Hawke's Bay Herald. MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1888. THE FISHERIES TREATY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 8034, 23 April 1888, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1888. THE FISHERIES TREATY.

It would appear from a Washington cable message we published last Friday that there is a probability of tho fisheries treaty between Canada and the United States being 1 ejected by the bitter. It would be a pity if, just as a fair settlement of an unpleasant quarrel had been arrived at, all the trouble that has been taken in the matter should be thrown away, and it is to be hoped that tho adverse report of the committee of the Senate may after all be only on some unimportaut point winch may be easily set right,. Curiously enough, though the bill authorising the treaty has passed the Dominion House of Commons, there were at one time doubts whether the Canadian Legislature would accept the settlement, an outcry having boon raised that the treaty was n onesided all'air, too many concessions havim; been yielded to the L'nited States. This view prevailed, not alone in Canada, but in political circles in Knglaiul also, and to dispel the impression of unfairness the authorities paused tho treaty to bo ]mlili*h«d in full. The provisions do certainly appear to be favorable to the United State.-, but not to an extent Hint i>; of any liugn Jni|>f>i t.»nop, and the e<>Mnm«sioiicrs seem to lia\u been careful to maintain the piineiplo.s of the convention of ISIS in their integrity, while at the s-ame time ninUiiig such concessions as were in keeping with the dictates of humanity. l?or instance: Under the treaty of 1818 American fishermen were permitted to enter Cauadiun bays or harbors for the purpose of shelter and of repairing damages and purchasing wood and obtaining water, but they were debarred from purchasing supplies or transhipping or selling their cargoes. These latter privileges are conceded in the treaty, but the valuable privilege of purchasing bait is not conceded, and thus the interests of the Canadian fishermen are preserved from the competition of the Yankee fishermen. Another concession, which seems perfectly harmless to the Canadians, though doubtless important enough to those whom it more particularly affects, is that of

allowing vessels, homeward bound from their (ishing "rounds to the United States, to enter Canadian waters aud purchase supplies for the voyage. Tho commismissioneis had no doubt a difficult task in so shaping the settlement as to reconcile interests so conllictiug as those of tlje parties immediately concerned in the dispute, and they appear to have" acquitted themselves better than conld have been expected under the circumstances. Neither side has been sacrificed, but such regard has been paid to the wishes of the Americans that if the objection of the foreign committee of the United States Senate is because the concessions are not sufficiently ample the committee must be bar- to please. It. may seem churlish to iluioe who are not aware of all the circumstances that the Canadians will not allow the Americans to fish iv Canadian waters or to enter Canadian ports for the purpose of purchasing hait, but it must be borne in mind that the United Siittes Government impose almost prohibitive duties upon fish and fish products entering the • States from Canada, and so practically debar tho Canadian fishermen from trad- | ing with the United States.' This is of course only in keeping with the American policy of Protection If the Americans would permit the Canadian fishermen to trade with the States on equal terms with the American fishermen, the latter would be free to fish iv Canadian waters, to trade and purchase bait in Canadian ports, ami to have rights as ample as the Canadians themselves. This is expressly provided for in the treaty, and if it he accepted by the States they would be enabled under that provision to put tin end at any moment to all the hindrances of which their fishermen complain. All the Canadians ask for is reciprocity, but though th6re are many high-minded men in the United States ready to admit the fairness of the j Canadian demands, the influence of the Maine fishing interest is so strong that it is scarcely probable the reciprocity provision in the treaty will be acted upon, even if the treaty itself is not rejected. That inlluence was strong enough to get the "Washington treaty on the same subject dropped, and it may be able to burke tli!.- one now before tho Senate. It is not nil!! 1 . r1.v, indeed, that to this inlluence is due tl.o adverse report of the foreign relations committee. It was quite an open secret that no sooner had the treaty been concluded than the various parties interested in the New England fisheries took action, and measures were taken for urging upon the Senate the rejection of n settlement which, from the New Kiigland point ot view, was opposed to the interests of the United States. All the fisheries associations were up in arms, and led by those of Gloucester, Portland, and lioston, they commenced working-up an agitation to prevent the ratification of the treaty. To these influences were added the repugnance of the Republican politicians to a settlement that was made by a Democratic Administration, and as the Republicans — who, as a rule, are all Protectionists— are largely iv the majority in the Senate it is no wonder that in the end thu. treaty has come to grief. It may perhaps be that the check is only temporary, and that though delayed for a time the treaty will ultimatoly be ratified.