The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-17
IN THE HOUSE.
Bills to Relieve Klondikers and Prohibit
Sealing Passed.

Sealing Passed.
| Washington, December 16.-The House
today passed a bill appropriating Sl75 900
for the relief Of the people who are in
the Yukon river country and also the
bill passed by the Senate yesterday to
prohibit :. pelagio sealing by. American
citizens.
The former bill encountered practically
no opposition. AS passed the sum car
ried by it is tosbe expended under the di-
reotion of the Secretary of War, for the
purchase, transportation and distribu-
tion of subsistence stores. 1t provides
that the subsistence stores may be sold
at pricess 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 af-
forwards 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 caus-
tic criticisms of the course OF our Behring
sea negotiations, past and present. Mr..
Johnson stated that while the seal herd
had brought 10000 into the treasury
since 1870, half a million had been spent
policing Behring sea and So, 600, 600 in ne
gotiations and other expenses.
In the House today MIR. Cannon asked
the unanimous consent for the oonsidera-
tion of the bill appropriaaing $175, 600 for
the purchase of stores for the relief of the
miners in the Yukon river district and
for their transportation and distribution.
Mr.. Sayers, the leading minority mem
ber of the committee, testified to the
urgent necessity for the passage of the
bill, owing to the absolute impossibility
of private parties getting food supplies
into the district.
Mr.. Simpson reserved the right to OBJ
jectss and the @@propriety of the bill was
discussed with this reservation.
Mr.. Cannon submitted to the House
| statement prepared by MIR. Sheldon Jack
son, one OF the agents OF the commission
er of education, who was in the klondike
region as late as Septlmber 18th as to
the procedure
DIR. Jackson expressed the opinion that
there would be no suffering as far up the
river as Fort Yukon.
The food supply on he upper Yukon
in his opinion would not last beyond
March and he endorsed the resolution of
the Secretary of War that food be sent
in by reindeer via Dyea.
Mr.. Cannon said: Whether these miners
were in American orssl British territory,
whether they were Anne rican or British
subjects, If they were S tarving. it did
not become the American Congress to
hesitate about voting them relief
After this statement Unanimous con-
sent was given for the consideration of
the bill.
Mr.. Bailey said,h had never been able
to be charitable out Of the public funds
He believed charity ought to be volun-
tary and he had never voted for the relief
funds to those stricken by fire or flood.
But he realizedathat distre lss appealed to
the hearts of all and he, would not pro-
test against q bill designed to relieve that
distress. But he did pr otest against the
government setting up. store houses and
becoming Vender of provisions. If this
was to be done, the & overnment should
give the relief freely without hope or ex-
pectation of getting back a single dollar
He thought the provi sion in the bill for
the sale of the provisions to such as We're
able to buy should be stricken from the
bill.
Mr.. Sayers, Democrat of Texas, called
attention to the fact that when it was
proposed to send relief 10 the naturalized
citizens residing in Cuba, there was not
dissenting vote. Wig not then relieve
our citizens who might be on British
soilp
The bill passed without division. al
though there were scattering noes when
the Speaker called for the negative vote.
Secretary Alger was on the floor dur
ing the debates
Mr. Hit, Republican Of Illinois, chair
man of the committee on foreign affnirs,
secured unanimous consent for the con-
sideration of the bill passed by the Sem
ate yesterday to prohibit pelagio sealing
by citizens Of the United States, He ex-
planned 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 time limit should be
placed on the operation of the act so that
in case the negotiations should collapse
our citizens would not be at disadyan-
tage. @z6H
Mr. Hit said our government did not
admit that pelagic scaling was right.
1t was barbarity. We were pressing
upon Great Britain q negotiation for the
protection of the seals that three govern
lnent had already agI.sed to. If we were
sinscere, we should pass this measure,