The Dickinson press., 1899-06-03
THE SECRET is OUT
JOINT HIGH COMMISSIONS FAILURE
s'ss- TO AGREE

Due to Canada's Selfshness-Insists on
Concession of Territory whicl, She
Never Before Claimed-Her Idea Of
Fair Play-Invites Americans to Invest
and Then Passes Restrictive Laws.
Almost Certain That Retaliatory Meas.
ures Will Soon lie Adopted.
[ WASHINGTON, May 3O,-Feeling has
made it necessary, at this stage in the
exchanges between the United States
and Great Britain respecting the Cana
dian boundary commission, that the ex-
act status of the commissioners should
be known, that the people, not only of
the United States, but of Great Britain,
should have an opportunity to judge for
themselves of the comparative rectitude
Of the actions of the United States and
Canada, respectively. The following
statement has been obtained from q
prominent person:
Canada continues to be land of
surprises. The friendly protocol of
Washington was signed on May 30,
1898, for the adjustment of all differ
ences between the United States and
Canada, in a most amicable spirit. The
ink of that protocol was only we'll dry
when the province of Ontario discov-
cred a chance to exhibit her idea of in
ternational equity. American lumber
men had been invited to take timber
leases in that province, with the privi-
lege of cutting logs and exporting them
to the United States.
Strange Inconsistencies.
''The provincial government, after
taking their leases and placing their
money in the treasury, passed law
prohibiting the expectation of logs,
with the result of causing some bank
ruptcies in Michigan. During the ses.
sions of the commission the same pecu-
liar idea of international justice was
exhibited in another province, that of
British Columbia. This time it was the
mining interests that were involved.
The authorities of that province took
the money of the American miners who
had made the discoveries of gold; al
lowed them to spend thousands of dol
lars in constructing roadway to the
scene of their interests, and then pro-
ceeded to change their laws to confine
all such mining privileges to British
subjects and British corporations.
"Another such instance of this kind
of practice was worked out to American
purserymen. They had taken con.
tracts to supply stocks to the Canadians
when, under the pretense of fear of San
Jose scale, the Canadian authorities
prohibited any further importation of
nursery stock. AT the same time the
Canadian courts held the Americans
liable for violation of the contracts
which their own laws had caused to be
vacated.
"The Dominion government also
seems to share these peculiar principles
of international intercourse in respect
to the boundary of Alaska. They pro-
tested Indignantly against any conces-
sions saving the existing rights of
Americans to the country to be arbi-
trated, Years before the commission
met United States citizens, without any
question or protest against their right
to do so, had occupied the headwaters
of the Lynn canal and established
canals and settlements there.
"Under these circumstances the
United States commissioners thought it
right to withhold such tidewater settle
ments from the arbitrator's decision,
and it was against this proposition that
the Canadian commissioners so vehe-
mently protested. Now they protest
with equal vehemence against arbitra-
tion unless the United States shall agree
to give them, in any case, the pyramid
harbor region, to which they never, be-
fore the meeting of the commission, as
serted any rights, which they had never
occupied with flag or constable, or a
Canadian subject, or even q canoe"