The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-10-12


ment-Great Britain's Course Com
mended by American Authorities as
Being Fair-POpular Anger Against
the Mother Country is Shown in st.
Johns and Leaders Appeal to the
termination and Not Allow Their
Country to be Bullied.
Washington, October 8.-The news
that the modus vivendi had finally
been signed, was conveyed to Secre-
tary Root in a cablegram from Am
bassador Reid today announcing that
the British government had accepted
the terms of the modus vivendi re-
lating to the New Foundland fisheries.
No announcement has been received
at the state department concerning the
proposed resignation of the officials
of the New Foundland government on
account of the new agreement. Some
facts relative to the New FOundland
government, and the nsheries were
stated in which it appears that the
British government has been very
much embarrassed during the negotia-
tions on account of the demands Of
New Foundland.
The New Foundland government is
under the control of the merchant
fishermen of the island, those who buy,
cure. and sell the fishing products.
They oppose any American fishing
rights, including those guaranteed by
tn etreaty of 1918 and are dissatisfied
with any arrangement that the British
government makes to carry out the
terms of that treaty. The real fisher
men of the island are not in harmony
with the restrictions Of the New
Foundland government, such as deny
ing the privilege of selling bait, and
of allowing the fishermen to take en-
ployment on the fishing vessels. The
fishermen themselves desire these priv
ileges, but it interferes with the plans
Of tn merchant fishermen. The New
Foundland government has no respon-
sibility in the way of carrying out
obligations That devolves upon the
British government. Great Britain, it
is asserted, would not cOarce any OF
her colonies to remain under the Brit
ish flag if they were determined to
withdraw, but at the same time de-
sires to keep all the colonies and to
keep them on terms of amity with
their neighbors. The whole course of
Great Britain in this matter is COM
mended by the American authorities,
as being fair and reasonable but all
negotiations have been hampered by
the New Foundland government.
St. Johns, N. F., October 8.-Popu-
lar angnr against the modus vivendi
arranged by the United States and
the British government relating to the
New Foundland herring fisheries is
growing There is a general feeling
that the compromise arrived at was
II back down on the part Of the British
ministry.
Archbishop Howley, the Roman
Catholic primate, speaking yesterday
at a parochial festival declared the
modus vivendi a shamerul betrayal of
the colony's interests and advocated
agitation throughout the colony
against it.
Attorney General Morris, speaking
at the same function said that the CO.
lonial government was unaware of the
terms Of the modus vivendi but it had
done everything within it's power to
protect the colony.
Today, The Telegram, the premier's
organ, ascribes the modus vivendi to
the craven policy Of timid Down
inc Street bureaucrats and ex-
press the hope that the New Found
land government will show the spirit
of determination and teach little Eng
ianders like Lord Elgin and Winston
Churchill, the same lesson that the
colonists of Natal taught them when
they tried to ride roughshod over the
colony a few months ago.
London, October S-Following the
lead Of the New Foundland newspa-
pers whose opinions on the modus
vivendi as have been cabled here,
some Of the evening papers here to-
day denounce the agreement as a "One
sided bargain" between the United
States and Great Britain. The latter,
however, 1t is pointed out here, made
every effort TO secure the colony S
consent to a equitable arrangement.
Great Britain was ready fortnight
ago to conclude agreements as signed
believing it to be the fairest, but wait
ed until the last moment, for New
Foundland to accept the settlement,
whcih was considered necessary in
order to prevent trouble on the fish
ing grounds.