The record-union., 1899-07-25

as to the United States ana Great Brit
ain. Some Of the questions at issue
are more or less independent, and it
was intimated that there was reason
to hope a final settlement of the
boundary controversy might grow out
Of this relation between the pending
questions.
The official who made the suggestion
would not say which side would prob
ably make concessions on the boundary
question or what concessions on some
other point the other side would make
in return. 1t is felt by officials of the
Administration generally that, while it
may take time and the exercise of
considerable patience to work out
final solution of all the pending ques-
tions, such a solution will ultimately be
reached in a friendly spirit and with
out any clash or serious straining of
relations between the two nations.
Senator Fairbanks, whose report on
the Alaskan boundary controversy, as
the result of his personal observations,
has had great influence in determining
the policy of the Administration, would
not discuss Sir Wilfred Laurier's
speech, nor would he make any COM
ments on the present situation.
It can be said, however, that Senator
Fairbanks is firmly of the opinion that
the boundary question can be settled
by amicable agreement if both sides
will exercise patience.
THE JOINT HIGH COMMISSION.
WASHINGTON, July Ex-senator
Fairbanks, Chairman Of the American
n; af TA;v
Commission, made brief call upon the
President to-day before starting for
his home in Indiana. He declines to
discuss the speech of Sir Wilfrid Lau
rier or to remark upon the situation
with reference to the boundary dispute.
He confirmed the report already given
out that there will be no meeting of
the joint commission on August I'd, say
ing that he and Sir Wilfrid Laurier
had last Friday agreed upon a post
ponement for an indefinite period
The Senator would not hazard sur
mise as to when another meeting
might be held. Direct negotiations re-
specting the Alaskan boundary are
now in progress between Secretary
Hay and Mr.. Tower, the British
Charge here. The negotiations are di-
rected towards an adjustment of the
issue by amicable arrangement be-
tween the parties though on somewhat
different lines from those pursued dur
ing the spring and summer The prin-
ciples are not without hope that sue
cess may attend their efforts, and then
there is arbitration yet in reserve in
case of failure on the present lines.
fiaio 1c n
alarmed at the recent developments at
Ottawa, feeling confident that Sir Will
frid Lauriers utterance in which he
mentioned the word war" was an al
tentative to arbitration was given a
meaning not intended by, the Canadian
Premier. The strong language at
tributed to Sir Charles Tupper is not
credited to the Canadian Government,
and it is realized that great latitude
may properly be allowed in viewing the
utterances of members of an opposi-
ton party.
Inasmuch as the Canadian officials
have laid stress upon the refusal of
the United States to accept fair arbi-
tration of the pending question, it may
be proper to explain the reason for
refusal as pointed out to-day by a
high official. In the first place, our
Government, it is contended, is abso-
lutely certain of the soundness of it's
claim in the matter of the boundary.
That would seem to be good reason
for submitting the matter to arbitra-
tion on the ground that good cause
had nothing to fear from fair arbitra-
tors, but our Government holds that
arbitratorS are almost all subject to
the fatal weakness of compromising.
In our case a compromise would
amount to the loss of our whole con-
tention, for once Canada is admitted to
the Lynn Canal, we would be deprived
of the only weapon which we now
possess for the protection of our
miners going into the Klondike from
extortion and perhaps expulsion.
1t was for this reason that Secre-
tary Hay rejected the Canadian pro-
posal to arbitrate, attended by the
condition that in any case Pyramid
Harbor should be bestowed upon Can
ada Then, too it is realized that
any agreement to arbitrate might be
extremely unpopular in the West so
that the officials will be glad to ad-
just the matter without resorting to
IL
caused a revival of the project to al
low Canada free port privileges at
some specified ports on the Lynn
Canal, Dyea, Skaguay or Pyramid
harbor, perhaps, while allowing Sow
ereignty over them to remain in the
States and this is one of the PROPOSE
tions that is now attracting attention.
1t is realized that this plan would
meet strong opposition from that ele-
ment which favors no concession what
ever to Canada, but under such an ar
rangement American miners might
reasonably expect to benefit a good
deal from the construction of the pro-
posed railroad running from a free
Canadian port on the Lynn Canal
straight through to Dawson in the
heart of the Klondike.