The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-31
/ Canada's Alaska Contention.

A London cable announces the arrival
there Of the American members Of the
Alaska boundary commission, the Cana
dian members having already arrived. The
Canadian case will be set before the court
by Edward Blake, distinguished Cana
dian liberal and former leader Of that
party in. the Dominion parliament and a
member now Of the privy council repre-
Ssenting Canadian interests in England
On our side Secretary Root and ex-Sec-
rotary Of State Foster, Hannis Taylor and
Judge J. M. Dickinson appear, Colonel Fos-
ter having had large and important Dip
lomatic experience, and being expert In
the investigation OF difficult questions.
Our representatives follow the clear and
explicit text of the Anglo-Russian treaty
of 1925 defining the boundary between the
British North America, reinforced by the
treaty of 1857 by which Russia transferred
Alaska to the United States, the same
boundary line, being set forth as in the
treaty Of 1925. The treaty provides that
| from a. certain point at SO degrees north
latitude, the line shall follow the crest Of
the mountains running parallel to the
coast rs far as the point of intersection
with the 141st degree Of west longitude.
AS there is no regular and continuous
mountain chain, the treaty-1nakers en-
tered the proviso In Article Nv. that, where
the crest Of the mountains Is more than
ten leagues from the shore, the line shall
po11 no, al f1 cir too
Of the coast, but never more than ten
marine leagues or thirty miles from it.
Obviously, the Canadian claim that the
line follows the coast Of the main ocean
and not the shores Of the numerous in
dentations is erroneous and contradictory
| of the treaty, which orders the line to
stand at thirty miles back Of the slnuosi-
ties Of the coast.
An important feature Of the Canadian
claim is that assumption that the irnpor-
tant Lynn canal, upon which the towns OF
| Skagway and Dyea are located, Is only a
bit Of territorial water and not an arm OF
| the sea, and that the boundary runs
straight across the entrance from headland
| to headIand, and that the waters and sea-
ports, with all their improvements, should
be surrendered to Canada. The Canadians
seem to overlook the fact that, even If
| this claim were granted, they could not
get from Dyea and Skagway to the main
ocean" unless we permitted them. They
would be shut off from access to the sea
because the lower thirty miles Of Lynn
canal would be American territorial wat
ers. The chief aim Of Canada is to get
the Lynn canal.
A curious contention Of the Canadians
is that the American claim, based upon the
wording of two treaties, is contrary tc
and Inconsistent with "the improved in
ternational morality" and therefore it is
illegal" They claim that the old Chill.
Ecat Indians of the lower Alaskan coast re-
fused to let sthe interior tribes have access
to tidewater. and Russia maintained such
immortality to keep her British neighbors
from the sea. and the Americans forfeit
recognition by following the Russian ex.
ample. 1t may well be asked If Canada
thinks she is following improved interna-
tional morality" by laboring with all hel
might to possess two important seaports
which she did not build, and an important
railway in whose construction she had nc
part, using arguments which would dis
grace the arena Of a, country magistrate
court, and making claims as to matters
1dng ago adjudicated. Surely, Great Brit.
ain, who appears in behalf Of her ward II
this Alaskan boundary case, must laugh
in her capacious sleeve at the Canadian
plea in behalf Of the strict observance o.
Improved international morality" Thu
whole Canadian contention had its origin
Of recent date among land and mining
spectators who would profit by Canada's
ownership Of the short cut to the British
gold region about the upper waters Of The
Yukon river.
! The Associated Press London CORE