Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-07-26
WANTS ARBITRATION.
Canadian Official Talks on the Alas.
ka Boundary.
WHY THERE'S NO CLASH.
Gravely Asserts That the NOndis-
cOvery of Gold Alone Avert
ed Collision in the Dis
puted Territory.

Boston, July ga special to The Adj
Vertiser from Ottawa says: From high
official whose position renders it certain
that every word he says in this matter
Is absolutely authoritative, Il statement
Is given out as to the facts in the Alas
kan boundary dispute.
81 believe" said this official, that the
only thing that has prevented very
grave and serious situation between the
imperial government and the United
States is the fact that no gold discoveries
have been made this year In the disputed
territory.
'"The position Of the imperial govern
ment, which Of course implies that Of
Canada, is that almost every feasible eff
fort has been made to secure a provision
al boundary pending arbitration, but ex-
cept as to the White and Chilkoot
passes, where the boundary was settled
two years ago, there seems little hope Of
an agreement on the southern part OF the
boundary"
The official referred to said there was
not a scrap Of foundation to any report
that there had been any difference of
opinion in any matter between the Ca
madam government and the British gov.
Ci VA any l''lill W ldlcNtI III Coll-
troversy with the United States. and
that in point of fact the British for
eign office had had supreme charge of the
business with ambassador Choate.
Only Temporary.
I'm the failure of attempts to negoti-
ate a provisional boundary" he continued
1.-THE matter hangs in air; but even if the
temporary line had been settled. it would
have been with the express understand
ing that it was to stand only pending ar
bitration We offered long ago to take
the terms of the Venezuelan arbitration,
upon which the United States insisted SO
strongly under President Clcveands
administration, as the basis for the Alas
kan Judgment When that offer was de-
clined we went even further.
"The United States wants to retain
Dyea and Skaguuy under any circunl-
stances. We believe these places to have
been W.tdin thp proper Canadian line;
but we appreciate the fact that the
possession of these camps would give us
plenty Of trouble and annoyance. We
cannot deliberately give up territory for
nothing. without even the pretense of
protest but we are willing to have a
special article instructing the arbtrators
to place all proper weight on the fact
that those two towns We're built up by
Americans without a protest from the
Canadian government. Could we make
any greater concession than that?
As to Arbitration.
"As to the board of arbitration, there
are plenty Of great jurists in the world
who would be free from any faint of sus-
picion. Canada would accept any Of
these men as umpire. You know the at
titude of Russia toward the United
States as compared to her attitude to-
ward England. Yet we are willing to
submit the dispute to a board of three ar
bitrators one to represent the United
States, one to represent Great Britain and
Canada and the umpire to be a man like
De Giers of Russia or Dupuy of France
or any other great diplomat of that rank.
"To us this seems absolutely fair. or,
if there be an advantage, it seems to lie
with the United States in such board,
considering the present European condi-
tions. We want nothing more than sim
pie justice. and we think we are entitled
to that. 70 MS the attitude of the United
States in the Venezuelan case seems to
make it logically reasonable and just
that the United States should accept AZ
bitration in the Alaskan case"