The Topeka state journal., 1906-03-31
SENATE A BAR.
No Reciprocity Treaties VIII Be
Considered at Present.
Secretary Root Gives Up Hope
Of Trade Agreements.
HOUSE STANDING PAT.
HOUSE STANDING PAT.
Payne Has Announced That
Tariff Must Stay as 1t Is.
State Department viii Take Up
Seal Fishery Question.

washington, March l.-CoIFllcSa
that reciprocity treaties with Great
Britain for the establishment OF closer
trade relations between the United
States and Canada are out of the
question at this time. Secretary Root
has determined to abandon the tariff
question for the present and IS busying
himself with other matters of vital in
terest to this country and Canada in
the hope OF settling points Of differ
ence which bade fair to be settled by
the joint high commission when the
Klondike gold strike caused the nego-
tiations to be broken of suddenly and
endangered a feeling of hostility
which did not subside until a mixed
tribunal fixed the boundary between
the British and American mineral
lands.
A canvass Of the senate persuaded
Secretary Root that reciprocity would
not be considered at this session of
congress. Although there was much
cIamor for tariff revision and modi-
fication early in the session, it failed
to gain many supporters and the re-
cent announcement Of Chairman
Payne Of the house committee on
ways and means that no tariff legisla-
ton would be passed by this congress
confirmed the reports that Repub-
ican leaders had agreed to accent the
counsel Of the stand patters."
AS the state department is under
obllgat1ons to secure concessions for
Germany in return for the favor she
gave the United States by permitting
this country to remain among the
favored nations in spite of the dis
cTiminatory tariffs recently put into
force by the German governna ent.
Secretary Root feels that it would not
kdr -.
pc Wlse 10 undertake other tariff pro
positions at a time when legislators
seem so little inclined to tariff
changes The preservation Of Niagara
Fails, the control of the St Johns
river between New Brunswick and
Maine and unjust Determinations
against American fishermen along the
east coast of Canada are among the
matters demanding adjustment.
seal fishing in Bering sea and the
north Pacific is another subject of dis
pLte between Canada and the United
states which demands settlement
Seizure of British vessels by the Uni
ted states resulted in international en-
tanglements extending. over a number
Of years and in 1892. the subject was
referred to arbitration and the Paris
tribunal of arbitration decided against
the United States and ruled that the
taking of seals in the high seas was
a legitimate and lawful occupation, but
as the United States and Great Britain
had both declared themselves in favor
Of protecting seals the tribunal pro-
mulgated series of regulations for
pelagic sealing which were deemed ad-
eQuate to protect the seal of the Pri-
! bylof herd. The regulations have pro
ven inadequate and the number of
seals has decreased rapidly. Great
Britain refused to take part in an in
/ ternationaI conference held in 1897 by
/ Japan, Russia and the United States
to discuss plans for the protection of
fur seals. In the same year Great
/ Britain consented however, to send sci
entific men to join in an investigat
/ Of the fur seals about Pribylof islands
/ and the report of these scientists.
! prominent among whom was David
Starr Jordan, president of Stanford IN
( iveTsity, showed a diminution of the
/ herd which threatened the extinction
{ of fur seals. This report was held by
! the United States to sustain its posi-
/ ton against seal fishing.
Other subjects which viii doubtless
1 be taken up again by Secretary Root
{ are:
Provisions for the transit of mer-
/ chandise in transportation to or from
/ either country across Intern ediate ter
( ritory of the other, whether by land
or water; transit of merchandise from
one country to be delivered at points
in the other beyond the frontier;
alien labor laws applicable to the sub
/ jects or citizens Of the United States
and Of Canada; mining rights of the
/ subjects or citizens of each country
within the territory of the other; a re
! vision of the agreement Of 1917 re-
( sDecting naval vessels on the great
/ lakes; provisions for the conveyance
for trial or punishment Of persons IN
/ the lawful custody of officers of one
/ country through the territory Of the
other; reciprocity in wrecking and
salvage rights.