Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-06-03

gold discoveries ana the apparent neces-
sty fer her procuring an outlet to the
seacoast She was not moved from her
position even though the newness of her
claims was demonstrated by the fact
that she had permitted our people to build
up large towns within the disputed ter
r!tory. like Skaguay and Dyea, and even
at Pyramid harbor to put up cannery
with American capital and under the
protection of American law.
The commission adjourned its sessions
so as to allow the two principal govern
ments to reach Il diplomatic agreement.
During the week ending April 20 an
amicahle understanding was reached be
tween the foreign office in london ard
Ambassador ChoAte, to tie effect that
the territorial claims of Canada should
be submitted to arbitration, except as to
Skaguay and Dyea. which the British
government candidly admitted should
be treated as belonging to the United
States.
The president approved the prelimi-
naries and the whole matter was on the
eve of arrangement when the British
foreign office suddenly called Il halt,
necessitated, according to its own state
ment, by the fact that Canada had put
her veto upon further negotiation on that
basis.
The officials here are unwilling to be
drawn publicly into n controversy over
the boundary que stion even though the
matter has been made the subject of a
statement by Mr. Laurier. which, in the
ordinary course, would relieve them
IL TO-, I'll
They take the View however, that the
pendency of the negotiations with Great
Britain on this subject make it inadvis-
able at this time to make public the of
fetal record of the proceedings of the
joint commission. 1t can be stated.
however. on authority. that there is no
disposition to question the accuracy of
the statement made by Sir Wilfrid
Tuesday as to the position respecting
arbitration of the Canadians. But this
is subject to the important qualification
that the statement referred To a state of
affairs existing when the commission
was in session and at its termination and
not later. Since then there have been
negotiations directly betwe TIE British
government and the government of the
United States. conducted of late through
Mr.. Choate and Lord Salisbury in Lon
don. and of what has taken place there
Sir Wilfrid Laurier's statement takes no
account. 1t is reiterated in the most
earnest manner by the officials here that
in these ncgc tiations Canada stood in the
way of an agreement which the British
authorities after mature consideration
had accepted as eminently fair and just
Respe citing the Canadians demand for
the possess SION of Pyramid harbor on the
Lynn canal. pending the decision of an
arbitration or some other competent au-
thority that her title is good. it can be
stated that the position of our govern
ment remains unchanged. 1t does not
recognize any parallel between the Cana
dian claim to Pyramid harbor and our
own claim to Dyea and Skaguay. OF
the latter we have been in undisputed
possession for many years. in fact our
title has never before been questioned
The proposition from the British side
to declare neutral s;rip of country lead
Tarks Names His Counsel
Alfred, Me, June Frank Parks Of
Kittery, the alleged murderer of Mrs.
Mary Tarltun. an aged widow Of Kittery.
was arraignyd yesterday in the York
county supreme court. After the two
counts of the Indictment had been read
to him he uttered a plea of not guilty"
AS he was without mean. and wanted
the state to furnish an attorney To defend
him. Parks named as his choice Judge
Emery of the Portsmouth IN. IL mu-
uiCipal court. Judge Wiswell assigned
Judge Emery To the case. and named
June IL as the day for the beginning Of
the trial.