The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-26
The Dominion and tho boundary.

The general impression created on both
sides OF the border by Sir W1LFRID LAU-
p1ER's speech in tho House OF Commons at
Ottawa Ia probably that no agreement on a
Temporary boundary for Alaska can be ex-
pected Mt present. IL 80, we can bear the
delay quito as we'll az Canada.
Canada has for long time insisted that
tho language Of the treaty OF 1926 as to
tho boundary should he put to arbitration,
and our Government, in spirit OF amity,
consented to do this. Then Canada, IL the
accounts from Washington are correct.
blocked the proposal by insisting that the
deciding vote should be that OF a European
urbiter. Oar Government, on the other
hand, appears to have hold that IN this
question o: an American boundary an ar
bitter from somo one OF the countries south
Of us ought to no chosen
Mcanwhle tho question OF temporary
boundary rs q moduS rirendt came up. On
this point another deadlock has occurred.
Canada ut first demanded a port on Lynn
Canal but, when that was found impossi-
BILE, insisted on so running the line In the
region o. Chilkat Inlet, Mt tho head OF Lynn
Canal US to transfer American miners there
to British Jurisdiction. 70 this we could
not consent, although willing to run the
temporary Tine noarer the coast than we
claim that 1t should be under tho treaty
As tho casc stands, we have in our
favor an Interpretation unchallcnged for
over half century after the treaty OF
1913, and over dozen years after our
acquisition ui Alaska; we have the maps.
British and American, during those years
founded on that Interpretation: finally, we
have, rs Sir CHARLES UPPER acknowl-
edged. or, rather, complained, the other
day in the Canadian Parliament the pos
session Of The only avenues to the Canadian
Yukon at the present time" is 1t not
absurd to suppose that. with all this van
tage ground having once offered what we
consider II fair mod,ls uiuendi. and also
fair method Of arbitration, we shall be dis
tressod because Canada prefers the existing
status to accepting our terms? What is
that status? Let Sir CHARLES answer:
"All that they have to do Is simply 10 do what
they AFRO doing TO ,urn tho trade. and not only the
trade, but the gold OF tho Yukon TO the benefit OF
their own people. and. while they retain that I'M
compromising and indefcnsible attitude. they ben
snt By tho existing position. As matters
stand We have all tho avenues Of trade into that
country 90 hampered as to give tho cities OF the
American scaooast a practical monopoly OF the
trade Of tho Yukon"
II SO. 1t is a matter OF some consequence,
possibly that Canada prefers deadlock
on the present status to making any terms
with us but those which we cannot accept.
Sir CHARLES UPPER, however, suggests
two things that Canada can prepare to do,
after Offering us an utlmatum, namely, to
build a railway from Kitimat Arm to Daw-
son wholly through Canadian territory,
and secondly, to grant mo license to
mine in the Yukon or permission to obtain
any facilities in that country except to
British subjects.
Ae to the former proposition. we GER
tainiy shall never object to Canada's using
any Of the British Columbia ports as a rail-
way terminal, provided she will let our
Alaska ports alone; and We should not OBJ
Scot at all TO having this route to the Yukon
put In competition with tho one by way OF
Lynn Canal. But in regard to an alien
mining prohibition we think Canada would
do vol to reflect. We do not believe il
would exert the pressure on us which Sill
CHARLES UPPER desires, and we think
very decidedly that it might make trouble
for tho Dominion at once.