New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-20
HOW FURRIERS LOOK AT IT.
SECTION NO. OF THE PELAGIC SEAL
ING BILL CAUSES A STIR.

A COMMITTEE OF NEw-YoRKERs ASKS THE PRES
IDENT NOT TO SIGN THE MEASURE UNTIL
HE TALKS WITH ITS MENBERs-C. C.
sHAYNE AND f. n. LYON
PRAISE ITS PROVISIONS.
Section No. o OF the bill relating to peagic
sealing. which absolutely prohibits the bringing
into the United States fur sealskns taken In the
waters mentioned in this act which includes
the whole Pacific Ocean, has caused not a little
stir among the furrIers and importers Of this
city In the discussion OF the bill by Congress
no appeared to grasp the significance Of the
paragraph. hut when the bill passed by
both houses of Congress. and only awaited the
Presidents signature to become a law. people
suddenly awakened to the realization that this
drastic provision was in It.
A committee Of those engaged in the fur bust
ness last night sent dispatch to President
Mckinley. begging him not to sign the bill until
ne had at least talked with Its members and
delegation representing New Workers engaged in
the trade Is In readiness to go to Washington II
necessary.
Hugo Jaeckel. wholesale dealer in the trade.
said last night regarding this measure: The
seal fur trade Is the main part Of our business,
and what we shall do II this bill becomes a law
| do not know. We may have to go out OF bust
ness The whole question seems to me to have
been handled In very childish manner The
Idea OF prohibiting all importation OF seals is
simply preposterous. and the furrers stand al
most unanimous against the bill. II. az IL said
England cannot thereby sell America her seal
products tn" only effect Will be to cheaper
them. and that Will make it easier for England
to find market I'm Europe"
In n lie of IA. tb.
almost unanimously against the clause forbid
ding importation there Is some difference OF
opinion among the heads Of various concerns
Among those who favor the exclusion bill ls
c. G. Shayne. an importer. manufacturer and
dealer both wholesale and retail MY bust
ness" said Mr.. Shaync yesterday. lis for the
present undoubtedly best conserved by the free
admittnncc "f seals but the future benefit Of
dealers Is NOR" important than a few dollars
now II would b" better for America II there
were no seals sold even for the next eight or
ten years
'If the sealsklns are shut out entirely. Eng
land VIII cease catching seals. because their fur
has never become popular in Europe On the
other hand. America. producing - per cent Of
tn" furs ~ the entire world will ind IN the
market an increased demand FOR her native
furs which are dressed here In a manner SUI
perior 10 London work These natural products
are mink otter beaver. bear sable fox. marten
and skunk Ghc commercial Alaska sablr)
South America furnishes us. also the chin
ch'ila. This bin Will make America the great
fur dressing and exporting country. az well AS
the great fur-producing country and New York
Will become greater fur market than ever"
Edmund H. Lyon. who gave expert testimony
at Washington on the commercial side Of the
upon the b!ll and It's possible effects IN Amerl-
can fur trad" Mr.. Lyon preferred not to ex-
press an opinion. hut ne gave some explanation
He said Their" are enough skins to-day In sight
To- supply the world FOR two years. while the con-
sumption has been greater this year than In
nom three 20 Ave years previous. Now Eng
land drcsser and dyes 90 per cent OF the total
catch ~ the world. and the proper solution Of
the problem seems to b. To prevent a market for
these skins
As 90 the commercial Side II Is necessary 10
stop the killing ~ the female seal which is the
pelagic seal - commerce and TO do that the
4 niicd states has got To take the initiative and
bring England and Canada 10 terms. Most o,
the vessels engaged In pelagic scaling are owned
hy Canadian capitalists AMI masters
1t would Dee a very good thing II The United
states. by pr',"r legislation should make II
pYsslhi" - has" The seal fur skins dressed and
d'"i here. Il cnn be done and done successfully.
and In the sam" manner az when legislation
VAS 50 shaped that Sir Titus Salt erected IA -
tory on this side f1r the manufacture 81 plush.
furnishing employment to American citizens and
bringing good immigrants into tn" country
such legislation would bring the English seal
skin factories over here. and IL would increase
the material prosperity ~ America. | am
I heartily I'm sympathy with any legislation which
viii enable thu iabur-r to max" money or that
viii Increase deslrahl immigration. This coun-
try is not r~fug" for the scum ~ other lands;
nut foreigners who viii make desirable Ameri-
can citizens very welcome on our shores.
and there are many such.
NORWAY MENitFD