The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-18
Wide Range
for Discussion.
PRESENT TREATY.
The Joint-high Commits
sion's Difficulties.

Washington, Nov. 1.-THE Anglo
American commission now in session
here to adjust differences between the
United States and Canada, today held
a lengthy session upon the two sub
jects which are regarded as of most
importance, namely, the north fisheries
and reciprocity.
The fishery question was practically
taken up for the first time, and it was
quite definitely understood that the po-
sition of the Canadian government was
made clear as favorable to granting en-
larged rights to American fishermen in
Canadian waters of the North Atlantic,
if Canadian fish are admitted free of
duty to American markets. 1t is ex-
pected this will open up a wide range
of discussion and an immediate ad-
1ustment is not looked for.
Concerning reciprocity, it has now
developed that while some progress is
being made in considering certain ar
ticles which will be the basis Of recip-
roclty, vet the American commissioners
are likely to insist as a preliminary to
any reciprocity, that Canada shall wipe
out that feature Of her tariff law which
per cent on all tariff duties. If this
concession is made by Canada and con-
coded by Lord Herschell, who is look
ing after the interests of Great Britain
it is said a reciprocity list probably will
be agreed upon. Without the abolition
of preferential rates to Great Britain,
the opinion is positively expressed that
q reciprocal agreement cannot be
reached.
f1, 4 fe oil
is that the Canadian law giving Great
Britain preference within this last year
has div arted trade from the United
Statesand turned it into British chan
nels. The effect has been to reduce
materially the sales of American cotton
goods hardware and other lines in
Canada, and to increase sales Of Brit
ish goods. One of the American experts
said today that the shipment of cotton
cloth 10 Canada had fallen off from
81. 775,000 in 1897, to $78S000 in 1888, a
loss of about a million dallors, due to the
fact that British cotton cloths received
a preference of rs per cent in the du-
ties.
The American commissioners feel
that il the British preferential can
be stopped, it will be better than any
reciprocity agreement. The debate thus
far has encouraged the American COM
succeed in having this preferential
wiped out. The fisheries question is of
long standing, and, aside from its inn
portance to the commerce Of the New
England and Canadian coast, It
is said to give the basis
for possible serious conflict
between this country and Great Brit
ain. Canada of late has intimated that
in case the question remained open, re-
fer1af he faIr 10 he
fishing vessels in Canadian waters.
This doubtless would lead to serious
international complications. The mem
bers of the commission are therefore
exceedingly anxious to secure q settle
ment of this question.
A high Canadian official today stated
the Canadian view of this fishery ques-
ton was as follows: ''rhe international
commission will have a serious diff
Guilty to settle the North Atlantic fish
cry question. The position of the Ca
madam government is not, think, very
well understood in the United States.
The treaty of 1873 provides, roughly
speaking, that the United States fish
ermen shall not have access to the in
habited coasts of the Canadian sea-
board. On those coasts American fish
ermen are not entitled to land save for
four purposes, specifically named in the
ter and repairs.
1.-THE object of the treaty was OBJ
viously to give Canadians exclusive
control of their own coasts as a base
of operations for carrying on the fish
I'm 1854 the United States purchased
the right to land on the Canadian
coasts for other than the purposes
named These privileges were pur-
oh, hx-a oh oh "a ias mn N
madam fish. 1t purchased them again
by giving free fish in return under
the Washington treaty Of 1871. So also
in 1888 the Bayard- Chamberlain pro-
ject virtually granted free fish in ex-
change for these privileges. That
project was defeated in the United
States senate, but the modus yivendi
which formed part of it, and is in ex-
istence today. provides that American
fishing vessels which desire to have
the benefit Of the privileges. shall pay
an annual tonnage tax to the dominion
treasury therefor.
ut will thus be seen that the United
States has all along accepted the Ca
madam Interpretation of article / OF the
treaty of 1918 as the true interpreta-
ton. This being the case, the United
State@ is, I think, debarred from now
claiming the bonding privilege in Ca
madam ports for American fishermen
as part and parcel of the general bond
ing system in existence between the
two countries. Tile fact is, that under
the treaty Of 1918 American fishermen
have no right to land their fish in Ca
madam ports. Nor is it right
to say that the United States permits
Canadian fishermen to bond Canadian
fish in American ports. That is true
but there is no treaty specifically ex-
Guiding Canadian fishermen from go
ing into American ports for that and
other commercial purposes.
1.-THE present Canadian administration
of which Sir Wilfrid Laurier is the
head, has not since entering office, in
1896, pressed the Canadian interpreta-
ton too hard. It has allowed Afneri-