Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1892 — TRIFLING MUST CEASE. [ARTICLE]

TRIFLING MUST CEASE.

j SOME VERY PLAIN TALK TO LORD SALISBUHY. England Informed that the United States Will Protect Their Seals at Any CostCorrespondence Submitted to tho Senate The President’s Posliiou. Mill Protect xhe Seals. In n message to tho Senate transmitting the recent correspondence with . Lord Salisbury In regard to the Bering j Sea matter. President Harrison inti- | mates that he is in favor of protecting the seal fisheries againet poachers at all hazards, regardless of the wishes of 1 Great Britain, He has eonoluded that ! the British government is not desirous | of co-operuting with tho United States ! as against the Canadian poachers, and , that further efforts to secure an agree- | nient of tho sort which would be rea- | souably fair to this country are -useless, i A firm purpose to stand by the President was shown in the brief debate in the executive session of the Senate over the | correspondence and the message accompanying It from tho Whit? House, j The character of Lord Salisbury’s communication was,so remarkable as to ' cause universal expressions of surpriso j and indignation. Lord Salisbury obi jects to the renewal of the modus vivendi on the ground of the length of time likely to be taken in presenting the case to the arbitrators and in their deliberations after the case is before them. ; The British premier says, in substance, that if the modus vivendi is renewed , this year an appeal will doubtless be : made by the United States for its renewal again next year and the year after, and possibly the year after that. Lord Salisbury does not consider this the proper way of dealing with the question. He cites the ease of some negotiations now going on b< tween Portugal and Great Britain as an illustration of tho delays incidental to arbitration of international disputes, and intimates , that the negotiations over Bering tea , may last for thi-ee or four years. | He also reiterates the old English argument that pelagic sealing is not deI structive to seal lite, and substantially

intimates to President Harrison that it is a matter of indifference to the British Government what action is taken by tins country. The plan he suggests by which the President may protect the interests of the United States during the long period of tho negotiations is regarded aliko in the Cabinet' and in the Senate as an indication of his disposition to treat the subject with little regard for American rights and little inclination to assist in a satisfactory soluti n. He suggests that the Government of the United States may take a bond of the Canadian sealers to indemnify the United States for the seals taken in case the arbitration goes against the Canadian claims, an 1 that the United States shall give a bond at the same time to indemnify the sealers for any loss they may suffer by American interference in case the arbitration goes against this country. Lord Salisbury does condescond to work out the details by which this remarkable treaty between the United States and a lot of irresponsible peachers shall be carried out, but courteously leaves that for the consideration of the President. Tho mere reading of this remarkable comconnnunication in the last Cabinet meeting was enough to determine .the Cabinet to stand by the President in’the most decided measures he might feel called upon to take. The nows quickly went round that a message from tho President on the Bering Sea difficulty had urrived, and it was not long before the Senate went into executive session to receive it. The reading of Lord Salisbury’s letter was listened to with great surprise, which greatly whetted tlie appetites of Senators for tho President’s response. The response was generally commended as firm and to the point. The President renewed his former declaration that a modus vivendi seemed to him the natural and only proper manner of dealing with the question, pending the action of impartial arbiirulors. He did not discuss at great length the effect of pelagic sealing, for he considered its destructive character sufficiently established by the reports of experts and the facts already laid before the British Government.

i The President declares Lord Salisbury’s suggestion about exchanging bonds with the poachers .to bo impracticable and undignified, ’ and altogether beyond serious consideration by the ; Government of the United States. The | President leaves a loophole still open for Lord Salisbury to accept the renewal , of the modus vivendi, but declares that | if the modus vivendi be not renewed this I year he will not hold himself responsible for any consequences that may follow.

This is an almost litoral quotation from the message prepared by the President, and is intended to intimate in the language of diploma y that our Government will endure no further trifling in the matter, and that, if the British Government refuses a reasonable arrangement for the protection of the seals, the United States will enforce her extreme rights with her full naval power. The u tual motion followed the reading of tho papers in the Senate to refer them to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. There xvas some running debate on this motion widch disclosed a general feeling of indignation against Lord Salisbury and a willingness to sustain the President. One of tho Democratic Senators wanted the correspondence made public, but Senator Sherman objected, and succeeded in defeating tlie motion to make tlie letters public, but their importance and the gravity ol the situation they disclosed were soon known to those interested and were a lively subject of discussion about the hotels at night. Senator Sherman is in favor of ratifying the treaty now pending and then following with whatever action may bo necessary to enforce the laws against the poachers, and protect the seals within tlie recognized jurisdiction of the United Stutes, pven if the entire navy be require,! for the purpoie. Senator Teller and some of the other Western members,notably those from the Pacific coast, are not disposed to notice tho pending treaty any further, but favor immediate steps to arrest poaching, regardless of any feelings Great Britain may have on the subject after this action.