Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-27
Was Not as Strong as it
Was Reported.
WAR IS NOT NECESSARY
While He Believes the Canadians Have
Got the Worst of Past Treaties,
the Alaskan Boundary Question
Can be Amicably Settled.

New York, July PA special to the
Herald from Ottawa, Ont, says:
"And war is not to be thought Of said
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in the Canadian par
lament, in qualifying his statement that
inasmuch as negotiations for the settle-
ment Of the Alaskan boundary had failed
the only two possible ways of settling it
were arbitration or war. The Canadian
premier today gave to the Herald an
explanation of the contention of Canada.
LAS a member of the commission and
a participant in the negotiations he re-
piled, II am not at liberty to give to the
public any more than I have already
done, information bearing on the differ
ence between us and the United States.
l think l can say this much in explana-
ton, however: Practically the whole dis
pute now is circumscribed to the question
of the establishment of the boundary line
at Lynn canal. The Canadian contention
is that the line crosses the Lynn canal
near it's entrance, whereas the American
contention is that the line goes around
the Lynn canal, leaving the entire canal
in American territory. If the contention
We're reduced to the exact location of the
line, l think the solution might prove to
be of comparative ease. But the Ameri-
cans have establishments at Skagway
and at Dyea. Our view is the Americans
at that point are on British territory, but
we have to recognize the fact that they
are there all the same. At one time we
thought we could have made the COM
promise and arranged that boundary by
conventional agreement and mutual con-
cessions. I am betraying no secret when
l say that the commission could not agree
on such a compromise. Therefore, as We
cannot agree among ourselves. we must
ask the assistance of friendly arbitra-
tors The points to be submitted to the
arbitrators might be the following:
First, which is the right Interpretation
of the treaty in regard to the location of
the boundary line on the Lynn canal?
Is it the Canadian or the American con-
,tention?
Second. in the event of the arbitrator
declaring that the Canadian contention
is the right one, then the subsidiary con-
sidera ton would have to be decided,
what disposition shall be made of Dyea
and Skagway, which are American set
Elements? We think that the Venezue-
Ian treaty offers precedent for the So
luton of that question. ! am aware that
the American authorities contend that
there is a difference between the Vene-
zuelan precedent and the case now to be
disposed of in this, that as they allege
Canada never protested against the
American occupation of Skagway and
Dyea. We do not admit this contention
in point of fact But even if it were
founded on fact, the arbitrators would
have to consider what equities might
arise therefrom and decide accordingly.
Though I have strong views on this point
myself. for obvious reasons l must re-
frain from expressing them
I'm case this matter cannot be SUBJ
mitted to arbitration, is Canada in favor
of settling it by warp Sir Wilfrid was
asked.
Nobody wants war;" he replied quick
ly. II distinctly said, when l called at
tention to the fact that the negotiations
had failed and that the question could
only be settled by arbitration or war;
that war was out of the question and
not to be thought of. will go further
and say that war over this or any other
question would be criminal. We ought
to have more cordial intercourse and the
closest commercial relations with the
United States. We think we do not al
ways get them. We think we do not al
ways get commercial justice Though a
small nation, we buy more from you than
you buy from us. But some day we will
turn the tables on you and will get the
best of the bargain, and that is all the
revenge we want from you
DO you know whether the initiative Is
being taken by Great Britain looking to
making proposal to arbitrator
The premier repelled the question.
you must not ask me- said he.
will you discuss the old proposition
now coming forward again, that Canada
be satisfied with free port. say at Pyr-
amid harbor, the entire Lynn canal re-
under United States soyer-
eignty?'
II know nothing about that he re-
Dlied