The Portland daily press., 1899-05-30
Series Of Acts Hostile To This COun.
try.
Position on Alaskan
Boundary.
Settlement Impossible If Left
To Canada.

Washington, May 29.-Feeling 1t to be
necessary at this stage in the exchanges
between the United States and Great
Britain respecting the Canadian boundary
controversy that the exact attitude oil the
American commissioners should be de-
fined and that the people not only OF the
United states, but also of Great Britain
might have an opportunity to judge for
themselves of the comparative rectitude
Of the actions of the United States and
Canada respectively, the following state
ment has bsen obtained FROM a prominent
person:
n Canada continues to be land of sur
prlses. The friendly protocol of Wash
ington was signed on May 30, 1898 for the
adjustment of all differences between the
United States and Canada is most
amicable spirit. The Ink on that protocol
was only well dried when the province of
Ontario discovered y chance to exhibit
her idea of International equity. Amerl-
can mbermen had been invited to take
timber limits in that province with the
privilege of cutting logs and exporting
them to the United States. The provincial
government, after giving them their
leases and taking their money into the
treasury, passed decree prohibiting the
export of such logs. with the result OF
causing some bankruptcies in Michigan.
During the sessions of the commission,
the same peculiar idea of International
justice was exhibited in another province
that of British Columbia This time 1t
was the mining interests that were IN
yolved. The authorities of that province
he # fhsa A raFtR m
who had made the discoveries of gold; al.
lowed them to spend thousands of dollars
In constructing railway to the scene of
their interests and then proceeded to
change their laws to contine all such
mining privileges to British subjects and
British corporations.
There was another instance of this kind
Of practice in the case of American
nursery men. They had taken contracts
to supply certain stocks to the Canadians
when, under the prstense OF fear OF san
Jose scale, the Canadian authorities pro-
hibited any further importation Of
nursery stock. AT the same tin e, the
Canadian courts held the Americans liable
for violation of the contracts which their
own laws had caused to be violated. Inc
dominion government also seems to share
taese peculiar principles of international
Intercourse in respect to the boundary of
Alaska. They protested Indignantly
against any conditions saving the exist
ing right of Americans to the country to
be al b. trated.
Years before the commission met,
United States citizens, without any ques-
ton or protest against their right to do
so, had occupied the headwaters OF the
Lynn canal and established towns and
settlements there. Canada had never as
serted a claim to the region. The Amert-
sans had built paths over the passes from
ihe Lynn canal beyond the mountains
md esta blished communication with the
YUKON by intervening lakes and streams
This, too, was done without protest or
question of their right to pass over tn e.
mountain SUBMITS.
Under these circumstances the United
states commissioner thought 1t right to
withhold such tide water settlements from
Jhe arbitrators' jurisdiction and it was
against this Limitation that the Canadian
commissioners 80 vehemently protested.
Now it seems that Canada is protesting
with equal vehemence against arbitration
unless the United States shall agree to
give them in any case, the pyramid har-
Dor region to which they never, before
The meeting OF the commission, asserted
any right, which they had never occupied
with flag or constable or even
Canadian subject or canoe. How they
reconcile this claim with their position,
In the commission in respect to referring
the boundary question to arbitration re-
mains to be explained to the British gov
eminent. There seems little prospect of
adjustment of the boundary question If
1t Is left to the control of the Canadians.
If they are to control the action of the
imperial government it is important to
that governm emit that Canada should
bring her ideas 60 oonformityswith those
which have hitherto guided Great Britain
and the United States into the paths of
peace and friendship.
The officials familiar with what has
been done SO far in the Canadian negotia-
tions dismiss very quietly the published
statements that the present hitch grew
out of the failure of the two countries to
agree upon The nationality of an umpire
for the proposed arbitration with the
simple remark that this referred to phase
OF the negotiations existing many months
back when commission was in session
and does not cut any figure now