The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-08-01
TUESDAY, AUGUST l, 1889
THE CANADIAN MIDDLE.

A correspondent writes as lo'''
me Editor of The Times: n.o~,,, Of
= Aft.r reading your edltoIiH' "
.,'5,se@y "An Adjustment WIZ
$3.50 . bcaring on the Alaska p'uli''',
natter. il struck me ior- iDIy '""1
had got a wrong view o. the lu's' 'o''
and needed light / se'd tH1'o 49,, 80
Ginning from the ''Scolhlsh ANY -,
,,ntct IN my mind presents the sunJ
w. VIZ r,ssonabIv. and showing that IL Is
NOT canada which is 1i Idui',
n,oertca-tbat Is. SO far ass refusing 10
(orre 10 "a peaceful settlement is Vo"-
cerned. ...... ettes 70
tne question. ana since this is -o. l1 pr
eouaflv plain that the whole ndl''I ia
dispute becomes "a fair subject 10 oN SUE
mifted 10 arbitration. America mag ~"
WIGHT but she is not necessarily so' anu
n is the office 81 the chosen tn'u p". ~
10 settle the dispute agreeaply 20 tn'
evidence. ID looks like weakness i"I 'H'
Aoericqn Commissioners Co decline To
submit their ease To the hands of an I'M
MARTIAL arbitrator and seek 20 ptA''l"'
settlement on the basis of Justice. hei'o
n seems that the onus of blame for the
continuance Of this quarrel should lie
on THIS country. -,
Richmond. Va. X W.
The authentic documents In this matter
have not been promulgated as yet go that
We have TO make up our Judgment upon
the evidence as we can best obtain 50.
our understanding of the matter IS
that the territory in dispute had been
held and occupied by Russia during the
whole time that she was the owner OF
Alaska. and that when she sold Alaska
70 as she sold this territory as part OF
the province and put us into possession
OF IT, We have occupied 80 from that
time 90 this and no one. Canada, Great
Britain nor any other power ever oh-
iected To- Russia's occupation of 10 or TO
our occupation Of 20 until the recent gold
discoveries in the klondikc. When they
were made. and not until Then. Canada
found out that the territory was hers
and not the territory of the United
States. The conclusion is inevitable, un-
der these circumstance that Canada
case Is more or less trumped up.
But our government does not refuse
arbitration. 10 refuses arbitration unless
under conditions that the circums tances
Of the case make reasonable. 10 81 well
known that when arbiirauous take place
the arbitrator for A takes his side OF
the controversy and The arbitrator for
u takes his side of &C. These always
cau in am umpire and this umpire gem
orally settles the matter by dividing The
matter On dispute equally between the
contestants. The party who goes into an
arbitration unmindul of this fact demon
strated 20 Doe fact. by such am unbroken
succession OF arbituuous is "a fool In
deed.
our government agrees 20 am aro.tra-
ton with Canada provided Canada viii
agree before hand what are the bounda-
ries OF the territory 90 Doe brought UNI
der discussion.
This is most reasonable condition,
Tor otherwise. when We We're before the
commission Canada might set up a claim
10 al OF Alaska and dcvislng sort OF
umpire might give her half OF 81. IL APP
pears % us that nothing could be more
reasonable than our governments de-
mand that the thing 20 DE arOiirated
snan be clearly determined and defined
before the arbitration commences
The clipping which our correspondent
encloses us. amounts 10 nothing more
than an argument 20 prove that England
IS in thorough accord with Canada IN
her position. which may or may not be
so. our earnest prayer however Is That
she Will not back Canada 20 the point
Of producing hostilities between this
country and Great Britain.