The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-02
SEALERS UP IN ARMS
CANADIANS TO LONGER CLOSE
SEASON.
SAY THEY ARE NOT PIRATES.
THE ATTITUDE OF THE UNITED
STATES VERY SEVERELY
CRITICISED.
TWO SIDES TO THE STORY ALWAYS.
Flaws Picked in the Statement of
the Representatives of the Vie
toria Seal Industry.

LONDON, May 1.-Profiting by the
temporary presence in England of a
leading member of one Of the oldest
and largest Victorian sealing houses,
representative of the Associated Press
called upon that gentleman to ascertain
the views held by Canadian or Peiagiac
sealers on the latest phase of the seal
ing question. He said: ITO talk of
extending the close season until the end
of August means absolutely death
blow to Canadian sealers. Under the
existing arrangements Victorian
schooners starting for the grounds III
time for Aug. 1 can only reckon on six
weeks, and only then under the most
favorable conditions. If the time be
extended, as suggested, we could, at
the very most, only hope for one week S
sealing, and as the weather is usually
very bad the chances are that sealers
would return without a single skin.
Knowing this, the result would be that
no sealers would go out, and that
therefore, the Canadian industry would
be killed. So far as an extension of
the closed zone 10 200 miles is con
carned, l am of the opinion that that
would equally prove a death blow to
Canadian sealing. AS it is, the fishing
banks are well within athe siXty-n1ile
limit What can be hoped for, if, for
all GAIId ItV 1uLSS w e CiS piCiilOilC0
from sealing
There are at present about sixty
sealing vessels which set out every
season from Victoria alone. 1t is a
mistake to think hat pelagiac sealing
is done entirelNsa by Can,adians-every
year number of Delagiac schooners
go out from American ports and the
United States Indians from Neah Bay,
Washington also send ont vessels to
bring seal. No speople in the world
have suffered greater hardships than
the Canadian Sealers. Many have been
reduced to absolute poverty by the
seizure of their ships, outfit and skins
in 1885, 1886 and 1887, by the United
States government. Up eathe present
not a penny of compensation has been
paid But am bound to say that the
United States government is not alto
gether to blame for this Canadian
Sealers feel that they have been
shamefully neglected by the British
government Despite the representa-
lions of the Dominion government to
the imperial authorities the position
today is worse than ever. 1t is per-
feet farce to send out every year COM
missions to study the seals-every
thing about them is already known.
What we want is vigorous action on
the part of the British government to
protect their own flag. Canadian seal
ers are not pirates. Our business is
perfectly legitimate. Every vessel
leaving for the Bering sea is proper
w cleared byl.thel British authorities
shameful that "a large and important
Industry should be, killed by the over
bearing conduct of American monopo-
lists and the weakness of the British
government.
"But in spite of all these the Vic
torian sealers are3 determined to have
their rights. We intend to fit out yes
seal left. Of course if the close season
be. extended to the end of August the
weather will render sealing impos-
sible, but it is ridiculous to suppose
that any British government will agree
to such an arrangement. At least 1900
British subjects on Vancouver is
land alone derive their living from
legitimate sealings on the high seas.
The Canadians loyalty respect the pre-
visions of the Paris award, unjust as
they think them. But vessels are
seized by the United States under all
sorts of pretexts."
On the United States side of the
question Mr.. Liebes, one OF the mem
bers of the North American CONNER
ciai company. made the following state
ment to the Associated Press: There
is no idea of making things hot or cold
for anybody; neither is there a wish
to hurt Canada, nor to worry England
much less is there any intention on the
part of the Alaskan company to avoid
or ignore any Of the decisions come II,
by the Paris tribunal. which we are
fully aware are binding for a period of
five years. What however, we do con-
tend, what we wish the public to clear
ly understand, is the fact that by their
award the Paris tribunal intended to
give all the protection they possibly
could to the seal herd, consistent, of
course, with fairness to all parties con-
cerned. and the regulations were made
to be binding for the period mentioned,
a clause being inserted in the award
specially providing that the terms of
the same were subject to revision on
the expiration Of FIVE years from the
date of the same coming irsto force.
Nov it being clear that the members
Of the commission sent zout last year.
are all more or CESS in ,.ccord that the
protective measures, as made by the,
Paris tribunal, sareE ineffective, or let
US say insufficifnt,l oto carry out their
purposes, the question at once arises
as to whether the injury to the seal
herd should be allowed to continue for
the unexpired 3errn set forth in the
award, or whether 1t would not be wiser
as well as more humane for an attempt
TO be made by All parties interested.
ssss e