The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-01
Canadian Peevishness.

The spoiled child role INDUCED in by
Canadian officials in their dealings with
the United States has long been the
cause of comment and irritation. In
connection with the editorial from the
Washington Star, which we print else
where explaining in detail the Alaskan
boundary dispute that has suddenly
arisen to harrass the amicable relations
between Washington, Ottawa and Lon
don, some facts are given in a public
statement recently issued at Washing
ton upon the authority Of "a promi-
nent person." presumably connected
with one of the departments of our
government. From this we now quote:
Canada continues to be a land of sur
prises. The friendly protocol of Wash
ington was sigred on May so, 1898. for the
adjustment of all differences between the
United States and Canada In a most
amicable spirit. The ink of that proto-
col was only well dry when the province
of Ontario discovered chance to exhibit
her idea of international equity. Ameri-
can lumbermen had been invited to take
timber limits in that province with the
privilege of cutting logs and exporting
them to the United States. The pro-
Vincial government, after giving them
their leases ard taking their money into
the treasury, passed a decree prohibiting
the export of such logs, with the result
of causing some bankruptcies in Michi-
gan. During the sessions OF the commits
sion the same peculiar idea of interna-
tional justice was exhibited in another
province-that of British Columbia. This
time it was the mining interests that
were involved. The authorities of that
province took the money of the American
miners, who had made the discoveries of
gold; allowed them to spend thousands
of dollars in constructing a roadway TO
the scene of their interests, and then
proceeded TO change their laws to con-
fine all such mining privileges to British
subjects and British corporations. Ano-
ther such instance of this kind of prac-
tice worked hardship to American
nurserymen. They had taken contracts
to supply certain stocks to Canadians,
when under the pretense of fear of San
Jose scale the Canadian authorities pro-
hibited any further importation of nurs-
cry stock. At the same time the Cana
dian court held the Americans liable for
violation of the contracts which their
own laws had caused to be vacated
Proceeding to the main subject Of
present differences the statement con-
tinues:
The Dominion government also seems
to share these peculiar principles of in
ternatonal intercourse in respect to the
boundary Of Alaska. Years before tho
commission met, United States citizens,
without any question or protest against
their right so to do, had occupied the
head water of the Lynn canal, and es-
tablished towns and settlements there.
Canada had Lever asserted a claim TO the
region. The Americans had built paths
over the passes from the Lynn canal be-
yond the mountains. and established
communication with the Yukon by inter-
venlng lakes and streams. This too,
was done without protest or question of
their right TO pass over the mountain
submits. Under these circumstances,
the United States commissioners thought
it right to withhold such tide-water set
! Elements from the aTbitratoru turisdic-
| tion, and 1t was against this limitation
that the Canadian commissioners so We.
| hemently protested. Now il seems Can
| ada is protesting with equal vehemence
| against arbitration unless the United
States shall agree to give them, in any
| case, the Pyramid Harbor region, 10
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
| eevn a canoe.
Reduced to palmer language, the ap-
pearance Of possibilities of great
wealth in the Klondike region of Brit
ish Columbia has inspired the authori-
ties Of Ottawa to attempt a skin game
on Uncle Sam with the object in view
OF euchering that patient individual
out Of a great slice of territory, his
title TO which had never been seriously
| questioned, but which, being now sud
denly valuable, is to be thrown into
dispute and, If possible, made the sub
Ject Of jug-handled arbitration. In
stead of coming into the negotiation in
a spirit of neighborliness, in which
spirit American generosity would soon
find a satisfactory solution, the Cana
dian authorities begin with threats and
swagger and incidentally throw brick
bats at American commercial interests
all along the line.
Ii remains to be seen whether this
line of policy will avail. We think il
will not.
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