The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-09-06
SECTION TSVO.


or the ocean,, that being meant as the
coast
Fourth-That even if there were no
distinct range of mountains and the
line was accepted as ten marine leagues
from the coast. it should be ten leagues
from a meandered coast line and
should cut across the mouths of the
narrow channels and iulets with which
the coast is ~indented, leaving the har-
bOrs at the head of these inlets in the
possession of Great Britain
This Interpretation of what the old
treaty meant falls pretty fat in the
face Of the statement of Count NesseI-
rode. Russia insists on retaining ths
coast opposite Prime OF Wales island.
because h does not propose TO put &C.
at the mercy of England Russia i'm
tended to keen the English away from
the coast. There is no |disputing th2t
fact. The names the streams were
called by was of no Importance as long
as John Bull kept his place. If RussiL
stiA owned the territory there would
not be any arbitration or meetings To
decide whether the various streams had
changed their names or not. England
would be told TO keep out, and she
would DO II.
That is an old dodge Of the Canadian
government officials. and they work DC
for All il is worth. Not long ago thre
Americans fOund some gold-beariuE
gravel an american AEaNAlNEAs q SHUT
distance south of the Canadian bOrier-
Their claim was located on the north
bank OF a stream which paralleled the
little river that marked the boundary.
six miles to the north. During the
night the Canadian police moved their
headquarters TO the stream upon winch
Z the prOSpeCtOTS' claim was located. and
affably explained that they had just
discovered that instead of the boundary
being the north fork. it was the south
fork; consequently their property was
lu English territory and taxes would
have to be assessed upon the same.
! The Americans withdrew and held a
} consultation They knew 10 was "A pus
up job. There were three of them anu
only two Canadian officials. So they
pulled their guns and got the drop ON
the Britishers. Then one of the Amer
/ leans made a little speech: You fell
lows may be giving IL TO us straight.
but we think your discovery of "A
change in the boundary is all in your
hats. You would never have come
down here if we had not discovered
some dust i'm this creek. Whenever
you can prove that there is a change
in the boundary come back u Wen
fork over, but until you can prove IT..
stay away Now, O kin out of here
blamed quick, if you don't want to get
blOwed up"
They retired. swearing vengeance.
but did not come back. Tt is seldom a
wise policy to resist the Canadian DO
lice, because they have authority for
j their acts. They are the law. They.
can assess taxes and collect them on
the spot. They handle mail and act
as judges. They perform all the duties
that 1t requires a dozen officials to look
after in an American community. As
a rule they do their work well. They
are not allowed to own any property
and are moved from place TO place at
fTequenL intervals 10 prevent them
from forming associations or ties that
might prejudice their official acts.
They are generally fair. but When one
of them is disposed to misuse his au-
thority ne las full swing.
An American has little help from
his own law There is no official on the
ground who has equal authority with
the Canadian police. All matters of
Importance go to Washington.
and while they are going and getting
passed on and coming back all man
ner Of things may happen. The Eng
lish know this and take advantage Of
the situation
But we have the upper hand in own
ing the coast. Canada needs an outlet
and needs it bad. In the old days when
the English tried to bluff Russia and
failed they got along very we'll by OBJ
tanning leases and rights to use the
streams. Then the navigation was ac-
cumplished by means of small boats
which could enter the little rivers, but
the has grown to such pro-
portions now. and the vessels are so
large. that they a only enter a few
of the best harbors. The cost Of break
ing the CaTgOes for small boats is out
Of the question.
There is no %disputng the fact Of
Canada's need in h matter, but the
means she is using to help herself
ought not to be given serious consider
alton. There never was a clearer or
more distinct claim than that Of the
United States to Alaska's coast. We
have exactly the same title hat Russia
had. and Russia perfected it with the
sole intention of keeping England out.
If, in the face Of all the evidence, we
make any concession. it ought to be for
some consideration other thar the le-
gality Of Canada's claim.