Show I CANADAS BI DEMANDS Canse of the Hitch In the Alaska Boundary Question t HOW THE MATTER STANDS t AUTHORITIES AT WASHINGTON SURPRISED AND INDIGNANT I Imposed Condition That United States Give Up Pyramid Harbor and a Strip of land on Lynn Canal Can-al Which Would Take In Country leading to Interior 3 Washington May 2iTo cleaX up misunderstandings which appear to exist ex-ist both in London and to some degree this country as to the exact status of the negotiations between the United States and Great Britain respecting CanadianAmerican issues the following follow-ing statements of the events that led up to the present conditions were secured se-cured from the best authority cure When the commission adjourned some months ago It was because It had reach C a apparently Insurmountable obstacle in the shape of the Alaskan boundary question After the adjournment journment the two governments took up this particular question with a view to settling it and thus removing It from the path ot the many other Important Im-portant issues Involved There werar numerous delays owing to the need ad changing views between London Washington Wash-ington and Ottawa and the authorities authori-ties here became convinced that a adjustment justment was hopeless But the feeling In London was more hopeful and when Sir Julian Paunce fote reached London on his way to Tha Hague he held conferences with Lord Salisbury which resulted in a definite proposal for settling the boundary Issues Is-sues and removing It as an obstacle of the commission The main point of this proposal was that a separate tribunal tri-bunal of arbitration should pass on the boundary question It was communicated com-municated to Ambassador Choate and by him to the state department Canada Springs Surprise When the plan was received tha president was absena at Hot springs Va and It was felt desirable t await his return before giving a final answer an-swer There was little or no doubt that the answer would have been favorable Just as the acceptance was about to have been given the officials here were surprised to have presented what they regarded as an extraordinary condition condi-tion which Canada Imposed In connection connec-tion with the submission o the que tion of arbitration This condition was that Canada should have Pyramid harbor bor and a strip of territory on tho Lynn canal without reference to the general conclusions reached by the tribunal tri-bunal of arbitration This port and strip of territory o the coast would have carried also the back country leading Into the interior Peremptory Refusal Given This condition coming after the arbitration ar-bitration plan had been formally proposed pro-posed and was about to be accepted caused not only surprise but some indignation in-dignation among the officials here I was decided not to accept this condition condi-tion and a peremptory refusal wag given to the proposition Thus the matter stands There is every reason to believe that there will b no yielding of the officials daIs here to Canadas condition I it Is withdrawn the arbitration may yet be arranged as a means of settling the boundary The opinion in the highest quarters seems to be positive that without with-out some adjustment of the boundary matter the resumption of the work of the joint commission on the many probable other topics considered Is entirely im |