The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-26
SALMON AND SEALS.

| Seals subsist on fish. They eat enor
nous numbers of the finny tribe.
single seal takes a number of fish ever!
day. Every since the privilege of kill
ing seals in Alaskan waters was con
ferred by this government on greedy
monopoly these animals have been The
object of unceasing speculation anC
peculation, official intrigue and blum
dering diplomacy mixed with a cant OF
humanity. Every administration has
lent itself, its official agents in Alaska
| and its navy to the service of the fuI
seal monopoly. Early in this wretcheo
| business the American sealing ships
that made their rendezvous in San
| Francisco harbor were driven out OF
| Boring sea by United States gunbOats
| and their owners were compelled 10 put
| themselves under the protection of the
| British flag. The shippers who braved
the perils Of the northern seas in search
OF seals were denounced as ''pOachers. -
! ''pot-hunters' and pirates" by the Of
/ fetal and unofficial agents of the
monopoly, for whom hired Aleuts We're
at work on the Pribilof islands club
/ bing the seals TO death at the rate of
/ 10,000 IA day. But the friends of hu-
mainly who are 50 much shocked by
the methods of catching seals on the
wide ocean, and who so much dread
the determination of these fur-bearing
animals. can see nothing unsportsman-
like or atrocious in this land-lubberly
species of poi-hunting for monopoly 5
gain.
Later under the Harrison administra-
ton treaty covering the seal fishing
was entered into in which the United
States was deprived of its prestige in
Boring sea. Mr.. Dingley thereupon
introduces bill in congress which if it
should become law, would provide for
al joint commission TO take steps for the
preservation of the seals in Bering sea,
and in case these efforts should fail the
United States government would be
authorized to kiil off all the seals in the
PribilOff islands and turn the proceeds
into the treasury of the United States.
Should the latter alternative be adopt
ed, for the sake of humanity" il
would afford rare sport for the Aleuts,
who have in recent years been some
what slack of employment for their
clubs, while IL would temporarily bring
the price of a Sealskin coat within the
reach of moderate purse. To muir
der indiscriminately all the seals that
visit Alaska would be sweet revenge
upon the fishermen who are killing
hardly be seriously entertained. Should
the seals make their future habitation
on the Newfoundland coast, or else
where in the western Atlantic where
they could have abundance of fish,
New England craftsmanship would
find some very different mode of deal
ing with this problem. The fishermen
of New England would tolerate no leg
islatiOn that should undertake to inter
fere with their legitimate right of seal
hunting.
But it is question of very little time
when the public interests will demand
the determination of the seals in Alas
ka, or, at least, that no governmental
measures shall be taken to preserve
them from the hardy pelagic hunters.
1t has been estimated that the product
of the salmon fisheries of Alaska has
now reached q value of 100000 an
nually; and before long these salmon
fisheries Will be worth more than all
the seals in Boring sea. The worst
enemies of the salmon are the seals.
One seal will devOur more salmon in a
day than forty robust men can eat for
breakfast; and when it shall come to
question of salmon or seals the decision
of the people will be that the seals must
go, Notwithstanding all the sham senti-
ment that the pOt-hunting monopoly
has manufactured on the subject
In the seventeenth century the seals
in great numbers made their breeding
grounds on the west coast of Ireland.
where their favorite salmon were in
great abundance. They soon destroyed
the salmon fisheries on which the in
habitantS of that coast were largely
dependent for food. The Irish eXter-
minated the seals, and the salmon re
turned. Then the moderate method of
dressing sealSkinS 10 lap the dainty
limbs OF luxury was not known but had
would still have been more valuable
than the seals. To millions of men
the supply of salmon and of other
wholesome food fish that swarm in the
waters of Alaska is matter Of no
small concern. But should all the
seals be eXterminated except such as
the museums of natural history might
preserve. the sheep would produce for
the people of this country abundance
of fine. warm and cheap winter cloth
ing-unlesS the tariff spoilers should
again put prOhibitory duties on wool.
From every point of view. however.
the seals of Alaska are not worth
1.-THE of the controversy that monopoly
has instigated in regard to them. These
animals cannot he preserved by the
government for the benefit of the fur
seal monopoly except at the expense Of
the far more valuable salmon fisheries
TEE L. s.. CUBA AND SPAIN.
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