Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-17
NEWFOUNDLAND'S
SIDE OF THE CASE

New York, Jan. IA dispatch to the
Herald from st. Johns, N. F., says: From
interviews with members of the New
foundland government, prominent MEM
bers of the opposition and leading busi-
ness men of the colony, the general opin-
ion of the colony's side of the dispute
with France may be summarized as fol-
lows:
The treaty rights are concurrent not ex-
elusive. Despite British official interpre-
tation of the treaties, they have been en-
forced by the British authorities accord
ing to the French Interpretation. New
rupted when not interfering with the
French fishermen and their schooners
driven away. They are thus deprived of a
means Of livelihood. Newfoundland fish
cry regulations cannot be enforced on
French Shore which means ultimately
the depletion Of the fishing grounds. The
disaEowance of cod traps on the treaty
shore is harsh restriction, insisted upon
by the imperial authorities in the inter-
ests of the French. The French shore
fishery is valueless to the French except
for the illegal batting Of the French banks
fleet.
The treaties refer to cod only and not
to salmon or to Holsters. Lobsters are.not
fish, nor is timing drying" hence the
French presumptive right to conduct
this Industry is unfounded. Apart from
this, the lobster industry is being ruined
for British and French alike by the nom
enforcement of necessary regulations. The
modus vivendi forced on Newfoundland
sacrifices local to imperial interests. The
colony does not wish to evade the carry
ing out of treaties but asks that the British
Interpretation be held as correct and that
the British navy be not employed to boil
ster up unreasonable Franch claims. ST.
Pierre and Miquelon are the centers of the
wholesale smuggling business, which is
doing serious damage morally and finan-
cially to Newfoundland.
The unwarranted French claims to
British sol-the half mile limit-retard
the development of the most valuable
mineral, agricultural and numbering re-
sources of the island. In short. the French
claims as interpreted by France and in
many cases assented to verbally, though
officially objected to by Great Britain are
held to be injurious to the commercial, fl
nancial and moral interests of Newfound-
land and the maritime provinces.
D. ]. Greene, Q. c., who was formerly
premier Of the colony, has given much at
tention to the matter in dispute. He said:
I'm my opinion the imperial govern
ment inflicted great injury on Newfound-
land in recognizing for one moment the
right of the French to prosecute the lob
ster fishery, as it necessarily requires the
erection of factories. There is no warrant
under the treaty for such erections No
matter what doubts there may be as to
the French right of fishing, however, there
can be none to warrant them preventin e
British subjects from carrying on mining,
numbering or agricultural operations upon
the treaty shore, or the prosecution of the
erection of wharves and piers for Ship
ping purposes. This state of affairs can
not last much longer without some overt
act which win precipitate matters. In
certain localities the friction has been SO
great that it required the forces of the
combined British and French warships on
the coast to suppress it. The settlers on
some parts Of the coast live in a state of
jeopardy. They are denied the ordinary
rights of colonists. All leases of land are
issued subject to conditions of claims
and the holders are liable at any moment
to dispossession at the suggestion of the
French"