Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-27
BERING SEA POLICY.
A Meeting of the Cabinet to Decide Upon
It-Lord salisbury Has Proposition
Rumored Retirement of Judges-A
Dracodaut Set Aside.

"a
It-Lord salisbury Has PROPOSITION
Rumored Retirement of Judges-A
Precedent Set Aside.
rFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
i WASHINGTON, May 26-At the Cabinet
meeting to-day there was little of importance
| discussed, excepting the Bering Sea compli-
| cation. and that was somewhat timid and
| hammered ON account of the absence of
Secretary Blaine. 1t was necessary, how
ever. TO push the matter as far to q con-
clusion as possible, on account Of the
urgency Of the seal-catching company for a
decision. The time is at hand when they
| should begin operations, and they want to
| know whether they are to start out to take
| 10000, 10000 or 10000 seals, or whether Lord
Salisbury is to govern the United States, and
| close the seal-catching for season and
| allow the animals to breed undisturbed, and
4 the Governments of the United States and
Great Britain to incubate solution of the
4 question.
probable the matter is left SO nearly CON
| cluded that the President, without further
| consultation, may issue proclamation at
any time Il is quite certain that the catch
of seals will be limited and probably to
10000. The only hesitation on this score Is on
| account of the bitter opposition to q limit by
the influential company who have bought
| here and have been doing all in their power
| to assure them the liberty to make a big
| catch, even to the utmost number Of $1,000.
| They argue that closed season would entail
a loss to the Government Of $500, 600 royalty
| on 1000 pelts and also the expenses of the
| company, which would amount to $4,000 or
Island Islands % and the i ieet - Of Vessels Sc % would have
to be maintained as though the work were In
| progress.
A Temporary Settlement
| 1t is said that within a day or two, by au-
thority of Lord Salisbury, Sir Julian Paunce-
fote has verbally suggested to the State De-
| partment that the matter be settled for this
| season by allowing the American Company
to catch a sufficient number of seals to pay
their expenses and agreeing that the Cana
dian sealers shall hold aloof entirely for the
season. This can't be positively substan-
tiated, though THE DISPATCH correspondent
is assured of its truth by what should be
good authority. If 1t be true, it Is admitted
| by some of the wisest persons who have
be an admirable expedient-a good thing for
the seals and good thing for both Govern
ments involved One of the strong argu-
ments made by the American Company
tion would have to be accepted by al mari
| time nations, as otherwise the vessels OF any
shss sss ssa es tss ss soud
| sail in and take seals at their pleasure. The
| company insists there is now no time to
enectSuch an agreement ana therefore Vnat
a closed season is impossible.
Meanwhile the Canadians are going mer-
| rily along for grand seal hunt. 1t is known
| that 40 vessels, against % for last year, have
cleared from British American ports bound
| for the sealing paradise, notwithstanding
the act of Congress staring them in the face,
authorizing the President to arrest all
poaching sealers. These 40 vessels have a
tonnage of 1900 tons, and a value of nearly
5000 900 more than the feet of last year, and
the additional havoc the 20 additional ves-
maoh ses ~i stronssr ana
impudent, can well be imagined. Alto
gether there is a prospect for deal of
trouble unless the administration agree to
the temporizing proposition of Lord Sails
bury and ignore the risk of incursions
among the seals of vessels of other nations.
The Retirement Of Judges.
An impression prevails in judicial circles
that several Circuit and United States Dis
trict Court judges propose before great
while to take advantage of section ia of the
Revised Statutesrand 60 upon the retired
list with full pay. The statute provides that
any United States judge shall be eligible for
bench or upon reaching the age OF 70 years.
There are number of these judges who are
entitled to retirement. but the majority ap-
Circuit Court judgeships are very desirable
appointments, and the President would
probably like to have a few more plums OF
At the White House and Department of
Justice nothing has been heard of the
rumored wholesale retirement OF Judges:
Judge Lorenzo Sawyer, who was appointed
on January 10, 1870 has grown weary of pre-
siding over the Circuit Court of the Northern
district of California, and has given notice
that he proposes to retire. AS q rule United
States Judges remain on the bench until they
become physically ineapacitated for service.
Judge Ogden Hoffman, of the District Court
of California, has been upon the bench since
February 27, 1851, and although he is past the
age limit for retirement he continues In ac-
tive service.
Court of the United States who are eligible
for retirement, but they show no signs OF
laying aside their silk robes Private Secre-
tary Halford said to-day that the President
Judges created at the last Congress until
next winter. The Land Court Judges may be
selected, as there is no question about the
propriety of their appointment during o
recess of Congress.
Setting Aside Precedent.
For long number of years it has been
customary in Washington, upon the death
of an ex-member of the Cabinet to close the
Executive Department over which he pre-
sided, nominally as mark of respect for his
memory, but as a matter of fact these days
of suspension of business have been looked
upon by the clerks simply as days of pleas
ure and enjoyment and when a man, as was
sometimes Cle case, ndQ ulleQ more tnan ono
Cabinet position, on his death half the bust
ness of the Government would be suspended.
The Department building would be draped
in black, but the clerks would be out enjoy
ing an extra holiday at the expeese OF the
Government General attention was di-
rected to this subject some months ago when
the Interior Department was closed three
days in one week on account of the funerals
of ex-Secretaries of the Interior, Members
of the Cabinet have been known to be of the
opinion that the custom ought to be discon-
tinued, but there was some delicacy about
breaking the long-established precedent, lest
it might seem to the relatives of the first
man not so honored that proper respect was
not paid to his memory.
The death of ex-Secretary of War and ex-
Attorney General Taft brought up the sub
ject again, and Secretary Proctor and At
torner General Miller talked it over this
morning Attorney General Miller knew
that the wish of Judge Taft's son, Solicitor
General Taft, would be that the departments
should not be closed, and consequently they
concluded to omit the custom in this case.
Secretary Proctor said this afternoon that
the President and the other members of the
Cabinet had not been consulted in this mat
ter, and the precedent would not necessarily
be followed In future cases. 1t is generally
understood, however, that the departments
will only be closed hereafter for the funerals
of cabinet officers who die while in office,
and there will be more sincere regretamong
the department clerks over Judge Taft's
death than there has ever been for those
who have been officially mourned.
Mourning Over Calls Reelection.