The record-union., 1898-11-19
Making Good Progress in Adjusting
Questions in Controversy.
Hope to Conclude Their Lahars Before the
Christmas Holidays Arrive.
The Behring Sea Matter Believed
to be Already About Settled
Reciprocity and the North At
born Subjects Before the Conn
mission.

WASHINGTON, Nov. dS.-Members
of the Anglo-American Commission,
Americans and Canadians, expressed
the hope to-day that the commission
would complete its labors before the
Christmas holidays, but they are not
yet willing to state that treaty will
be framed covering the many subjects
Of difference between the United States
and Canada. Greater progress has been
made than is generally understood, and
drafts of some of the articles of the
proposed treaty have been submitted
by sub b-committees and tentatively ap-
proved. These, however, cover. the
minor questions, the important sub
jects of the North Atlantic fisheries,
reciprocity and Behring Sea to remain
open.
While the commission treats all
statements regarding its work as un-
authorized, yet it is understood by
those acquainted with its work that the
questions of border, immigration, min
ing rights, lake fisheries and the Alas
kan-Canadian boundary have been
found less difficult of solution than was
expected, and that a basis of agreement
on these subjects is in sight, if not act
ually determined upon. Technically,
however nothing is done until the last
act of the commission is performed, so
that these and all other subjects may
remain open to the end.
AS to Behring Sea, the belief prevails
that a settlement on both sides will be
reached, and the fact that officials-one
a Canadian and another an American
are at Victoria, where an inventory is
ms lxin N Of ha Rph inc fn
the belief that settlement may be on
the basis of wiping out the industry by
giving the Canadians some equivalent
for the capital invested. A recent Off
cial document places the Behring Sea
fleet at thirty, but these are small
schooners, none of them above 100 tons.
Reciprocity and the Atlantic fisheries
continue to be the most stubborn ques-
tions before the commission. On recip-
rocity the Commissioners do not ex-
press themselves in sanguine terms. The
subject is still hsfore a subcommittee,
which, however, reports when an agree
ment is reached, and the full commis-
sion approves of what has been done.
There are so many articles on tariff
schedule that the discussions have not
yet been productive of many agree
ments on specific articles or groups of
articles. Thus far the discussion has
been rather free and open, articles be-
ing considered as they were called up
by individual members. While the
abrogation Of the, British preferential
tariff is considered by some of the
American Commissioners as a sine qua
non to any reciprocity agreement, it
is said this view has not been submitted
in the form of an ultimatum, and that
come.
AS indicating the liberal view prevail
ing among the American Commissions
ers, one of them said to-day that he
wished American merchants could be
brought to realize the futility of shut
ting Canadian goods from our market,
when the main result was to force these
goods into British markets, where they
competed with our goods at a much
greater advantage than they could get
in the New York or other American
markets To his Judgment it was to
our advantage to compete with Cana
dian goods on our own grounds, rather
than to go across the ocean and meet
them in competition.
The commission held it's usual session,
beginning at ID o'clock to-day. The
joint session was brief, and the COM
mission adjourned until Tuesday at IL
a. m. The two sides held separate ses-
-sions during the afternoon, and most Of
the time until Tuesday will be given to
these separate meetings. The sole
subject considered to-day was recip-
rocity 1t is understood that the item
of live animals is receiving special at
tention, the traffic in horses, cattle and
other live animals being considerable
across the border.
The prospect of an early settlement
of the Behring Sea question was i'm
proved by the receipt of word that the
two officials who have been making an
appraisal of the value of the Canadian
sealing fleet have completed their Ia
bors, and are now on their way to
Washington.