The St. Louis Republic., 1904-08-26
TRADE PROSPECTS
IN NEWFOUNDLAND
People of the Island Are Keenly
in Favor of Recipro-
city.
COMMERCE BASED ON FISH.
New England Industry Almost at
the Mercy of the Good
Nature of the Col
Ony.
COMMERCE BASED ON FISH.

John H Raftery. The Republics special cor
respondent Is now n Canada TO investigate th
| I bis Is the eighth OF a series Of his articles
BY JOHN II. EAG'TERv.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
| st. Johns Newfoundland, Aug. 25.-Tht
island of Newfoundland is not part OF
the Dominion Of Canada When the vari-
GUS British North American colonies fed
Grated INTO the Dominion, Newfoundland
was besought to enter tho federation.
But she steadfastiy refused. and now
rests separate British colony, lying OF
the eastern coast oc the Dominion. Little
| Newfoundland retains its right to frame
its own tariG law in conformity with its
| own interests
The island is unanimously and keenly in
favor OF reciprocal arrangements with the
United States. For the last five years IL
mas Suilt Its hopes upon the final adoption
or the Hay-Rond treaty and now that
nope Tor the ratification OF that pact Is al
most abandoned a feeling OF resentment
AID hostility against the United States Is
becoming gradually apparent.
Sir Robert Bond, the most progressive
and liberal Premier the island has known,
had his heart set upon the success Of that
treaty. and now; admitting the improea-
oility OF its final acceptance by the Sen
ate OF the United States, his attitude is
one OF calm and even cheerful resigna-
tion. He will not go 50 far as to hint at
retaliatory measures. nor will he admit
the prevalent Newfoundland belief that In
Its past relations with the States this col
ony has had all the worst OF It.
AMERICA HAS BEST OF IT.
He does not put It just that way. but he
frankly subecribes to the popular belief
that the United States has had the advan-
u ge all along. Since Newfoundland buys
put little either in New England or other
American States, It Is not easy for the
American public TO understand just what
advantage would accrue to them by ad-
mitting Newfoundland fish free of duty.
or what Is TO be gained at last by such
proposed compacts as the Hay-Bond
treaty.
Nobody In this queer island pretends
that Its people would buy heavily Of Amer
ican products. Upon the 300 square miles
OF 1t there are but 5000 people. and only
one city-St. John's-!n which live 5000.
The interior Is undeveloped, almost unex-
plored. q wilderness OF rugged cliffs. dense
5ungles of underbrush many forests and
population Is strung out about the coast
Z! thin fringe OF hardy fisher-folk. whose
lives are as much part Of the sea as Is
the surf which fosms forever upon its
rocky margin.
For weeks the forests in a hundred Sec
uons OF the island have been blazing day
lumber has been destroyed, and the popu-
lation along the coast is not Interested
even slightly either as to the origin OF
the fires or the awful ruin being wrought.
So thoroughly maritime are the people and
the Institutions OF Newfoundland that
the dwellers Of the coast will not so much
as penetrate. much less explore, the In
terror OF their own country, Mountains
along the railway are named Topsail. GAN
Topsail and Fore Topsail. and in all the
broad island. tho tenth largest In tho
world, there is not a settlement or town
away from tideHater.
LAND FOR 50 CENTS AN ACRE
A few desultory efforts have been made
mountainous regions and It has been
gold arc present in quantities that might
be made profitable. There is much good
land. upland and timber. that can be
ernment pays O bonus for the clearing OF
such holdings.
But tho natives simply will not become
landsmen. and II is probable that the great
growth and progress OF Newfoundland II
they ever come. must come by emigration
and the induction Of foreign capital
Great herds Of caribou can be seen any
ers and lakes TEEN with trout and sal
mon. Grouse. ptarmfgan. ducks. geese and
smaller game abound. and there are
dozens Of deep long bays and estuartes
But the two days required to cross New
ffoundland in the train will not disclose
herd Of cattle. q flock of goats or sheep.
nor any OF the evidence of pioneer farm
ing
It is not nrobAhle that these people will
States. But they want to sell US fish. they
want free trade on this. their only staple
and they have but one sure compensation
TO offer. the right to take or buy bait in
Newfoundland waters.
FREE TRADE IN FISH BAIT.
extended to the United States a privilege
which can be withdrawn at any time. but
in the acceptance and use of which the
to carry on his. profitable trade. This is
no moro nor less than the bait-buyfng
extended to the United States
upon payment OF license of $50 per ton
OF the capacity Of the vessels which come
hither to get bait.
There is no other place in the world
where the right kind of bait In sufficient
waters Of NEWFOUNDLAND. No % other s eo%n. sSsa.
try has enjoyed the same generous treat
ment as that accorded by Newfoundland
to tire United States in this bait question.
LAUGH AT SENATOR LODGE
Citizens Of st. Johns, especially those
members Of Parliament who have worked
long and earnestly to promote the Hay
Bond treaty. are laughing unpIeasantly at
the attitude OF Senator Lodge of Massa-
chusetts with regard to the proposed
that to take the tariff OF Newfoundland
fish would destroy the fisheries Of Massa-
chusetts.
what would happen If the batting privi-
lege were entirely withdrawn asked Sir
Robert Bond. You could not fish without
bait and there is no bait to be had else
ing waters OF the fish business Of two con-
tfnentA."
And he smiles a far-away. quizzical
emile and resumes:
THAT would not be retaliation. Our peo-
pie cannot be expected to go on yielding
to the States which no other
British colony will Weld. We must have
which you have enjoyed at our hands,
Other Newfoundlanders are not so arnia-
BILE in expressing their opinions OF the uni
ted States and ftB Senate Committee on
F0reiRn Relations.
CLUB OVER NEW ENGLAND.
AZ q matter OF fact. nothing could be
more elective In wiping the New England
fisheries out OF existence than the cutting
on OF its Newfoundland bait. All of the
squid. caplin and herring used for bait are
there. Just why this is true has puzzled
many a learned body Of scientific fnQuir-
err. But IT gives the island a club which
ingly at the United States
Tho Newfoundland fisherman, born to
the craft and with the singular advantage
Of ownership In the bait waters of the At
lantic. has yet been at a disadvantage in
with the fishermen of other
countries. Canada pays a noble bounty to
It's fishermen, and so does France while
the tariff wall of the United States ex-
cludes all competition from the outside
world. The right to fish in Newfoundland
waters Is Of no consideration unless the
question Of bait Be first considered That
therefore. II the weapon which the island
must use in securing for itself such inter-
national trade advantages as may be re-,
Quired.
There II no sentiment or argument look