The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-01-31
THE ALASKAN DISPUTE AGAIN.

Through the craftsmanship of John
Hay, the Anglo-American secretary Of
state, England has won another diplo-
matte victory in the Alaskan boundary
deserving Germany in the Venezuelan
affair, John Hay has graciously agreed
to submit the Alaskan boundary uucs-
ton to Il commission composed of three
l:ritishcrs and three Americans for
settlement, thus acknowledging that
there is some doubt as to the true
boundary of Alaska since gold was
discovered there, though prior to that
time England laid no claim to a loot
of Alaska as coded by Russia to the
United States.
Two years ago the state department.
declared there was nothing to arbit-
rate, but John Hay entered into Il mod.
us vivcnd with England during the
Boer war to avoid friction between the
1.-TWO Anglo Saxon nationS,'' while
tAG iiotlicl AouHiJ itu llci lttlitlS
full in South Africa. That war being
over, England joined Germany in
making war OH Venezuela, with the
consent of John Hay, but when the
European allies realized that the
American people would fight to up
hold the Monroe Doctrine, England
Withdrew from the alliance with Ger
many OH condition that the Alaskan
boundary case be left to Il commits
sion for settlement. 1t is Il truce with
England that does not meet with the
approval of the American people, dcs-
pite the fact that it breaks up the
Anglo-German alliance for the nonce.
There is no doubt whatever but that
the United States received Il clear
title of Alaska from RUSSIA in 1867,
but as a member of the senate foreign
relations committee is reported to
have said: "If Great Britain had
asked the state department to arbi-
tratc the boundary of the District of
Columbia, the proposition would have
been accepted"
Some republican papers assert that
the American commissioners will stand
together and that none of them will
consent to yield an inch of Alaskan
territory to England. The Pioneer
Press declares that any American who
would join the British commissioners
on the question would not dare to
live in the United States ever after.
What nonsense! An American can
easily be found who would be glad to
have an opportunity to give up Alas
| kan territory to 'mother England" for
a consideration. John Hay can easily
find one to act in the capacity of Il
traitor, If he has anything to say in
the selection Of the members of the
commission.
The London press is already crow
ing over the victory gained by Sir
Michael II. Herbert. the British am
bassador, over John Hay, and Sir Will
frid Laurier, the Canadian premier,
seems to be well pleased with the deal.
The senators ut Washington, however,
are almost unanimous in their opposi-
tion to it and some of them are out
spoken in their criticism of John Hay.
Senator McLaurin says:
II will never support a treaty that
leaves to arbitration the question of
the Porcupine territory boundary. In
my Judgment such a treaty would be Il
shameful business, just as the modus
vivendi was shameful. Good Ameri-
can citizens We're in peaceful possess
sion of that territory and force Of
British armed and uniformed police
came into it and drove them off. Then
an Anglicised secretary Of state made
this agreement to give up to Great
Britain what had always been con-
sidered Americas, pending ncgotia-
tons, as it was neutrality-suspicious. for
which there was no reason in my
Judgment"
The Chicago Inter Ocean says that