The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-02-20
BRITISH CONCESSIONS.

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to protect the interests of our country,
and to advance those interests, when
they conflict with the claims of Great
Britain.
The Alaska boundary was n matter
that required the most careful hand
ious to obtain port in what had been
regarded as part of our Alaskan ter
ritory. They set up claim as to the
Interpretation of the Russian treaty by
which this country got title to Alaska
which would have given them access
to the sea, and made it unnecessary for
them to send goods through United
States territory to the Klondike. The
negotiations We're long and difficult
principally because of the uncomprom-
! ising attitude of Canada. At last,
4 however, the matter was settled, pend
ing a final award, by the adoption of a
line of division between the British and
American possessions which retained
for this country the coast line intact.
Some weeks ago, after the beginning
goes of American hour-not carried,
however, in American ships-were
seized by the British in East African
waters, on the ground that they We're
supplies for the Beers, and contraband
of war. Representations were made at
once to the British government, stating
that this country could not allow that
such cargoes were contraband, and de-
manding redress. After much discus
sion, our claim was allowed In full;
the British government gave up the
principle for which they had been con-
| tending. and the owners of the flour
will be compensated, not only for the
cost of the cargoes, but for what would
be a reasonable profit thereon. Our ad-
ministration in this case not only OBJ
tanned release of the cargoes, and COM
pensation for their seizure, but also es-
t;Ibiished an important principle of in
ternational law, which will be invalu-
able in future.
The latest case of British concession
is perhaps even more important than
either of the other two mentioned. The
Clayton Bulwer treaty has been modi-
fed 81 that this government has now
the undisputed right to acquire what
ever territory in Central America may
be necessary to insure our control of
the Nicaragua canal when it is built.
This treaty, made in 1850, has hereto
fore been the great obstacle to the
building of the Nicaragua canal by our
government, and to our control and
operation of it when built. The treaty
provided for joint control of such n
waterway when built, and bound neith-
er power to acquire territory in Cen
trail America. Those who have studied
the question most deeply have come TO
the unanimous conclusion that when
the canal is built, 1t should be under
government auspices, and the control
absolutely in the hands of our govern
ment. President Mckinley therefore
directed his efforts to the obtaining of
n modification of the treaty which
would allow this to be done; and he
has succeeded admirably. AS noted in
the Associated Press dispatches, Great
Britain obtains no "quid pro quo" for
the concessions made by her in this
case, voluntarily relinquishing what
ever rights she had to joint control of
the canal, and whatever objections she
had to the acquisition by our govern
ment of territory in Central America
necessary to operate and control the
canal.
A concerted campaign is now in prog
ress by the Democratic and Populist
press of the country to arouse opposi-
ton to the administration on the ground
that it is in alliance with Great Brit
ain. No such alliance has been made,
nor can be made without the knowl-
edge of the United States Senate; and
there is no desire for such an alliance
either by the Republican party or any
of its responsible representatives. The
Democratic press, however, partly by
Misrepresentation and partly by direct
ly lying, hopes to raise n prejudice
against the administration on account
of its supposed friendliness to Great
Britain.
1t is true that the relations of this
country and Great Britain have been
friendly for the past three years-just
as they have been friendly with Ger
many and with France, and with other
nations. But if friendliness produces
such substantial results as those
named above-if we can get more con-
cessions from Great Britain by being
friendly than by a chip-on-the-shoulder
attitude-then surely it would seem to
be wise to maintain friendly relations