The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-20
CANADIAN COERCION.

1t is quite apparent from current sourc-
es of information that If Canadian wish
es are made paramount In the attempted
settlement of boundary questions the pre-
vafling negotiations will certainly come
to nothing. The spirit in which the Ca
madam press and politicians enter upon
the consideration of the questions in
volved makes it plain that they are more
intent on producing friction in the rela-
tions of the United States and the Brit
ish empire than they are In promoting
an equitable adjustment of the difficult
ties
The Canadian claim involves territory
which has appeared even on every Ca
madam map for nearly twenty years after
our acquisition of Alaska as belonging
to these states. For forty-two years
Russia occupied this territory without
claim or dispute on the part of Canada
or Great Britain. 1t was during all that
period accepted as territory which had
passed to Russia under the treaty of
1926 with Great Britain. Over sixty years
of continuous undisputed possession by
Russia and the United States count moth
ing with Canada when in controversy
with this country. A claim which may be
said without unfairness to have had its
origin merely in the wonderful develop
ment of gold mining in Alaska within
the past few years and which never was
heard of or indicated in any manner be-
fore the year 1884, and which since that
time has been sought to be maintained
by the most contradictory arguments, is
of sufficient moment, according to Ca
madam ideas, to divide two great ma
lions.
If 1t be true, as the dispatches indicate,
that Canada has served notice on the
colonial authorities of England that they,
must In this instance choose between
Canada and the United States, it is to be
hoped that England will not hesitate to
continuance Of friendly relations between
the two great nations, irrespective wholly
of the provincial jealousies and prejudices
of Canada.
We are asked to give up possession
of Pyramid harbor pending an arbitra-
ton which may possibly result in award
ing the disputed place to Canada. We
are threatened with the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty if we refuse. We haye seen our
business men arrested for violation of
Canadian laws on the strength of which
they had been induced to invest their
capital in Canada. We have witnessed
q degree of virulence manifested toward
US with reference to the Alaskan seal
fisheries which would enrage any people
who did not view such proceedings and
their authors with contempt Finally we
have seen put in force within q few wears
a discriminating tariff of % per cent ad
valorem by this same province on i'm
ported American goods. All this has
been done to give expression to the deem
bors, made all the more bitter because
they have witnessed themselves, despite
all their exhibitions of ill-wii, hopelessly
distanced in the Industrial race on this
continent. 1t is with such "a people We
are asked to arbitrate.
Americans will gladly concur in any
plan of arbitration that may be agreed
on between the British and American AN,
thorities of questions which have been
seriously in dispute at some time. Rut
they will not submit to being builied into