The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-01-24
Dingley's Plan for Settling Behring
Sea Dispute.
PRESERVE THE SEALS BY KILLING
THEM OURSELVES.

Cruisers Ordered to Sail Under Sealed
Orders-Maine National Banks Report
The Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill.
Washington, January 23.-Among the
executive communications laid before
the House today was letter from the
Secretary of the Treasury, in answer to
the resolution of inquiry introduced
some days ago bv MIR. Dingley of Maine,
| relating to the condition and prospects
of the Behring Sea seal herd. Mr.. Ding
| ley called attention to the importance OF
| this lett er, which showed that the Paris
reg ulations for the protection OF the
Alaskan seal fisheries proved fiat fall
ure. as shown by these facts cited:
1.-The lessees Of the government, not
withstanding there has been three years
cessation of the killing of seals on the
Alaskan seal islands, were unable to
secure more than 16,000 male seals the
past season, whereas an hundred thou
sand were easily obtained a few years
| ago.
2.-The pelagic sealers, largely Cana
| dian, secured nearly 60, 600 seals, mainly
| females, the past season, of which 4,O00
were killed in the Behring Sea, whereas
previously they were not able to obtain
half of this number. AS 95 sealing YES
| sells are now preparing to sail with Alas
! kan spearmen on board, there is little
doubt they will kill an hundred thou
sand seals in Behring Sea, next season,
unless interfered with by new legisla-
| tion or regulations.
| 3.-It is the opinion of the Secrtary of
the Treasury and all experts, that under
lxlz NJ. - x.n-~x 1,+s unit
| four, or at most, five years, the entire
/ Alaskan seal herds will be exterminated,
| and property worth ten millions of dol
/ lars to this country, and source OF
comfort of inestimable value to the
| world, will be exterminated.
| "Obviously," Mr.. Dingley said, self
respect, as well as self interest, demands
that this farce should be at once ended.
IT COSTS THE COUNTRY MORE
than $4,000, 900 per annum to execute
the Paris regulations, all for the benefit
of pelagic sealers, mainly Canadians. We
should at once notify Great Britain OF
the situation, as understand this has
been DONE and inform her that unless
she will join us in regulations that will
| protect the Alaskan seal herds from ex-
termination, we will be obliged to at
| once kill and secure the whole herd and
save to that extent the property which
| belongs to US. l believe that should be
| done. This is the only alternative"
MIR. Receive are paying out larger
sum than ever to enable the Canadian
| sealers to do work more perfectly.
Ii Mr., Hopkins of Illinois asked whether
| the administration was doing anything
| to acouaint Great Britain with the facts.
Mr.. .Dingley replied that it was. and
he believed Intellectually. Great Brit
ain," said Mr.. Dingley, "has nearly as
| much financial interest inH the preserva-
| tion of the A laskan seal herds as this
/ all prepared and dyed in London, giving
employ ment probably to $4,000 persons
| in the English capital. ~
/ Mr.. DingleyEthen introduced a bill au-
thorizing the Secretary of the Treasury
| to forthwith kill and secure the skins of
! the wholesA laskan herd OF the Seal is
/ lands. and Sell the same from time to
| time. and turn the proceeds into the
treasury The second section authorizes
the President TO suspend the execution
of the act whenever Great Britain shall
unite with this country in regulations
that will, in his judgment, protect the
Alaskan seal herds.
The bill and Secretary Carlisle's let
ter were referred to the commlGtee on
| ways and means.
Mr.. McMillin, from the committee ION
ways and means, reported the resolu-
tion referred to it on the 18th, which
was agreed to, calling upon the Secreta-
ry of the Treasury for additional infor-
nation upon the subject. III the facts
on file in the department. relating to the
| seal business since January /, 1889, con-
tracts made, suits or claims against the
United States arising hereunder, loss
| of revenue to the government by the dl-
/ minution of the catch, and also an item
lied statement of the expenses the gov
| ernment is now under for carrying out
the treaty for the go, ernment of Samoa.
SUNDRY CIVIL APPROPRIATION
BILL.
The House went into committee of the
whole on the sundry civil appropriation
bill, and Mr.. Savers of Texas explained
the bill.
Z. Mr.. Cannon of Illinois, member of
the committee on appropriations, ex>
pressed regret at the fact that the COM
| mittee had not made more generous ap-
preparations for certain public works,
especially for the light house establish
ment.
With this, general debate closed, and
the bill was considered under the five
| minute rule IOf amenuHleuts. uo Dlll
as reported, carried a total of So 540,-
721. SO, being S7,843, o. So less than the
estimates submitted, and 81, 2S6, 945. 95
less than the total of the bill for the
current year. Among the new legisIa-
tion proposed in the bill is the follow
ing: Making the salary of surfmen in
the life-saving service who enlist for
more than eight and half months a
year, or fill vacancies, $50 month; au-
thorizing the Secretary of War to re-
ceive from the Gettysburg Memorial As
sociation 100 acres of ground held by it
for national park, and pay the debts OF
the association, $4,000; forhidding rail-
roads to enter upon the fright of way to
the national cemetery. or to encroach
upon any roads or walks constructed or
maintained thereon by the United
States; Making all bequests, donations
or funds, held for or on account OF tne
national soldiers homes subject TO gen.
eral laws relating to the public funds.
A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE c. l..
CARTER.
Mr.. Picker of South Dakota, delivered
an eloquent tribute to the memory of
Charles l.. Carter, the late annexationist
| commissioner to the United States, who