The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-07
In the meantime, all Is not SO lovely II,
the; Democratic camp as surface con-
tditions would indicate.
Alaskan Boundary.

Those Democratic. papers which
attacked the administration for the ex-
tension OF the modus yivendI with re- re-
gard to the boundary OF Alaska evi-
IDENTIFY have not famlllarized Themselves
with the matters In dispute. or else they
have 5recklessly Jumped at conclusions.
The Journal OF Commerce. after declar-
Ing that II believes American diploma
cy has rarely achieved a greater sue
cess than in establishing the modus vi
Yepdi with Great Britain last yeas.
maintains that 1t was practically a
complete recognition by Great Britain
of our claims, but described as q. tenn
porary arrangement, In order to avoid
.woundlng the feelings OF Canada, the
Temporary character, however, being
expressed in terms which bear the ap-
3pearance OF being designed by; the Uni
ted States and Great Britain to be per-
;manent. b;
Z In referring to the complaints OF MI
:ners," says the Journal, I'VE have al
ready pointed out the distinction be-
tween Jurisdiction and ownership.
When Great Britain 5or the United
States Is spoken Of as the owners Of the
district Jurisdiction Is meant, and the
ownership OF claims by Individuals Is.
mot affected by jurisdiction !. or soyer-
eighty. The modus vivendl contains
this language: TITS understood, as
formerly set forth in communications OF
the department of state OF the United
States, : that the citizens or subjects OF
either power, found by this arrangement
within the Jurisdiction OF the other,
shall suffer no dlmInution OF tn
rights and privileges which they now
enjoy. The Journal then goes on to
specify the nature OF the boundary at
fected by agreement with Great Brit.
ain. 1T says:
s3 The Canadlans desire the rBitish flag
over the mining regions just as our mi
ners desire the American flag, because
every man prefers the flag of hts own
country. But the real effort OF Cana
da has been not to acquire the mining
district, but to acquire part Of the
sea coast. Our boundary, defined In the
treaty OF 1925. between England and
Russia. Is range OF mountain peaks, or
ten leagues from the windings Of the
shore, where the mountain peaks are
more distant. Exploration has proved
that mountain range substantially
parallel with the coast does not exist.
Our claim, therefore, Is the ten marine
leagues. Canada set up the claim that
the ten leagues should be measured
from the outer shore line OF the islands
that fringe the coast, This would have
thrown the United States of the main
line entirely for a great part OF the
distance. The Canadians then picked
out certain mountain submits which
they said should constitute the line, but
they do not form mountain range.
They claimed, also. that the const line
should be taken from headland TO head
land. so that ten marine leagues from
. the mouth of the Lynn canal would
leave the upper part OF that inlet on
: the Canadian side. and give 1t the COW
etcd seaport on the. Pacific.
Z The temporary boundary Is nearly on
the line claimed by. the United States,
ten leagues from the windings OF the
shore, but its position is fixed by GER
tam mountain SUBMITS IN Difference TO
a part OF the Canadian claim. 1t Is
more than twenty miles In n straight
line from Pyramid Farbo-, which the
Canadians have strained every nerve to
establish their claim to: 1t is tsevernl
miles above any navtSable water In
the Chllkat Inlet OF Lynn canal. Moth
( Ing that the Canadians attached i'm
portance.t TO is retained by Great Brit
ain. lg, 10Y