New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-14

Banks the preventves only perfunctory searched
her for bait and not finding any; towed her to the
st. Pierre roadstead that she might get a new spar
them we'll The next year. however. retrtbution
6 SeT6e and the previous year story haYnG
leaked out, she was confscated- Another craft
seized about the time. claimed TO be bound
for the banks but grass was growing In her
dories' bottoms and she had only two days water
search revealed eighty barrels which cost her 800
but partly fitted with hooks. but the remark
able case was that OF a man VINO, twice convicted
already released on saturday. only TO be
caught again on Monday, whereupon his vessel was
seized and sold on Tuesday.
The next step special vote by the French
government to help the Pierras procure bait or, in
other words TO S1v c {e 5a
emboldened by this. decided to defy the cruisers
nt es der to- mean T HeaVe to; I'll send boaf
but really reading. through misplaced flag How
one smuggling smack saw the error, and quickly
hoisted an answering signal rac mar cont need
the Gordon and made st. Pierre On returning
for trial by the Supreme Court, where they escaped
conviction because of the above incident but the
prisonment. with the Judges intimation of the full
penalty otherwise, put an end to bait smuggling
BY degrees the keener fishermen saw the benefit
Of using the bait to catch cod themselves The
French shortage became marked that all could
estimate the part the Bait act was playing in its
complete confidence in the new policy grew
hrmer and to-day the sections which twenty years
bait trafic are among the most successful fishery
using wheiks found on the Grand Banks and on
the Lodges st. Pierre, but few years suficed
Dc to This sne aaEar f
fishery having been failure the last four years,
until II looks as II the end of their little town was
in sight.
SMUGGLING BAIT NOW LIMITED
The smuggling Of bait to-day is confined to the
small class of naer-do-weIls found in every coun-
try. and they carry it on with the running of re-
turn cargoes of smuggled goods from st. Pierre.
Liquors, provisions. fishery and similar ar
ticles are obtained by them in the Pierrais cap
itaI and bartered for bait the business being how
ever. only the shadow of what it once was in the
halcyon days of two decades ago. when the traffic
was conducted almost without secrecy, and even
hiding places We're made in tho creeks and ravines.
contraband was stored In caves and forests and
the revenue laws openly scOrned.
The latest phase Of this subject is the shutting
fullest liberties for seventeen Years in the belief
that Newfoundland would secure reciprocity as
found the Tnfed States Senafe eascsti tS # of
line Of demarcation has been drawn. Newfound-
her G Claims 80 B en6 has PHS a1 n6
nothing to lose. All her products that enter the
United States are now heavily taxed, and not
likely to be- any more so, while vigorous en-
compact which CENTER easure s failed in Securing
me license fees our treasury gains from the
United States vessels do not exceed $500 year
and the money the fsherfolk obtain by the sale OF
bait can be duplicated easily by their catching the
tons from all parts of the southern seaboard
export duty to be imposed on all bait taken by
them OF at least 81 barrel If it not prohibited
altogether, and the decision to adopt the latter
course has been warmly welcomed by the local
nsherfolk The Americans have the right, under
the treaty Of 1918, to fish the southwest coast
ana can thus take bait there themselves, but the
FRENCH had the same right there and found it sc
Eluees5 to them latterly that they surrendered al
their claims to that seabOard the compare lively
trivial advantages which the Anglo-Galiic treaty
CT last year assured 10 them in lieu OF their with
qi3Wal their endeavOr to secure the vetong OF the
Bait act being fruitlesS
Inc reason why fishery privileges on the western
shofe are FaIueless to the French and Americans
nowadays IS that the region is remote from the
Grand Banks TO make 1t profitable for the fishing
vessels 10 seek bait there. while If they dc
tney cannot procure ii in any quantity without the
aid of the residents and it is an offence against thf
BAIT act for the latter help foreigners to procure
BAIT unless the vessels have a license. This nstru
Inent is now denied to the Americans who are thus
thrown on their own resources, which are alto,
gether inadequate TO enable them retain the nd.
outrageous position they have hitherto occupied
me prohibition also prevents their obtaining ice
seII, stores fishery requisites crews and denies
them access to other coasts at ALL save for wood
water shelter or repairs. Their endeavors to pro
cure bait in defiance of the laws are likely 10 re-
suit IN some serious clashes between them and the
Coional authorities which Will involve the seizure
ana conTscation Of offending vessels, and such
a turmoil may awaken the Senate 10 reconsider
It's action and ratify the Bond-H Hay treaty without
value t. this island. - "