The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-11
TROOPS Or No TROOPS
Is the Question Before the Re-
lief Expedition.
IT WOULD BE DREADFUL
To Face FamiShed Men With
Food and Bare Fists.

Washington, Feb. 1o-In view of the APP
parent disposition of the Canadian au-
thorities TO prevent the United States
troops from accompanying the relief ex-
petition into the gold country a brief re-
view Of the correspondence that has so
far taken place between the two govern
ments may be in order:
The negotiations proper started Deem
Der So last. between Acting Secretary
Meiklejohn, of the war department, and
Mr. Sifton. minister of the interior for
Canada, then in Washington. The Off
cial report was that a complete agreement
as it was understood at the time, was
reached as 10 the course 10 be followed by
the expedition and its escort. Soon after
Mr.. Sifton's return to Canada a question
arose as to the free admission of supplies
to be taken in by the government expedi-
ton in case they were TO be sold at cost
which was disposed of by a prompt tele-
gram from Mr.. Sifton in answer TO Mr.
Meiklejohn, saying that it was intended
TO charge no duty upon provisions to be
sent in. Mr.. Sifton also reminded Mr.
Meiklejohn of the stipulation that no
unofficial or unauthorized persons should
accompany the expedition To facilitate
free entry he asked for certified list of
the persons and an inventory of the outfit
of the expedition. In confirmation of this
came a note from Sir Julian Pauncefote,
the British ambassador. confirming the
statement as 10 the free entry of goods
and having this important paragraph as
bearing on the present controversy: "AIso
that conveys may be accompanied by
such reasonable escorts as the United
States government may desire to provide
for them and each convoy shall be like
wise accompanied by a Canadian officer,
the expense of such Canadian officer be-
ing borne by the Dominion government"
Surprising that this understanding was
perfect, it came as a surprise to the war
department when Mr.. Sifton, on January
q, wrote that he took It for granted that
the fifty-five enlisted men who were to
accompany the expedition were not in
tended to go beyond the boundary line
which, he says, is professionally at the
summit of. the mountains about the mid
die of the pass" Mr.. Sifton added that
the arrangement into which he had enter
ed was that he should furnish escort for
the American expedition, and he had ac-
cordingly sent forward the men for this
purpose. In reply. under date of January
Il. Mr.. Meiklejohn said that his under
standing was that the entire escort des-
gnated by our government should &C
the expedition to it's destination
is necessary to render assistance IN over
coming anticipated difficulties, subject 10
Canadian law and to be accompanied by
Canadian officer. Enlisted men instead
IF civilians were selected as more availa-
Die, more amenable to discipline and
costing less. The escort is not regarded
ls a military expedition but on Canadian
soil Its service will be of civil nature.
Mr.. Meiklejohn thereupon reminded Mr.. (
sifton of the agreement with Sir Julian
Is to the reasonable escort" to be per- (
nitted. He points to the condition which /
would confront the expedition If it ar
ives upon the Canadian border with sup
,Iies and had TO go beyond TO meet hun 1
Try IL desperate people without sim |
tie arm for the protection of the expedi- /
ion. its supplies or equipments.
So far no further communication has !
,een had with the Canadian government /
n this subject. The route TO be followed 4
" the exueditfon is therefore uncertain.