404 MISCELLANEOUS 



problems that centred round the modus vivendi; and he held that 

 the whole agitation was being used as counter in the game that Sir 

 Robert Bond was playing for reciprocity with America. 



NEWFOUNDLAND INDIFFERENCE. 



" The story," said Sir James, " is a long one, and so many words, 

 and phrases have become jumbled together that considerable misap- 

 prehension exists in this country, and it is accordingly very difficult 

 lor the British people to grasp the crux of the problem. The real 

 substantial public interests which are at stake are entirely different 

 from the legal points that are involved in the modus vivendi be- 

 tween the Imperial Government and the United States such as the 

 use of purse-seines, the question of Sunday fishing, and the employ- 

 ment of Newfoundland fishermen by American firms. These ques- 

 tion are as far removed as anything possibly can be from the sub- 

 stantial public interests that are affected. I think one might safely 

 say that the whole British Press and public have been entirely mis- 

 informed and misled both upon the real merits of the questions in 

 dispute and with regard to the state of feeling in Newfoundland in 

 relation to them. The feeling in the Colony is one either of total 

 indifference to and even ignorance of the whole question, or, among 

 a very small fraction of the population, of strong antagonism to the 

 line of policy which Sir Robert Bond has adopted. By the latter 

 part of that statement I mean that Sir Robert Bond's course of 

 action and legislation operate directly against the personal interests 

 and business of those who are engaged in the herring fishing on the 

 west coast of Newfoundland; and if that policy is carried into effect 

 it will destroy their means of livelihood. These men, until this trou- 

 ble arose, have made a good living by selling herring to the Ameri- 

 cans. But the rest of the Colony is entirely indifferent to the whole 

 question; the subject, in fact, is hardly ever mentioned. The only 

 fisheries in the Colony, therefore, which are directly affected by the 



E resent question are those which are much better served by being 

 ;ft alone, that is, not interfered with by Sir Robert Bond fisheries 

 which are accordingly preserved and conserved by the modus vi- 

 vendi. Unrestricted permission has hitherto been enjoyed by New- 

 foundland fishermen to sell herring and other kinds of fish to Ameri- 

 can purchasers." 



RECIPROCITY WITH AMERICA. 



" Sir Robert Bond's ultimate object is reciprocity with the United 

 States that is, of course, access to American markets for our fishery 

 products and he hopes to force the Americans to give us this reci- 

 procity by shutting off the sale by our West coast fishermen of her- 

 ring to the Americans. Whether his ultimate object reciprocity 

 would be promoted by this policy is, to say the very best for it, ex- 

 tremely doubtful. I for one do not believe that there is any chance 

 of its succeeding, or that the Americans will be forced by any such 

 means to give us reciprocity. In the meantime his policy is only 

 bringing ruin upon our herring fishermen. It is nothing but an 

 experiment on his part, and I believe will end only in failure, even 

 if he were permitted to carry it out. That is the opinion of many 



