or
| tramway to pass over its track or tracks
through such canyon, pass or defle on
such equitable basis as the said court may
! prescribe, and all shippers shall be entitled
to equal accommodation as to the move
! ment of their freight and without discrim-
| lflation III favor OF any person or corpora
| ton
The last paragraph OF Section g. reserving
! the right 10 the government to purchase or
take by proceedings of condemnation any
| railroad, tramway or wagon road at its ac-
ownership of railroads. stricken out
| by yea and nay vote--4S to Z. MesSrs
Allen lNsh), Butler IN. CO, Harris CKapl,
! Heitfeid Qda), Nelson (Minn.) Teller (CoI)
and Turner 6Wash) cast the negative votes.
The reading and amending of the bill;
| while long and tedious, was accomplished
without particularly important debate
| Til Section Is was reached. This provides
for the extension to Canada of the bonding
| privileges on Alaskan trade with Canada
! ct the port OF Wrangell, in Alaska, on con-
dition that certain concessions are given
| this country by the Dominion government,
among them being the right of our fisher
men to enter Canadian ports for the pur-
chase of bait or other supplies.
DEBATE ON FISHERIES SECTION.
Mr.. Turner moved to strike out that5part
of the section which related to the enter
|
men. He did not, he said make the motion
because he was hostile to the New Eng
land fisheries but because he deemed it I'M
fair to burden this measure with de-
mand on the Dominion government that it
yield contention it has made for a hum
| dred years.
Mr. Hale inquired if Mr.. Turner did not
think it would be of advantage TO the
| United States TO obtain the fisheries cor
cession from Canada.
Mr.. Turner replied that it would be Of
| advantage If we could obtain 1t, but did
| not believe it could be obtained.
Mr.. Hansbrough said that the committee
formation that Canada would accept the
conditions imposed by the section. he was
firmly of opinion thai the Dominion gov
ton In view Of the concessions mace to 1t
/ by the bill.
| Turner would not insist upon his motion
! The fisheries question was not local one
to New England but q. national question
the people of the Northwest, where the
| fisheries interest was annually becoming
| greater. He felt that the fisheries problem
was of immense Importance to the people
| of the Northwest and ought not to be
| stricken from the measure
In supporting and supplementing what
| Mr. Hoar had said, Mr.. Frye said that the
pending bill was of national Importance
He thought there was never a better up
| Canadian government than at the present
time. when the Canadians wanted some
| thing from the United States. he did not.
think the motion ought TO prevail because
we have long been giving Canada much
and receiving little in return. Mr.. Frye be-
| lieved that If 1t We're not for the captious-
| ness of Canada there would not DC the
slightest trouble between this country ana
Mr.. Wilson supported the contention of
Mr. Turner and thought 1T the helght OF
absurdity to tack the fisheries question 10
| a bill providing for the encouragement OF
| railway construction in Alaska
| Mr. Carter agreed with Messrs Hoar and
| FRYE that the fisheries question, so far
| as it was considered in this bill, was of q
| national Importance. The fisheries industry
in Alaska and the Northwest now yielded
| Importance every year. Concerning the
| mineral resources of Alaska Mr. Carter
! said he was satisfied, not from government
reports alone but from the very best all-
| thoritv i'm this country that the output of
gold would in a year or two be larger from
| the earth's surface. one authority I'm which
| he said he had the utmost confidence esti-
mated that in Alaska gold. to the s amount I,t
| a comparatively short time. He said that II
Section 10 should be adopted as presented
| Canada would be compelled 10 abandon
that all-Canadian route and he believed
| this country would obtain every concession
which was demanded of Canada by the
| pending section
PROVISIONS OF THE SECTION.
Mr.. Turner's motion to strike out the fish
cries portion of the section was defeated by
a yea-and-nay vote-Si to 16. The section
was adopted without division. AS agreed to
Section 10 is as follows:
THAT under rules and regulations to be
| prescribed by the secretary of the treasury
| the privilege OF entering goods i'm ware
| houses and merchandise in bond or of plac-
| ing them in bonded warehouses at the port
| of Wrangell. district of Alaska and of
| withdrawing the same Tor expectation 10
| any place in British Columbia or the
| Northwest Territory without the payment
! of duty is hereby granted to the govern
| ment of the Dominion of Canada and its
citizens or citizens of the United States
whenever and SO long as IL shall appear
| to the satisfaction of the President of the
| United States, who shall ascertain and de-
| clare the fact by proclamation that no eN-
| elusive privilege of transporting through
| British Columbia or the Northwest Terri
| tory goods or passengers arriving from or
| destined for other ports IN Alaska is grant
| ed to any person or corporation by the gov
| ernment OF the Dominion OF Canada, and
| that the privilege has been duly accorded
| to responsible persons or corporations oper-
| ating transportation lines In British Colum-
/ bia the Northwest Territory OF making
/ direct connection with transpo, tation lines
! i'm Alaska and that the government of the
| Dominion OF Canada has consented To and
| is allowing on behalf of the citizens of the
United States the entry free OF duty of all
miners outfits and supply OF provisions
| and clothing. the whole not exceeding in
| quantity 1900 pounds for each citizen or the
n. min