New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-30
THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY i.
ATTITUDE OF AMERICAN COMMISSION
ERS DEFINED.
xANApA,s SURPRISING DEMANDS AND HER
PECULIAR IDEAS OF INTER
NATIONAL EQUITY.

NATIONAL EQUITY
washington May 29.-Feeling 1t to be neces-
sary. at this stage in the exchanges between
the United states and Great Britain respecting
the Alaskan boundary controversy. that the eX-
oct attitude OF the American Commissioners
should be defined. and that the people not only
q, the limited states but OF Great Britain might
have an opportunity to judge for themselves OF
the comparative rectitude OF the actions or Inc
United States and Canada respectively. the foi-
lowing statement has been obtained from a
prominent person:
Canada continues to be a land Of surprises.
The friendly protocol of Washington was signed
on MAY 30. 1895. for the adjustment Of all DIFF
ferences between the United States and Canaoa
in a most amicable spirit. The ink OF that
rro,ocol was only well dry when the Province
of Ontario discovered chance to exhibit her
ieea OF international equity American lumber
men had been invited to take timber limits IN
that province. with the privilege of cutting logs
and exporting them to the United States Ine
Provincial Government after giving them their
leases and taking their money into the Treasury
-rassed a decree prohibiting the export OF such
logs with the result OF causing some pank-
.ruptcies in Michigan. During the sessions OF
the Commission the same peculiar idea OF inter-
national Justice was exhibited in another prov
1nce--that Of British Columbia This time II
was the mining interests that were invoVeo'
The authorities OF that province took the money
of the American miners who had maze the as
scoveries of gold. allowed them to spend tnou-
sands OF dollars in constructing roadway 10
the scene of their interests. and then PROCEEDED
TO change their laws 10 confne all such mining
rrivileees 10 British subjects and British cor
poratons
Another such instance OF this kind or practlce
worked out TO American nurserymen They hao
taken contracts TO supply certain stocks to the
Canadians. when. under the pretence OF fear OF
the San Jose scale. the Canadian authorizes
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.
AMERICANS ON LYNN CANAL
THE Dominion Government also seems to
iehare these peculiar principles Of international
Intercourse in respect to the boundary Of Alaska
They protested Indignantly against any condi-
tions saving the existing right Of Americans TO
the country TO be arbitrated Years before the
iCommission met, United States citizens. without
any question or protest against their right so 10
do, had occupied the head waters OF the Lynn
Canal and established towns and settlements
there. Canada had never asserted a claim TO
the region The Americans had built paths over
the passes from the Lynn Canal beyond the
mountains and established communication Win
the Yukon by intervening lakes and streams
This. too. was done without protest or question
Of their right to pass over the mountain sum-
1nits. $780,, c..
Under these circumstances the United States
Commissioners thought it right TO withhold such
tidewater settlements from the arbltrators
jurisdiction and IL was against TINS limitation
that the Canadian Commissioners so Vehemehtiy
protested Now il seems that Canada is pro-
testing 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 before the meeting OF the
Commission asserted any right which they
had never occupied with flag. or constable, or
Canadian subject. or even canoe.
How they reconcile this claim with their
position In the Commission In respect TO refer
ring the boundary question TO arbitration re-
mains 10 be explained 10 the British Govern
ment There seems little prospect of adjustment
OF the boundary question IL 1t is left TO the con-
troll Of the Canadians. If they are to control the
action OF the Imperial Government 1t is impor-
tant to that Government that Canada should
bring her ideas TO conform with those which
have hitherto guided Great Britain and the
United States into the paths OF peace and friend
ship"
The officials familiar with what has been done
so far in the Canadian negotiations dismiss
lquietly the published statements that the pres
ent hitch grew out OF the failure of the two
countries TO agree on the nationality of an
umpire for the proposed arbitration, with the
simple remark that this referred to a phase Of
the negotiations existing many months ago
when the Commission was in session, and cuts