The herald., 1897-12-17

I and then at ocloclk the senate adj
journed.
IN TINE HOUSE 7
Sealing Pro hibited
> WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The house
today passed bill app 'opriating s175,OO0
for the relief Of the people who are in the
Yukon river country and also the bill
passed by the senate yesterday to pro-
hibit pelagic sealing by American citi-
gems. The former bill encounters prac-
tically no opposition. AS passed the
sum carried by 1t Is to be expended under
the direction of the secretary Of war for
the purchase, transportation and dis
tribution of subsistence stores.
It provides that thsse subsistence
stores may be sold at pri ces fixed by the
secretary Of war or donated where the
people are unable to pay for them. 1t
empowers him to purchase reindeer and
employ drivers not citizens of the United
States and afterward to dispose of the
reindeer.
The bill to prohibit pelagic sealing was
warmly antagonized by Mr.. johnson of
North Dakota, Mr.. Loud Of California.
Mr.. Hepburn and others, and in the
course Of the debate there was some
exceedingly caustic criticism on the
course OF our Boring sea negotiations.
past and present.
Mr.. Cannon, Republican Of Illinois,
brought forward the bill for the relief OF
the miners in the Klondike region and
Mr.. Sayers, Democrat Of Texas. and Mr..
bailey, Democrat Of Texas, spoke in
flavor of 1t.
Mr.. Cannon submitted to the house
statement prepared by d.. Sheldon
jackson, one Of the agents Of the COM
missioners Of education. who was in the
,Klondilse region as far up the river as
Fort Yukon, but that the food supply
on the upper Yukon would not last be-
You'd March. and he endorses the recon-
mendation of the secretary Of war that
food be sent in by reindeer via Dyea.
The bill was passed without division.
although there were scattered noes when
the speaker called for the negative vote.
Secretary Alger was on the floor during
the debate.
Mr.. Hit, Republican of Illinois, chair
man Of the committee on foreign affairs,
secured unanimous consent for the con-
alteration Of the bill passed by the SEN
ate yesterday to prohibit peagic sealing
bv citizens Of the United States. He
explained it's scope and purpose and the
necessity for its enactment in view OF
the pending negotiations with Great
Britain.
Mr.. Hopkins, Republican Of Illinois,
thought that a time limit should be
placed on the operation of the act SO
that in case the negotiations should co.,
lapse our citizens should not be at dis
ADVANTAGE. Mr.. Hit said our govern
ment did not admit that pelagic sealing
was right. It was a barbarity. We were
messing upon Great Britain negotia-
ton for the protection Of the seals that
three governments had already agreed
TO. If we were sincere we should pass
this measure.
johnson, Republican. Of North Dakota
made a vigorous speech OF an hour IN
opposition and said that the effect or
this bill and negotiations now being
conducted would be the bolstering up OF
the two great British industries, one In
the Bering sea and the other In London.
The present herd was not worth protect
ing, The purpose was to build up new
herd. He declared that Canada would
only be willing to join with us IN pro-
hibiting pelagic sealing on condition
that we should allow her to write our
tariff laws.
Mr.. Johnson said we had been humil-
lated and shamed by the complete sur
render Of our rights and honors at the
Paris tribunal. He was particularly
sarcastic in his reference to Hon. John
w. Foster, whom he termed the Great
Surrenderer." So great was his reputa-
ton in this line, he said, that China had
paid him 100000 for surrendering to ia
pan. He created much amusement by
enumerating some Of the expenses of the
Paris tribunal, and said he did not mar
vel that the experts who had already
made so much out Of the government
should desire to keep up an agitation
which permitted them to draw big SAL
aries and rove over the world at the eX-
pense of the government.
Mr.. Johnson, as another phase Of the
question, described the destruction of
the food fish by the seals. The recent in
crease in the catch at the fisheries on
the Pacific coast and Alaska he attrib-
uted to the diminution of the seal herd.
If the wolves of the sea had been COM
pletely exterminated, he said, we would
not be sending relief to the miners in
Alaska. Each seal requires ten pounds
of fish day. The coast of Alaska would
become the greatest cod fishery in the
world If these enemies Of the fish were
destroyed
Hepburn, Republican, of Iowa ex-
pressed the opinion that we had the
power at any time to compel Canada to
adjust this whole question as to the
seals. Pelagic sealing was not worth
much more than $250,00 per annum. The
bonding privilege granted to Canadian
roads, over which we had absolute con-
troll, was worth twenty times as much
to Canada as the right of pelagic seal
ing. He advocated retaliation as the
weapon to be used to bring Canada to
terms, and he said he could not under
stand why 1t had not already been en-
ployed.
Loud, Republican. Of California, in op-
position to the bill, argued that if our
citizens were to be bound, it was adj
visable that they should be bound Jointly
with the subjects of Great Britain. A
treaty would bind the citizens of both
countries alike. Why not await the out
come Of the pending negotiations.
Hit, chairman Of the foreign affairs
committee, answered some of the crlti-
cisms which had been advanced. The
admitted evil of the present, he said, was
pleagic sealing, which evil resulted in the