The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-09-15
&)trnlunt latthntail.
THE FISHERIES DECISION.

HBherleS dispute thus Sett1nB QUARTET
of one hundred years standing, is an {
event of more than ordinary Importance {
1t will form one of the important con-
tributions to history made by the year
1910, and therefore deserves to be
studied by all thoughtful students of
current history. There are certain
events which cannot be estimated at
their proper value until a term of
years has passed, freeing the ques-
ton from the obscurities of prejudice,
but every event of as great import
ance as the settlement of this long
standing controversy ought to be
studied in the public schools and by
all who wish TO be well informed.
History need not be ancient in order
To be important
The seven points involved in the
case were briefly as follows
First-Must and reasonable regu-
lations be made by Great Britain,
Canada and Newfoundland in the
form of municipal laws, ordinances or
rules (such regulations being appro-
pirate or necessary for the preserVa- /
ton of the fisheries, desirable on
grounds of public order and morals,
equitable and fair as between local
fishermen and inhabitants of the Unit
ed States, be subject to the consent
of the United States?
Second--Have the inhabitants OF
the United States, while exercising
the liberty to take fish on the treaty
coasts, right to employ as members
~of their fishing crews persons not in
habitants of the United States?
Third-Can the liberties 70 take,
dry and cure fish in treaty designat-
ed places be subjected, without the
consent of the United States, to the
reouirements Of entry or report at
customs houses or the payment Of
dues or any similar conditions?
Fourth-Can restrictions De lm-
posed upon American fishermen max
ing the exercise of the privileges
granted them by the treaty to enter
certain BAYS or harbors for shelter.
repairs. wood and water conditional
rpon the payment of light or harbor
or other dues on entering or report
ing at customs houses or any similar
conditions?
Fifth-What is bay within the
treaty's meaning?
Sixth-Does the treaty give the IN
babitants of the United states the
same liberty to take fish in pays,
harbors and creeks of Newfoundland
as in Labrador!
Seyenth-Are the inhabitants OF
the United States whose vessels re-
sort to the treaty coasts to exercise
the liberties referred to in article ! OF
the treaty entitled to have for those
vessels when duly authorized by the
United States in that behalf the COM
dercial privileges on the treaty coasts
accorded by agreement or otherwise
to United States trading vessels gen.
orally?
The first point, and one of the most
i1nportant. was decided in favor OF
the British contention, and gives to
the United States no power to have
anything to say regarding the fisher
les regulations. 1t is specified, how
ever. that while the right to make reg
ulations is inherent in British SOW
ereignty. the exercise OF that rlght
must not violate the Treaty of 1918,
or be framed so as to give the local
fishermen an advantage over the
Americans The disputed regulations
are to be submitted to a commission
composed of one expert from eacn
country and DR.. Paulus Hook, the
fisheries expert of the Netherlands.
The second, third and fourth points
are decided in favor of the Ameri-
cans, as are the sixth and seventh, all
matters of Importance in the every
day business of the fishermen.
The fifth point, concerning which
there has been more controversy, pro-
baby, that over all the others, is de-
Americans long have contended that
they had a right to fish in any bay
more than six miles wide, provided
they obeyed the restrictions to keep
decision on this point seems to be
capable of more than one interpreta-
ton. The New York Tribune, for ex-
ample. says:
"The verdict on the fifth question
is less conclusive, and indeed seems
to open the way for much controver.
sy in future over other cases which
have it in common with this one. j
relates to the point from which three
marine miles" are to be measured II
determining the boundary between the
nd thn inl NJ
of bays and other inlets. The Ameri
can contention was that the three
mile line should follow the windings
of the shore in and out of all inleti
having a radius of three miles Of
more. while the British contention
was that it should run straight across
from headland to headland This il
a question upon which any natioI
would be likely to take whichever SID
seemed to favor its own interests
and on which it may be that each o
the present litigants has hitherto beei
inclined to take the other side iron
that which it took in this case IN
decision now is IN favor OF the Brit
ish contention, and thus viii deDa
Americans from various bays ana es
tuaries. That is cause for regret pu
not. of course, for condemning III
lia+ II ie of interest to observe