The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-31
Circulation Statement.
The Alaskan Outrage.

democratic sources. II WOuId De productive
Ct grave fears for the immediate future OF
our institutions and liberties If the more
intelligent of Marcus A. Hanna's follow
ers were to give their assent to such an
attack upon national honor as is contained
in the surrender of about two thousand
square miles Of our Alaskan domain to
Great Britain. Some but, we are happy
to say. not all, Republican organs are Civ
ing consent to the offence by their silence.
No one of them OF national Importance is
giving active and open support to it. The
New York Sum- in its issue of July 30,
devotes leading editorial to the subject.
and introduces it in the following Lam
guage:
1T must be remembered that have nothing
but unofficial reports yet concerning the alleged
proposal of the State Department 10 yield 10
Canada territory ii the Chilkat region which the
United States acquired from Russia and has pos
sessed for exactly one-third of century.
1T is not in the power Of the Secretary Of State
70 ALLEVIATE square foot Of American territory.
Congress can do that. but the Executive cannot.
1t is even question open to argument whether
land which the United States Government
exercises dominion can he transferred to another
flag by treaty alone. that is to say, by the sole
action Of the Executive with the advice and CON
sent OF a two-thirds majority in the Senate The
power TO dispose Of territory which IS the prop
erty % the United States is specifically vested by
the Constitution in the Congress; not merely IN
The treaty making branch Of the Government
1t is true. as the sun" remarks. that
We have yet only unofficial reports con-
corning the cession. Unfortunately there
is too much reason for believing that,
though unofficial. they are true, and that
when officially corroborated We shall find
that a large portion of the Chilkat OF
Porcupinc district has been abandoned by
our national authorities, and that the Brit
ism Government has been permitted with
out opposition to enter upon fun de facto
possession of the area, by garrisoning
and by placing its boundary monuments
twenty miles outside of the international
line which has been recognized as the limit
OF Grest Britain's holding ever since we
bought Alaska from Russia thirty three
years ago. and previously. as the Anglo
Russian line, ever since the convention of
1925.
According to all the information We have
been able to gather in the connection. in
Guiding the formal protest of the American
miners who have prospected and devel
oped the district, our people have been
violently and unconstitutionally deprived
of their rights as American citizens in
American territory, and have been ex-
patriated by being placed under the flag
and sovereignty of Great Britain without
their consent. and in contrayention of law
and justice We cannot agre with our
New York contemporar. that fortunately
The hroad and prava o,actFor- copoa-,;,,
the proper constitutional procedure in the
matter of the alienation Of American ter
ritory are premature at this time" The
territory has been surrendered and, &C
cording to the accounts we have received.
is in full adverse possession under local
Canadian political and military admins
tration. That there may be left an aca-
Gemic question relating to the matter of
de jure ownership. We are willing to con-
cede; but it can be nothing more. When
the nation in possession voluntarily re-
linquishes land to another claiming it. and
permits that other to erect its boundary
marks. and to establish forts, courts. and
custom houses within the surrendered
area, there is not much chance of its being
recovered short Of war. The abandonment
is tantamount to confession of iudg-
ment in favor Of the claimant, and any
future Joint high commission or arbitra-
ton tribunal will be bound to so construe
it. The ~sun" evidently hopes that the
gift has not yet become un fat aceompli.
but IT says that the news is Sufficiently
startling 10 command the attention of all
Americans
1T looks Ike proposition put forth tentatively
in order to ascertain whether public interest is
so much engTossed in the Presidential campaign.
in affairs IL China, and in other matters at home
and abroad that It will either tolerate with indif
ference surrender Of territory scquiesce
submissively in a practical DullifcatiOn Of the
Monroe Doctrine. We apprehend that il the re-
suit shows that the American people do not care
much whether our Government keeps or gives
away this tract, considerably larger than The
tire State Of Rhode Island, the provisional
boundary will not be long in becoming estab-
lished. tile preliminary arrangement will not be
long in claiming formal recognition, and the tenn
porary recession Of frontier will snlidify
into humiiiating permanence.''
The bona fdes Of the Administration in
the premises does not appear TO be as OBJ
vious to the Sun" as its opening para
graphs might lead one TO suppose Be
tween the lines, most readers will fancy
that they detect a real alarm lest the
charges OF the miners and statements from
the locality should prove true. 1t con-
tinues:
I'VE are here considering tentative propcs4l
TO cede territory to Canada, TO make protest
far the extension o. the existing possessions of
European power in This hemisphere, and 10 with
draw from citiztns whom the American nag
floats its protecting folds II the object OF
tie reports about tie provisional Alaskan boundary
j. TO test the temper OF the country on this sub
iect the response ought to be prompt and en-
sshstic enough to leave doubts in the mind Of
Secretary Hay.
1T has been his choice and misfortune on
more than previous occasion conduct on his
individual responsibility negotiations with
the British Ambassador which have resulted in a
manner exceedingly disfasteiul 10 the warmest
supporters Of the present Administration His
diplomatic achievement in the matter Of the par
ti;ion Of Samoa, intended no doubt as a manifesto
ton Of good viii 10 Great Britain and con-
Yeuience 10 her Government in its relations with
Germany, cat.sed many Americans to grit their
teeth. but there was no open protest. His pro
posed treaty reviving the Clayton-Bulwer cHt9n.
Clement and suTrerdrring in advance for all time
this nations full control its own interoceanic
waterway. deepened the public impression that
Nr. Hay does not measure his gratitude where
England is concerned; but the Senate, for the
tine al least, has blocked that enterprise"
There is little chance that the PROPOSE
ton" which the Sun" finds so obnoxious
will turn out to be tentative" There is
considerable ground for believing that it