The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-27
CANApA.s LATEST PROPOSITION.

Canada's latest proposition for the settle
ment of the Alaska boundary dispute gives
the case a new and interesting aspect. Con-
sdering the proposition itself and the time
and manner of its presentation it looks like
a very shrewd piece of diplomacy, involving
a deceitful concession on the part of Canada
and a nicely baited trap for the United
States to walk into. After many months Of
almost fruitless negotiation. and right on
the heels of modus vivendi or provisional
agreement for temporary settlement of the
question, Canada comes out with PROPOSE
ton that it be submitted to arbitration on
practically identical terms with those i'm
posed by the United States in the British
Venezuelan dispute. AS a condition prece-
dent and absolutely preliminary to arbitra-
ton Canada proposes to concede Skagway
and Dyea to the United States if the latter
will concede Pyramid harbor to Canada
This is by far the most important part Of
the proposition and discloses its rea, animus,
which undoubtedly is to obtain for Canada a
seaport which can be utilized for CONNER
cial purposes and also made a naval and
military station.
In considering this proposition or any
other looking to the settlement of the ques-
ton 1t must be assumed that the United
States intends to act with absolute fairness
and honesty. Canada has some rights in the
premises. and If they can be ascertained and
defined they should be yielded without hesi-
tation. We do not need and ought not to
that justly belongs to her. On the other
hand. we are justified in standing firmly for
our own rights as defined by the deed of
purchase from Russia and by undisputed
possession for a term of years. and we
should not be driven or coaxed into surren-
dering anything of importance. That the pos
session of new seaport on the Pacific coast
would be of great Importance to Canada is
shown by the persistence with which she
clings TO that point The question is wheth-
er she has any just claim to II. and whether.
in the absence of such claim, the United
States should concede it,
1t is difficult TO see on~Shat ground Can
ada can base any claim to seaport or to
any territory within ten marine leagues of
the coast. In February. 1S25. Great Britain
and Russia signed treaty whereby Russia
became the owner of Alaska. In defining
the boundary along the coast the treaty
provided that the line should follow the
summit of the mountains from a certain
point TO a certain point. and added:
Wherever the summit of the mountains
shall prove TO be at the distance of more
than ten marine leagues from the ocean the
limit between the British possessions and
the line or the coast which Is 10 belong to
Russia shall be formed by a line parallel
to the windings OF the coast and which
shall never exceed the distance of ten
marine leagues therefrom.
This was Great Britain's title to Russia
In 1865 the United States purchased Alaska
from Russia with exactly the boundaries
fixed by the treaty OF 1925. From 1s25 to 1889
the boundary was not disputed, so that the
present claim OF Canada dates back only
ten years and really attacks a boundary
fixed by Great Britain herself. The prov-
sion OF the treaty above quoted shows that
Great Britain intended to cede and did cede
to Russia for long distance the coast line
and ten marine leagues inland. The line was
TO follow the summit of the mountains ex-
eept where the mountains were more than
ten marine leagues from the coast and then
the line was to follow the windings of the
coast never nearer than ten marine leagues
thereto.
glance at a map or Alaska will show
the extreme Importance to Canada OF a sea-
port somewhere on the long stretch Of coast