The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-04-13
PRESERVING THE FUR SEAL.
Mr.. Fosters Ability to Do So a
Question.


Question.
The recent appointment of the Hon. John
w. Foster To act as commissioner for the
United states, together with Mr.. 9. 8.
Hamlin, in the pending negotiations for
the preservation Of the fur seals, is not
being received with the universal favor
and appl ause lwhichiit was thought would
follow the announcement of his selection.
There are those who are unkind enough TO
recall Mr.. Fosters former experience with
the seal question, and to suggest that he
is more familiar with the animal after IL
has been converted into high-priced cape
than in its original covering.
What was at first but mild criticism, de-
veloped into strong opposition when IL be
came known that Secretary Gage hadasked
the House OF Representatives TO appropri-
ate the sum of $50 600 to defray the ex-
penses oft Hon Mr.. Foster and his fellow
negotiator, MI Hamlin 1t is said that
every effort Will be made to prevent the
appropriation, and, in the opinion OF many
there is but slight char nee that bill al
lOWlup tHdt dillOuTb VIII pass
In speaking of the matter yesterday
Government official who enjoys an Inter
national reputation as an authority ON tile
seal question, had this to say;
There is more than one reason why the
appointment of John w. Foster as coin
missioner of the United States was niis
take. His course while acting in virtually
the same capacity in Paris is sufficient In
itself TO critcise his selection Tor TINS
new position as at least very unwise In
the opinion of many, he failed utterly on
the former occasion, and 1t is couDtiul ~
he has grown wiser since then Inc pin
of the matter is here. The North American
Commercial Company is the lessee OF the
seal islands of Alaska. Senator stepheh
b. Elkins is one Of the live STOCKHOLDERS
Of the company The company has the sole
privilege Of capturing seals Oh tie lslahds.
1t has been sued by the Government, ahG
Judgment obtained against II in Ire sum
of Sl1sS 900 for sealskin taxes ana
rentals The company appealed the case
and il is still in CCuit, with no indication
of a decision being reached for "a few yeaIs
to come. This company with its mo-
nopoIy is intensly obnoxious To the Cana
anyone to treat with Great Britain who
favors this company, or is suspected OF
leaning toward them. The fact that the
Elllins company was indebted TO the GOV
eminent was brought out when MI TAR
Isle came into office in 1893. lie nouced
that taxes and rentals paid 10y the company
had shiunken enormously 'iunnS tie PEE
ceding wear. An investigation was beguh,
and it developed that Mr.. Cariisles preGe-
cessor ia office had Issued an order shortly
before his retirement in which he ruled
that, despite the law and tie CONTRACT,
the annual rentals paid by the company
shorh tie reduced from $50 600 To &bout
$4,000.
ar. Carlisle consulted Attorney General
Olney, who gave 1t as his opinion thatthe
rebate was wholly without Justification,
and advised that suit he bro. ght against
the company for the amount due as Well
as tire rebate. The Elkins company put 10
defense, and so procrastinated the &C
ton of the court that the case was not
brought to trial until January, 1896. II
was tried in the United states circuit
court for the Southern district OF New
York. and in due course decision was
rendered. The company at once appealed
and there it is now. The condition OF
affairs on the islands at present owing
TO the fact that the Government has pro-
hibited the killing of seals on land for five
wears. is that the Elkins company was en-
abIed to capture 20 900 skins last season.
This year they VIII probably get 200
| next year 5000. and in very few years
none at all.
The entire argument made at fa1is IN
der the leadership Of Foster was based
wholly on the fundamental error that the
Canadians were not opposed to the Elktns
monopoly
The humihating defeat which Foster
sustained at Paris was due entirely &c
his inability to grasp the details of the
conlltina ton which faced him his ques-
ton az taking care of the seals and The
reeIll;, tions necessary To protect them on
lanl and water was reduced to small petit
foggin- in which private interests OF the
| Canadian sealers on one side, and the prl-
| waite in serests OF American seal contractors
on the her side, were the only things
fairly IN sight before the court This fatal
| blum Ter wasdueentirely tOtheincompetence
| of Foster Sixteen volumes of proceed
| invs Of the Bering Sea tribunal are in
| the ate lBerar ucnt filled with tortured
affidavits which contradict each other
in the most hdicrous juxtapostion
gross :ssuup ions DIV shallow eyDcrts
unblushing Measurements by ignorant
| Treasury agen.s and schenlng employees
| of the lessees. put forward by MIR Eos; eI
| in hehaif Of the American case. To which
| the British agents made glad and equally
! ELUSIVE return This resulted in throw
| ing a great cloud of dust before the eyes
| of the court which honestly tried &c
| settle the question, but the fog was toe
! great When the decision pf The tribunal
was announced, Angus 10, 1898, Mr.. Eos
| ter an n his associates at Paris telegraphed
! column afoer column that they had won
a great victory, and had saved the seals
| when. in fact, they had been beaten al
every point by their own gross incom
| petence to handle the details Of goot
| case They ha 4 the natural advantage o
| every acuuiIenent based on law and
morality. in so far as the seals were con
| cerBed, but they were unequal o the task
| assigned them. There are those in thi'
| city who read with amusement Of the great
| ability of Mr. Foster 1t is merely &
| question Of where that ability lies, ant
| in SO far as saving the seals is concerned
he has proved himself wretched fail
| ure. although some of his friends. say
he has been veFys successful in imposing
| on John Chinamsuiif
| r------
mn SIMON BARUCH,S son.