The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-21
TAKE TIME TO Think
eide UPON AN ADJOURNMENT
TO AUG. z
RUMORED RUPTURE is DENIED
Representatives of the American
and Canadian Wings of the Com
mission Make "a Joint Statement
of the Cause of Adjournment
DDS of Reaching Conclusions.

| WASHINGTON. Feb. 20.-The Amer
lean Canadian joint high commission.
after a brief session today. adjourned
to meet at Quebec. Aug. =. unless the
chairman OF the respective commits
sions agree upon another date.
The commission first began its labors
nearly six months ago in Canada. and
! has. with the exception of probably
month. been at work endeavoring to
| accomplish the object for which It was
| appointed-an agreement with view
to the formulation Of a treaty covering
! the many perpleXing questions of diff
ferences affecting the business inter-
ests of the United States and Canada,
J existing between them
| There were several reasons which
prompted the action taken today. From
| a statement made public with the
sanction of the two commissions. it ap-
! pears there We're serious differences of
| opinion between them regarding the
| important matter of delimitation Of
| the Alaskan boundary. the Canadians
in this connection being anxious to OBJ
| tain a seaport on the Lynn canal, so
| that it's shippers would not be sub
| jected TO the petty annoyances which
they asserted they experienced at the
| hands of United States officials. Then
| there Is the time for the meeting Of
the Canadian parliament. at which the
! presence of members of the commission
| from that country is overdue. and the
| latter are anxious to return as soon as
possible. 1t also became apparent that
| there was little likelihood of the pos
sibiity of the ratification by the Unit
! ed States senate at this session of any
| treaty that might be framed. which
also probably figured in the decision
| to adjourn.
A dozen important questions were
referred to the commission for its con-
sideration, and the commissioners as
sert that substantial progress in the
settlement and adjustment of many of
the questions had been made Prob
| ably those which have given the most
serious trouble and proved q stumbling
| block to an agreement on all have been
| the two relating to lumber and the
| Alaskan boundary question. on both of
| which the Canadians have demanded
| concessions which the Americans felt
it would be prejudicial to the best in
terests of the United States to grant.
1t was felt also that an adjournment
for a few months would result in
better prospect for harmony, and a dis
position on the part of the Canadians
to agree to propositions made to them
from the commissioners on this side
| of the boundary line.
RUMORED RUPTURE DENIED.
Senator Fairbanks. the chairman Of
the American commission. has repeat
edly stated that there was no basis for
the reports of rupture in the rela-
lions of the two bodies. and tonight
! supplemented this by saying that they
| were on the best of terms. On behalf
| of their respective commissions Sem
ator Fairbanks, the chairman Of the
American board. and Sir Wilfred
Laurier. acting chairman in the alb
Sence of Lord Herschel Of the Can
adam board. who is i'll. made the fol-
lowing public statement respecting the
| action taken today:
| The commission has made very Substan-
tial progress in the settlement and adjust
ment of many of the questions upon which it
has been earnestly engaged. But 1t has been
unable to agree upon the settlement of the
| a complicated and difficult one, but the com
missioners, acting in the utmost friend,iness
and cordially. have been unable to agree
| upon satisfactory adjustment.
| The difficulties apart from the immediate de-
| limitation of this boundary by the commits
sion itself arise from the conditions under
which it might be referred to arbitration. The
| British commissioners desired that the whole
| question be referred on terms similar to those
| provided in the reference of the Venezuela
| boundary line. and which, by providing an
| umpire, would insure certainty and hnality
| The United States commissioners, on the other
| hand, thought the local conditions in Alaska
| Venezuela boundary reference should be In
troduced. They thought the reference should
be made to six eminent jurists. three to be
selected by each of the high contracting par
| ties. without providing for an umpire, they
| believing that finality would be secured by
| a majority vote Of the jurists SO chosen. They
did not see any present prospect of agreeing
| to European umpire, to be selected in the
| manner proposed by the British commission
ers, which the British commissioners were
| unwilling to agree to the selection of an
American umpire in the manner suggested
| by the United States commissioners.
The United States commissioners further
contended that special stipulations should be
made in regard to arbitration, that the ex-
| listing settlements on the tidewaters of the
| coast should in any result continue to belong
| to the United States To this contention the
| British commissioners refused to agree
| 1t was therefore deemed advisable to ad-
| journ to a convenient date, in order to enable
| the respective governments to further con-
| slider the subjects with respect to which no
| conclusion has yet been reached