The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-16


Noticing before the declaration of war
with Spain the senate rejected treaty
providing for arbitration Of all disputes
arising between Great Britain and the
United States. Venezuela had not been
forgotten. The fisheries contention was
yet q source of irritation. The Klondike
discoveries had accumulated anew the
fact OF. still disputed boundary line
between British Columbia and our Alas
kan possessions. The Dominion govern
seemed to bear heavily upon American
prospectors going into that country.
Canadian contractors had announced
that Americans should not be employed
on railway construction in the Domin-
ion. Our congress. on the other hand,
seemed disposed to retaliate by the en-
actment of customs regulations having
for their object the shutting off Of Brit
.ish participation in the carrying trade
of the Pacific. A spirited war of rates
between the transcontinental railways
OF the United States and Canada added
to the friction. A very general belief
that, in the event Of hostilities with
Spafn.- England's dynastic sympathy
with that country would be openly and
dangerously displayed. had the effect Of
intensifying the feeling against coun-
try with which we had twice engaged in
war.
v..xsn~.a ~ yoporaI rerret over the fail
ure OF the arbitration treaty. there OBJ
tanned q widespread feeling Of satisfac-
ton over it's defeat. Plans for the in
vasfoneof Canada were not formulated,
but the thought was given birth.
The war had not been in progress long.
however. before all this was changed.
The obvious sympathy Of the English
people with our contention was soon
made. manifest. The early action Of the
English government. in declaring coal
contraband. was at once seen to be in
our interest. The prompt demand made
upon Admiral Dewey to withdraw from
Hong Kong-an act Of friendship not so
apparent-was yet so in its effect, since
1t forced our Asiatic squadron to seek
q base at Manila, and there has been
to thank the British government for it
as If It had been designed. Congress.
catching the spirit, speedily appropri-
ated funds for the payment to England
Of the Paris award, a duty long delayed.
and the era of good feeling between the
two countries was fully inaugurated.
The Fourth Of July became almost as
much of national holiday in England
and Canada as In the United States, and
the Union Jack was a feature of the
professions in many American cities.
So much for sentiment. Now, in the
wisdom Of both countries, an earnest
effort is to be made, along practical lines,
70 remove some OF the causes Of the ante
bellum friction-causes which remain in
spite Of the changed attitude of the two
nations One week from today joint
high commission, created by the United
States and Great Britain, will meet at
Quebec, to consider, among other things,
the fur seals question; fisheries rights
IN the Atlantic and Pacific; provisions
Tor the administration and establishment
'0f the Alaskan Canadian boundary:
regulations for the transit of merchan-
disc to or from either country,
ocr0ss intermediate territory, whether
~ land or water. including natural or
6rtIncial waterways ana intermediate
transit by sea. and relating to the transit