Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-02-21
NEGOTIATIONS PAUSE.
american Canadian High Joint
Commission Takes a Rest
Until August.
SEVERAL REASONS FOR THE ACTION
Principal Among Them Being That of
Failure to Agree ON the Alaska Bound
AIRY Question - Difference on Schemes
of Arbitration the Trouble House
Passes the Bill to Pay Spain for the
PhiIippInes-Senate Tackles Army Bill.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2I.-The American
Canadian joint high commission after =
session yesterday. adjourned 10 meet
at Quebec Aug. ,. unless the chairman
of the respective commissions agree
upon another date. The commission
first began its labors nearly six months
ago in Canada, and has with the eX-
ception of probably u month been earn
sstly at work endeavCring to accomplish
the object for which il was appointed.
an agreement with d view to the for
mutation OF a treaty covering the many
perpleXing questions of differences al
fecting the business interests OF the
United States and Canada existing be-
tween them. There We're several rea-
sons which prompted The action taken.
From statement made public with the
sanction OF the two commissions il ap-
pears there We're serious differences Of
opinion between them regarding the
important matter Of the delimitation o.
the Alaskan boundary.
Several Reasons for the Recess.
The Canadians in this connection Were
anxious To obtain a seaport on the Lynn
Canal. that its shippers would not he
subjected to thepetty annOyances which
they asserted they experienced at the
hands of United States officials. Then
the time for the meeting of the Cana
dian parliament. at which the presence
of members Of the commission from that
country is desired. il overdue and the
latter are anxious to return as soon as
possible. 1t also became apparent that
there was little likelihood of the pos
sibility of the ratification by the United
States senate at its present session OF
any treaty which might he framed.
which also probably figured IN the de-
cision to adjourn. 1t was felt also that
an adjournment for few months might
result in better prospect for harmony.
Couldn't Agree on That Line Fence.
Senator Fairbanks. chairman of the.
American commission. has repeatedly
stated that there was no basis for the
reports of & rupture in the relations Of
the two bodies and last night supple
mented this by saying that they We're
on the best of terms on behalf of
their respective commissions Fairbanks
ard Sir Wilfrid Laurier made the fol-
lowing public statement respecting the
action taken yesterday: The COM
mission has made very substantial
progress in the settlement and adjust
ment of many of the questions upon
which it has been earnestly engaged.
But il has been unable to agree upon
the settlement of the Alaskan bound
AIRY. The difficulties. apart from the
immediate deIimitation of this bound
airy by the commission itself. arise from
the conditions under which il might be
referred to arbitration.
Differed as to. style of Arbitration.
THE British commissioners desired
that the whole question should be
referred on terms similar to those pro-
vided in the reference of the Nene-
zuela boundary line. and which by
providing an umpire would ensure GER
tainty and finality. The United States
commissioners thought the local condi-
ticns in Alaska SO different that some
notifications of the Venezuela bound
airy reference should be introduced.
They thought the reference should he
made to six eminent juriSts, three
chosen by each of the high contracting
parties without providing for an UNI
pire. they believing that finality would
be secured by majority vote of the
jurists so chosen. They did not see any
present prospect of agreeing TO a Eu-
rOpean umpire. to he selected in the |
manner proposed by the British COM |
while the British commits |
sioners were unwilling 70 agree to the |