BRITISH, COLONIAL AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 343 



nurtured as it was conceived, with the one idea of appeasing the 

 Premier's wrath with the American Senate. The Telegram dis- 

 likes our attitude, but it must surely understand that our first duty 

 is to the people of the west coast. We have supported the Govern- 

 ment when it has done the square thing by our people. We wish it 

 clearly understood that our Premier's present policy is too disastrous 

 and crazy a policy to be borne by this people; and it is not surpris- 

 ing, therefore, to find the whole populace aflame with indignation. 

 And must we then stand idly by and see the people's rights sacri- 

 ficed? Not at all, friend Telegram; just as you have disapproved 

 of Bond's notorious land deal in Trinity Bay, so we, perhaps more 

 boldly, resent his mad policy of ruination of the west coast fisher- 

 men. And let the Telegram and our Premier make note of this 

 fact ; nothing will be left undone to expose the shameless unrighteous- 

 ness of the Premier's untoward and unstatesmanlike policy of ruin- 

 ing the fishermen and robbing them of the comforts and freedom they 

 so long enjoyed. Sir Robert Bond has fooled this people for a long 

 time, but he will realize that he cannot fool them all, all the time. 



We read with increasing interest the Daily News' fearless and com- 

 mendable criticism of the reckless, blundering non compos mentis 

 policy pursued by Premier Bond, and we cannot refrain from ex- 

 pressing our admiration of the attitude and character of the News 

 in thus presenting to the people a straightforward summary of our 

 unworthy Premier's shameless exhibition of wanton disregard for 

 the welfare and good of the people he represents, and the country 

 of his birth. " He who runs may read " is a time-worn adage, and 

 is applicable to the present situation. What the Daily News has 

 printed are recognized facts. The Premier's incapacity is now 

 proverbial, and how long the people are going to be compelled to 

 carry the yoke of his decrepit guidance is a question of moment. 

 There should be an end to their martyrdom. They have already been 

 held .too long in bondage. Who shall be their emancipator? 



The fishermen in this vicinity are experiencing considerable hard- 

 ship as a result of his foolhardy administration. To satisfy his 

 revengeful appetite, whetted to an edge by the rebuff handed him by 

 the American Senate in regard to his reciprocity Treaty, he has, in a 

 conscienceless manner sacrificed the comfort and good of the fishermen 

 in robbing them of employment on American vessels during the 

 herring season. Not only has he done this, but more : the rebuke he 

 sought to administer to the American Government, out of a desire for 

 retaliation, proved to the Americans a boomerang, and an unfortunate 

 catastrophe to our fishermen, the effects from which they will never 

 recover. 



In another issue we made reference to the fishermen's rights under 

 the new Act prohibiting them from registering with American crews. 

 The fishermen in this vicinity are in a quandary as to what their rights 

 are under this new law, and they have been expecting a visit from Mr. 

 Gibbs, who has heretofore proved their friend. We are of the im- 

 pression that Mr. Gibbs will not forsake them in their trouble, as the 

 Premier has ruthlessly done, but that he will put in an appearance to 

 give his supporters and friends in this district the benefit of his advice 

 in their hour of need, and further endear himself to the hearts and 

 homes of our distressed fishermen, who must offer their blessings to 

 the Premier for their present misfortune. 



