New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
BOND NAY KILL TREATY.
on VERGE or h BLUNDER.
RetaIiatory Legislation Great Mis-
take for Newfoundland.
frRON rHF TRlBUNE BUREAU /

,,-osbington. kpril lS.-NewfOundland will
-, ,rretrieHable error if it rashes its legis-
,a.son affecting the fishing industry OF this
-o,,try 70 a point where its retaliatory char
..tor is unmistakable, according TO a prominent
c.,stor. who is entirely familiar with the mind
I, .ba Senate on the subject That the Hay
Yo,d treaty may possibly be ratified next win
~ is conceded, even by those who are reported
= ,o,-a placed serious obstacles IN its path at
.o last session. and Il is also insisted that sen
- lodge and Hale were not responsible FOR
=. o,erloading Of the convention with the
.,sr,s,rs which insured its ultimate loss
-, +ta ,,op,llar impression that the Sen
named were chiefly instrumental In
.,s,np the treaty 10 death. it is urged that
.,,,. material change they made in the con-
-, v-as the transfer OF salt fish 10 the
-...,,e and Of fresh fish to the free list-a re-
-, ~ the provisions OF the treaty as nego-
80 In defence of this change II Is poiii'e0
,ts+ where the salting or packing Industry
:. .bare the fishing industry will necessarily De'
:, have afforded admission free OF dnly 10
-, from, Newfoundland would ineVitapy
- ,,5,,ed out the fishing industry Of Maine
"a massachusetts, In return for the aoiiliSs4o'l
- 5u,v OF Newfoundland's fresh hsh' the
,,.- esbernen were TO receive the prNl-
-, ~ catching bait of the Ne"lou'iul1iiU
.noras without the payment OF hceISe
,., ,t is declared, was the only cohCesS4o'
,..o-icar fishing industry received ana 'Na'
- -egsried Of minor importance. as the pay
,,.r,s 10 Newfoundland for licenses
- little more tnan $4,000 year
PROSPECT OF RATIFICATION.
o.A.- commercial advantages TO the United
,,.otss under The terms Of the treaty wouiu NAV
-. 81, increased market for woollen goous' se''
- r,bfer boots. shoes and clothlhs, oele7'
- etc Al present the total imports OF ~ Ne~-
.o,,5land amount 10 little more thah S-'VO',o'0
- II which The United States already tur-
80 inward of 100000 so that the CONNER
,.o-si7erations were not important Ihe one
CO -. ss,,antaee TO be gained by approval
- ,reat,, would be the effecting OF closer re-
-. i'm Newfoundland. thus saving that
- .ro,o the necessity of making closer re4a-
-. ,,+r Canada This IS point when ap-
.,,z e-ronal,- 10 some Senators, and whlch'
i, s-.rer ar71pljAcation on the hoor OF lhe
-. may result in final ratification OF lhe
,.,sirr convention. Senators Lodge anu n'ie
non emphasized this advantage IN the sIee'iie9
,bsv made in executive session when me 'ie"'s
VAS considered. but the marble lhleles's -
z-.rr,orr the mineral interests or west va INC
- ,.,e- interests in several sections proved 'oo
,,,sr+ ~ Kermit Of ratification uhtI tle 00ii
csssio1ls on Newfoundland slate, ores e1c' hdu
teer stricken from the convention ana lne IN
r,rument so amended that any enoTt 10 eA-
-. ..,7cations would have been ridiculous
Tbe likelihood OF Newfoundland's resclnoine
she license privilege heretofore granted TO
.-,.-ican fishermen, whereby they were permit
,es 10 take bait of the Newfoundland coast IN
-, o,-e,+ NJ failure Of the treaty was fully ap-
,,o;a.e5 n,z, the representatives Of the Glouces-
,a- and Maine fishing interests who came 10
washington at the last session OF congress- anu
M complaint from them as result OF such ac-
sion bv Newfoundland has reached the govern
,oent Ample bait il IS said, can be taken on
the coast Of Maine and II is not improbable that
she American fleets VIII adopt the custom or
The English trawlers and use bait steamer
viii, facilities for preserving the bait which
would act as tender TO the feet, precisely as
colrar accompanies and serves naval feet. In
any event. the Newfoundland bait licenses serve
merely as a convenience TO American fishermen
A T!rpose on the part of Newfoundland 10
rescind certain privileges insured TO the Amerl-
can fishing interests by the treaty Of 1918 Is IN
dicated In the dispst tches from St Johns. IN
Ger the terms Of that treaty American fishermen
enjoy The right 10 take bait of The west coast
Of Newfoundland where the shore IS conpara-
lively unuhabiIed. IN the winter they take
herring of this coast also, but TINS lsh IS taken
80 far on the coast 10 remove II from the
control OF Newfoundland. The dispatches are
not clear on this subject, however, and il IS not
believed that Newfoundland would be so unwise
20 attempt 10 abrogate the treaty Of 1873
10 do so would inevitably precipitate friction
with the United States. Such abrOgatlon could
be accomplished only by the seizure Of Ameri-
car fishing vessels and the United States could
not escape the necessity Of drastic action were
such violation of American rights 10 be per
petrated. II is also regarded as unlikely that
Newfoundland could be short sighted as 10
attempt 10 prevent Americans from fishing of
the west coast. for the reason that the American
fleets. 10 avoid friction with individual New
ioundlanders, have been in the habit of en-
ploying Newfoundland crews thus anording
considerable profitable employment TO the
people Of the island.
q Is hoped by those faVOrng the Hay-Pond
convention well as by those who have been
reported as opposing II, that Premier Bond
Nll temper mis- course with discretion, as, how
ever bright might otherwise be the prospects
~ The convention which bears his name. the
Senate would never ratify il If placed in the
position Of doing under the fear of retalia-
lon OF the compulsiOn Of retaliatory measures.
Mhie Newfoundland is almost too small 10
aus serious resentment, the principle Of rati-
IElng reciprocity treaty under the lash Of re-
laiaiort Discrimination could not, II is declared.
~ fouhfenanced either by the Senate the ad-
Hnistration