The San Francisco call., 1904-06-02
PROTECTING AMERICANS.

r r IDDEN among the from St. Petersburg
n is little news item that is suggestive 1t says
L that Great Britain has collected indemnity from
Russia for the benefit of British seaers whose ships were
conscaed or interered with by Russia while sealing in
the Russian half of Bering Sea- Hardly any who read
with the great international controversy
the settlement of which furnished the cause of action
which has enabled Great Britain make this reclamation
Just when feet has been ordered to Morocco
to protect the captured GreeAmercan Perdicaris, the
whole subject is invested with interest. When MIR.
Blaine was Secretary of State in President Harrisons
administration his attention called to the seal herd
of Berng Sea. Its landing ground on the Pribiot
Islands, where had leased the privilege of taking
seals The essees complained that their profits were
abridged by peagc sealing in the open water Mr.
Blaine conceived the idea that when bought Alaska OF
Russia also bought that part OF Berng Sea ncosed
by line from the extremity of the Aeuan archipelago
the continent and by the Aleutian Islands and the
continental Shore and that all that water under our
exclusive jurisdiction mare clausum.
Upon exchange of diplomatic notes with Russia that
Government joined in this claim, and Washington and
St Petersburg agreed that owned that part OF Berng
Sea- and that Russia owned the and that thus the
whole water became closed sea. subject only to the
municipal law and jurisdiction of the two governments
In pursuance of this claim the United States for
era years seized inerfered with all sealing craft in
half of the sea, and Russia did the same in her half
Both nations in pursuance of this policy seized, ibeled
and sold, interered with large number of American
and British sealing vessels Great Britain demurred to
this claim of mare clausun and claimed that beyond
the threemile limit Bering Sea open water, the
Same the of the Pacific Ocean. After many dip
omatic exchanges Great Britain and the United States
agreed to arbitrate the by international
mission to sit in Paris
The arbrators heard the able presentation of the
and decided against the American and Russian claim of
a closed This decision against the claim that
Russia and the United States had municipal jurisdiction
beyond the three-me limit, and made all spoliatons OF
seaers the open water unlawful to be compensated
by indemnity. Thereupon judicial arbitration
ranged between the United States and Great Britain to
determine the indemnity owed the British seaers.
The claims amounted a million and half of dollars,
and were arbtrated and paid to Great Britain by the
United States.
Then the United States demanded of her partner in
the alleged ,causum Russia, indemnity for the
American seaers who had been despoed in the Russian
half OF Berng Sea. This claim arbitrated at the
Hague by DR.. Asser, who gave large indemnity to the
Americans, which promptly paid by Russia. Now
the British claim of like against Russia has been
paid, and international issue the incident is closed
Just here appears the matter OF final interest The
United States seized large number of vessels belonging
to American The Paris arbitration decided that
such seizure was unlawful The Americans despoed by
their own Government numbered three four times
than the British and Americans despoiled by Rus
sa and the British despoed by the United States.
Their losses great that the most OF them
ruined outright and have since been in poverty The
majority of them are San Franciscars But up this
time they have been paid penny for the unlawful
seizure Of their property by their Government 1t
has enforced their rights against Russia and has paid
the British seaers seized under the circumstances
and Russia has paid for sezng the British ships but
these Americans whose rights ter Government en-
forces against another nation have asked in vain for
the same justice from itself that it compels others to
render.
The case very interesting and may we'll become the
subject of study for those who desire learn the
stitution and functions of Government. When it
protects citizens abroad only branch the executive
acts and efficiently always. But when Govern
ment owes such indemnity its citizens injured by
its own unlawful act the executive becomes poweress
The President justice for American citizens
abroad, but at home Here they appeal the
other two coordinate branches the legislative and the
judicial where often, in this case, their cry for
justice falls upon deaf ears.
the relief of the American-for- convenience Perdi-
cars we may spend twice much would compensate
these genuine Americans for their losses, and they to
the of their taxpayng power will have con-
tribute the relief of the Greek in Morocco, but they
are powerless get the justice that is due from their
Government
Il. II