New-York tribune., 1902-12-29
rEF NEWFOUNDLAND TREAT.

II is really difficult 10 see any adequate ground
for opposition by American fishermen TO the
Newfoundland treaty. Analysis of that lnstru-
u1ent leads to the conclusion that II wou'u
benefit them moro than ii would fnJure them.
IT seems quite certain that 1t would GreatlE
benefit them. while it is doubtful If II "ouid
iniIre them at all. and practically certain fhat
if Z did injure them il would be TO only siight
extent The injury. if any. would he IN me
opening of our markets 10 the competition "I
Newfoundland fishermen Now. there are three
kinds of fish TO be considered. One is dry nsh
That is salted and dried cod. As our hshermen
do not produce that commodity its free admis-
sion would not impair any industry of theirs
unless people here should take 10 using more
salt cod and less fresh fish which is not at all
likely. Another is fresh fish, a great staple of
our markets and the product of a great indus
t1y. of which however. scarcely one-fourth is
conducted by our New England fishermen
That kind may. however be left out of consid-
Grafton. since il is not proposed TO grant reci-
procity therein or TO lessen the protection which
il now has The third class is that of green
fsh-to wit fish wet salted and not dried. That
is the great product of the Gloucester fishermen,
and it is the one item in which this treaty
would permit Newfoundland competition with
them In our markets.
On the other hand. let us look at the assured
advantages to the New England fishermen
which this treaty provides. 1t gives them free
bait in Newfoundland waters. Those waters
are the only adequate source Of bait. Our fish
ernen. like the Canadians and Frenchmen. must
get supplies from Newfoundland or go without.
Last wear scores of American fishing schooners
got their bait from Newfoundland. and in ad-
iition during last winter some two hundred
thousand barrels of frozen and salted bait were
taken from that country by Americans, herring
bait being in winter obtainabe nowhere else.
So our fisheries are practically dependent upon
Newfoundland for bait. Now. there is a New
foundland law which il enforced. would totally
debar US from getting bait there at any price
But under the modus riUendi Of 1888 our fisher
men are permitted to purchase bait under Ii
eenses which cost them 81 30 a ton on their
vessels or from S120 TO $500 year on each
schooner. This treaty would not only supersede
the rnodus rirendi and practically abrogate the
bait law in our especial and exclusive favor.
making it impossible for our fishermen to be
excluded from Newfoundland waters or bait
markets but it would also abolish this burden
some license fee In brief ii would make the
waters Of Newfoundland and the Newfoundland
bait market as free TO United States fishermen
as to the Newfoundlanders themselves. 1t Is
confidently to be believed that that advantage
would very largely surpass whatever slight
evils of competition our fishermen might suffer
in single kind of fish.
The other provisions of the treaty. relating to
minerals foodstuffs. machinery. ETC. have al
ready been considered. They are certainly ad-
rantageous TO the United States. For example.
it is provided that United States products are
to be admitted to Newfoundland on as favor
able terms as those of Canada or any other
country now enjoy. and that If at any time
lower or preferential rates shall be granted to
any other country they shall also be granted TO
the United States. The treaty would therefore
prevent Newfoundlands granting discriminat-
ing rates TO Canada or to Great Britain without
granting them also TO the United States That
is something of much potential Importance TO
this country. and it helps to make up the sum
total of a convention which seems worthy Of
prompt and ungrudging ratification.