Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-06-02
STILL HOPES
Administration, Though Less Con-
fident, Still Believes Agree
ment Possible
In Regard to the Various Matters
Before the High Joint
Commission.
Canadian Proposal That an Alas.
kan Seaport Be a Point in
Arbitration
Could Not Be Entertained by This
Countrywide British Point
of View.


Though less confident than it has
been Of settlement of the Alaskan bound
ary question, the administration is still
hopeful that the negotiations being con-
Quoted by Secretary Hay and the Brit
ish government will yet furnish solu-
tion of the controversy.
Sir Wilfred Laurier's statement that
Canada has never demanded Pyramid
Harbor is confirmed by officials, who,
however, decline to talk for publication.
AS matter of fact, Great Britain for
Canada has never asked formally for
port on the Pacific. This was the con-
clusion drawn by the officials from
reading between the lines of the Eng
lish communication.
An official conversant with the nego-
tiations says that after considerable dis
cussion in the high joint commission,
the suggestion was made that the
boundary dispute be referred to arbi-
tration. In principle this was satisfac-
tory to the United States, but this gov
ernment desired to have it determined
specifically what territory should be
subjected to arbitration. Great Britain
consulted Canada and later in COM
munication indicated that Canada de-
sired to put into controversy port on
the Alaskan coast, probably Skaguay,
though none was named.
Could Not Consent to It.
Secretary Hay officially replied that
the United States could not consent to
adopt the British position. This decis-
ion was reached after careful consulta-
tion with the president and with the
full understanding Of the importance of
such port to the great British North
west territory and the injury such an
outlet would do the Pacific coast.
To great extent, the assembling of
the high joint commission, and the
abrogation of the Clayton Bulwer treaty
depend upon the solution of the bound
ary question. Great Britain insists that
the United States has more to gain by
the abrogation of the Nicaraguan canal
convention and the settlement of the
numerous questions pending with Can
ada than she has and that as an Offset
this government should be willing to
make concessions in the boundary con-
troversy.
The administration, however, does
not intend to jeopardize American in
terests by giving Canada port on the
Pacific, and regrets that Great Britain
is endeavoring to use other questions as
club with which to get this country to
accede to her views in the boundary dis
pute.
Had Agreed Upon Details.
In the matter of the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty, Secretary Hay and Sir Julian
Pauncefote had agreed upon the details
of the convention for it's abrogation, and
that it was ready for their signatures
when Great Britain brought forward
this proposition to determine the Alas
kan boundary line and directed Sir
Julian to stop negotiations with refer
ence to the Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
Secretary Hay and Reginald Tower,
charge d'affaires of the British embassy,
have held one conference this week re-
garding the boundary question, but it
was stated that there did not appear
any better chance of agreement than
there had been for several weeks.
While the United States has complied
with the British request that no troops
be sent to Pyramid Harbor, Alaska, the
administration is determined to have
force in the territory and close to the
boundary line sufficient to prevent any
fighting between Canadian and Ameri-
can ,ninera