The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-01
THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY.

" 9TH the assembling in London OF the
\A/ Alaskan. Boundary Commission there will
be revival OF interest:in a:controversy that
at one time aroused quite an intense feeling in this
country. and in Canada: The interest," however; will
not be very keen for the argument has been long
since exhausted and i'll not expected that the COM
mission will settle the dispute The commission
does not constitute board Of arbitration. There are
three representatives OF each of the contending par
and there is representative OF any power to
decide between them the popular expectation is that
each side will uphold its own and that when
their report IS made the situation will remain very
much as It has been since the 1nodus vivendi was
agreed upon between Secretary Hay and Lord
Paunoefote in 1900. ~:
About the utmost that can be expected of the com:
mission is that some agreement will be reached as
TO the essential facts OF the and foundation be
thus laid for a future settlement Of the issue Even
should there be disagreement upon some essential
points the statement Of the disagreement will have
the effect Of clearly defining the points OF anagonsm
and that extent will aid in preparing for dealing
with them justly and satisfactorily at later time
Such being the case popular interest in the proceed
ings OF the commission will be directed mainly to the
form in which the arguments OF the contendng par
ties arc presented and will be almost as much AGA
demic as political :. -
The question has been referred to a joint commits
rather than to board of arbitration because the
United States Senate and indeed.a majority of the
American people are unwilling to submit to the afbi-
tration of any foreign power the question of the
rghulness OF our sovereignty the disputed ter
ritory. 1t is difficult indeed for us to understand
that Canada has any foundation whatever for her de-
mand that concede TO her territory. that has long
been in our possession and was much longer in Rus
sian possession, undisputed by any
1t is well known that the claim OF the Canadians
arose out OF desire their part get port for
the Klondike territory. Had there been no gold dis
coveres in that part of the world there would never
have been any contention against our occupation and
sovereignty over the strip of land that shuts the
Canadians out from access to the sea 1t is familiar
truth that the wish father the thought Canada
strongly wishes port Of her own opposite the Klon-
dixie and out OF that wish has arisen first the thought
that she has right such port and later the claim
that wrongully depriving her of her territory.
The American case based upon the undisputed oc-
cupation OF the territory by Russia, from whom we
obtained title, is confirmed by the language of
the treaty between Russia and Great Britain on the
subject and by official statements in written docu-
ments Of British and of Russian diplomats. The
treaty in defining the line along the disputed strip
says shall be formed by line parallel to the sim
uoses OF the coast and which shall never exceed the
distance of ten marine leagues therefrom" The lam
uage itself is clear but it is made even clearer by
statements OF the negotators the intent of the
reservation Russia of the strip along the coast
NJ de Poetica in report to Count Nesselrode said:
In fixing the longitude Count de Lambert had
mainly in view the establishment of barrier at
which would be estopped once and for all, to the
north as well as TO the west of the coast allotted to
our American company, the encroachments of the
Hudson Bay Company"
1t thus clear that the prime object of the treaty
on the part OF the Russians shut the Hud-
son Bay Company from the sea, and the limits were
fixed expressly for that purpose The United States
has succeeded TO the rights of Russia and Canada
has succeeded to the rights of the Hudson Bay Com
pany. Il will therefore require the exercise of
good deal Of ingenuity on the part of the British
commissioners to make even a good pretense of
showing to justify the Canadian claims.
The plumbers Of Portland are out on strike. While