The San Francisco call., 1897-12-17
PASSED IN THE HOUSE.
me Administration Bill to Prevent
Felag Sealing by Americans.

L
Feiag c Seal ng by Americans.
CALL OFFICE RIGGS HOUSE,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16. !
1he House to-day passed bin appro-
prlaung $175 600 for the relief of The people
who are in the YUKON River country, and
also the bill passed by the Senate yester-
day TO prohibit pelagIc sealing by Ameri-
can citizens. The former bill encountered
practically no opposition. AS passed the
sum carried by ii is 10 be expended under
the direction of the Secretary of War for
the purchase, transportation and distri-
button OF subsistence stores. 1t provides
that these subsistence stores may be sold
at prices fixed by the Secretary OF War or
donated where the peoIl le are unable TO
pay for them. 1t empowers him 10 pur-
chase reindeer and employ drivers not
cltlzens of the United States and after
ward 10 dispose of the reindeer.
The bill to prohibit pelagic sealing was
warmly antagonjzed by Johnson of North
Dakota, Loud of California, Hepburn and
others, and in the course OF debate there
was some exceedingly caustic criticism oa
the course OF our Berlng sea negotiations,
past and present
Cannon (R.) of Illinois brought forward the
dixie region, and Savers (D) of Texas and
Bailey o. of Texas poke IN favor OF II.
Cannon submltte to the House a statement
pre- pared by Dr.. Sheldon Jackson, one OF the
gents OF the Commissioners OF Education,
VINO was in the klondike region as late as
Septem Der 10, that there would be no suffer
ing as far up the river as Fort Yukon, but that
the iood supply on the Upper Yukon would
not last beyond March, and he Indorses the
recommendation OF the Secre iary OF War that
food be sent IN by reindeer via Dyea.
Cannon said. hAMleIher miners
in American or British territory, whether they
we're American or British subjects, If they
were starving ii did not become the American
Congress to hesitate about voting them re-
Hef" [Applause.l
Ba ley said he had never been able TO be
charitable out OF the public funds. He be-
lieyed charity ought to be voluntary and Ae
had never voted for relief funds 10 those
stricken by fire or flood. But he realized that
distress appealed TO the hearts OF all and he
would MOI protest ag inst a bill designed to
relieve the distress. But he did protest against
the Government setting up storehouses and
becoming a vendor OF pTovlsiols
The bill passed without division, al
though there were scattered noes when tn he
Speaker called for The negative vote. SecTe-
larry Alger was on the floor during the de bate.
Hitt RI OF ILLINOIS. chairman " the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs, secured unanimous
consent for the consideration OF the bill
passed by the Senate yesterday 10 prohibit
peIagic sealing by citizens OF the UuIteu
States. He exp aimed its scope and purposes
and the neceSs. .ty lor its enactment in view Il
the peuQlQg negotiations Win GTeAl Br tain.
Hopkins (R.) OF uIiuols lnought mat tlme
limit should be placed on the operation OF the
act so that in case the negotiations should
collapse our citizens should not be at disad-
vantage.
HIT said our Government did not admit that
pelagic sealing was rlght-lt was bar bar
lty. We are pressing upon Great Britain ne
goUauon for the proteCtoI OF the seals thRt
three governments nad already agreed TO. II
we were sincere We should pass thIs measure.
Johnson (R of North Dakota made Vigor-
nT5E at a
that The effect OF tuls DIII and negotiations
now being cond ucted would be the DOS tering
UP of the TWO Great British industries, one in
the Bering sea and the other in London. The
present nerd was not worth projecting. The
purpose was TO build up a new herd. He de-
claTed that Canada would only be wiling 10
Join with US in prohibiting pelag.c sealing on
condition that we should allow her to write
our tariff laws.
Johnson said we had been Inundated and
shsmed by the complete surrender OF our
rights and honor a. the Paris tribunal. He
was particularly sarcastic in mis- references 10
Hon. John w. Foster, whom he termed the
great surreuderer' So great was his repu-
tation in this line, he said, that China had
paid him 500 600 Tor sutrendering 10 Japan.
He created mucu am musement by enumera ling
some of the expenses OF the Paris tri bunHl,
and Eaid he did not maryet that The experts
VINO had already made so much out OF the
Government should desire 10 keep up an
agitation which permitted them TO draw big
salaries and rove over the world al the eX
pense of the Government
JODnSOQR hS duOLHcT pHhso Vi lHe question:,
described the destrucnan OF the food FISH by
the seals. The recent increase in the eaten at
the fisheries on the Pacific Coast and al Alaska
he attributed to the dimInution oil The seal
herd. If the wolves OF the sea had been com
pletely exterminated, he said, we would n o I
be sending relief 10 the miners in Alaska
Each seal requires ten pounds OF FISH day.
The coast OF AIaskR would become the greatest
cod fishery in the world II these enemies OF
the fish were destroyed.
Hepburn (R } of Iowa expressed the opinion
f hp ff.4n a n m INN al
Canada 10 ad jusL this whole question as 10 the
seals. PeiagIc sealing was not wor h much
more than $3.50 600 per annum. The bonding
privilege granted 10 Canadian roads, over
which we had absolute control, worth
twenty times AS much to Canada as the right
OF pelagic sealing. He adyoca Ell retaliation
as the weapon 10 be used TO bring Canada 10
terms, and SAID he could not understand why
IL had not already been employed.
Loud (R.) OF California, ia opposition to the
bill, argued that il our cltIzens were TO be
bound, 1t was advisable that they should be
bound jointly with the subj -cts of Great
Britain. tLeaty would bin0 the citizens of
both couu tries alike. Why not await the
ou tcOme of the pending negotiations?
Ht.I, chairman OF the Foreign Affairs Com
N ttee. answe red some OF the criticisms which
had been advanced. The admitted evil OF the
present, he said, pelagic sealing, which
evil resulted in the killing OF 10000 seals an
nuHlly. And yet the gentleman from North
Dakota (Johnson) proposed TO meet this evil
OF par liAl slaughter by an absolute slaughte
OF the entire seal herd. Was this a humane
proposition from q Government whicn was
urging humanity ou other nations? Hit re-
ferred to the bartarity of the pIacuce OF kill
ing the defenseiess sea- pups. 1his brought
the query from Living stone o. OF Georgia:
''As chairman of the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee, you nave III your possession a resolu-
ton respecting the poor and defenseless
people of Cuba. What do you intend doing
about that Are not the Cubaus as much en-
tit ed 10 your care as the seal pupsY
Hit turned the question by saying il was not
asked wi a view CT getting serious answer.
After further debate the bill was passed
Ayes las, noes 70.
An hour was spent on the legislative, execu-
tive and judicial appropriation bill without
accomplishing anything.
The bankruptcy bill was reported by the
judiciary Committee, and an extension OF
time granted in which the minority may file
its report.
At 5 O'Clock the House adjourned.