The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-17
RELIEF FOR KLONDIKERS
APPROPRIATION BILLS PASSED BY
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS.
Anti-PeIaEic Sealing Measure Adopted
Speech by vi. n. johnson.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The House to-
day passed a bill appropriating $4,000 for
the relief of the people who are in Yukon
river countries, also the bill passed by the
Senate yesterday to prohibit pelagic sealing
by American citizens. The former bill en-
countered practically no opposition. AS
passed the sum carried by it is to be ex-
pended under the direction of the secretary
of war for the purchase, transportation and
distribution of subsistence stores. 1t pro-
vides that these subsistence stores may be
sold at prices fixed by the secretary of
war or donated where the people are UNI
able to pay for them. 1t empowers him to
purchase reindeer and employ drivers not
citizens of the United States and after
wards 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 criticisms of the course of our
Boring negotiations past and present.
Mr.. Cannon (Rep., ILL., brought forward
the bill for the Klondike region, and Mr..
Sayers Dern., Tex and Mr.. Bailey (Dem.,
Tex) spoke in favor of it. Mr.. Cannon sub
mitted to the House a statement prepared
by DIR. Sheldon Jackson, one of the agents
of the commissioner of education, who was
in the Klondike region as late as Sept To-
that there would be no suffering as far up
the river as Fort Yukon but the food sup
ply on the upper Yukon would not last be-
yond March, and he indorses the recon-
mendation of the secretary of war that
food be sent in by reindeer via Dyea- Mr..
Cannon said that whether these miners
were in American or British territory,
whether they were American or British sub
jects, if they were starving it did not be-
come the American Congress to hesitate
about voting them relief. (Applause) The
bill was passed without division, although
there were scattering noes when the speak
er called for the negative vote. Secretary
Alger was on the floor during the debate.
Mr.. Hit (Rep Ill.) chairman of the COM
mttee foreign affairs, secured unani-
nous consent for consideration of the bill
passed by the Senate yesterday to prohibit
pelagic sealing by citizens of the United
States. He explained its scope and purpose
and the necessity for it's enactment III view
Of the pending negotiations with Great
Britain Mr.. Hit said our government did
not admit that pelagic sealing was right
it was a barbarity We were pressing on
Great Britain negotiation for the prOtec-
ton of the seals that their government had
already agreed to. If we were sincere we
should pass this measure
speech of an hour in opposition to the Dill.
He argued that the effect of this bill and
the negotiations now being conducted would
be the hOlStering up of two great British
Industries, one in the Bering sea ana the
other in London. The present nerd was not
worth protecting. The purpose was to build
w Il new herd. He declared that Canada
would only be willing to join with us in
pl ohibiting pelagic sealing on condition that
we should allow her to write our tariff laws.
Mr.. Johnson said we had been Inundated
and shamed by the complete surrender OF
our rights and honor at the Paris tribunal.
He was particularly sarcastic In his REFER
epceS to Hon. John w. Foster, whom he
termed 1.-The Great Surrenderer." So great
was his reputation in this line, he said, that
China had paid him 100000 for surrendering
to Japan. He created much amusement by
enumeratingl some of the expenses OF the
Paris tribunal and said he did not marvel
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 salaries and rove over
the world at the expense of the government.
Mr. johnson. as another phase of the ques-
ton, described the destruction OF the FOOD
fish by the seals. The recent increase in
the catch at the fisheries on the PACING
coast and Alaska he attributed TO the dlml-
mutton of the seal herd. If these wolves OF
the sea had been completely eXterminated,
he said, we would not be sending relief
to the miners in Alaska. Each seal required
Alaska would become the greatest cod fish
ery in the world IL these enemies OF the
fish were destroyed.
After further debate the bill was passed
yeas, AS; nays, Is. An hour was spent on
the legislative. executive and judicial appro-
priation bill without accomplishing any
Thing The bankruptcy bill was reported by
the judiciary committee and an extension
Of time granted in which the minority may
file its report. AT o'clock the House ad-
iourned