Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-10
SEAL INVESTIGATION
Ex-senator Faulkner Con-
tinues His Argument.
THE COMPANIES SIDE
AGAINST THE ROBINSON REsoLU-
TON TO SUSPEND KILLING.
Questions by Members of the Com
mittee-Mr. Hitchcock Gives the
View of the Department.
THE COMPANIES SIDE

west virginia, cOunSeI LOT tHc INoI1h
American Commercial Company, lessee OF
the islands, continued his argument OF yes
terday in opposition to the resolution He
asserted that the report prepared by Prof
H. W. Elliott of Cleveland. Ohio, after his
trip to Alaska in 1890. was not suppressed
by the Treasury Department on account OF
the position taken by the author in oppo-
sition to the land killing of seals, but be-
cause of inaccuracies contained therein.
Senator Faulkner said the ostensible pur-
pose of the Robinson resolution is to pre-
serve the seal herd on the islands, yet IL
provides for the killing of $500 seals eacn
| year as food for the natives ana the sais
of the skins for the benefit of the United
States government. The speaker asked
WHY an ARRANGEMENT could not be made
for the killing CT these $500 seals eacn
year by the company. Then there wouru
be no abrogation or annuIment OF Tue ~ u
tract with the lesSees. 1t was Stateu "
the committee that no seal is killed by the
company except in the presence OF gov
eminent agent Senator Faulkner toio ol
the large property interest OF ens c Saa1arad
if should not be confiscated by the apfosa-
ton of the contract. His proposition, ne
declared, was one of sound business pm
ciples. +h.+ tho
land killing of seals was not the greates.
source of destruction, but that pelaslo
sealing is the real danger; ne as .a.a -,
serted that to maintain the seal nero IN
| the best possible condition it Is necessary
| to kill off a certain percentage or maies'
Criticised Elliott's Report.
The senator was asked If he meant that
Providence had made a mistake In appor-
tioninp the sex of the seals and that II
| was necessary for human agency to inter-
| vene and set things right He repiied thal
no scientist other than Prof. Elliott hau
| ever taken the stand that the killing OF
| large portion of the males IS peheht ~
| the herd. Senator Faulkner SeI!eu .ta,
| Prof Elliott's report to the Smithsonian
| Institution in the seventies had not peen
| contradicted He criticised the report sharp
| w. and claimed it was full of inaccuracies,
as subsequent Investigations nave oeVeA-
| oped.
| Senator Faulkner said his views and those
of the company he represents have been
| sustained before all the tribunals OF arpl-
tration and commissions before which the
sealing question has been discussed.
Representative Hill asked the speaker
what he proposed with reference to the
sealing queStion-if he believed in letting
matters run on as at present until the herd
is exterminated. Senator Faulkner said he
had no fear of the determination of the
herd. He said that under existing law the
Secretary of Commerce and Labor has the
| right to limit the killing of seals on land
| to any extent he may deem proper. The
senator declared 1t was impossible to eX-
! become SO scarce as to make the fitting
| out of vessels for pelagic sealing. or killing
| at sea, Improbable the herd will begin to
Immediately build itself up again. The
killing of idle bull seals on land, he assert
ed strongly has only a beneficial result.
Methods of Killing Seals.
Senator Faulkner was sharply questioned
by members of the committee as to the
methods of killing the young seals. He
&C fac baf he
company kills the best Of the bulls and
| leaves the less desirable ores for breeding
purposes. He denied this, and said seals
of certain age were killed regardless of
their physical condition. This killing does
away with the fighting each year among
the males, which often results in the death
of females and pups.
Senator Faulkner cited a number of re-
ports on the sealing question which he de-
| clared tended to support his theory. He
mission, which declared that the land
killing has not been factor in the reduc-
ton of the herd, but has tended to increase
the size of the breeding flock
In answer to Representative Champ
Clark, Senator Faulkner said the only way
to put a stop to pelagic sealing is through
a treaty with Great Britain, followed by
| others with Russia and Japan. If the Ca
madam sealers were stopped however the
greatest danger of destruction would be
eliminated. The speaker caused consider
able merriment in the committee by refer
ring to certain of the male seals as "bach-
elors.' He said the majority of the seals
are Mormons in their religious beliefs and
polygamous practices.
Representative Williams Declaration.
Representative John Sharp Williams de-
clared that if God Almighty had made a
mistake in the number of male and female
seals born, 1t was His first and only mis-
take of the sort in the animal kingdom
If human agency were needed to kill off
the excess of males, it was contrary to
conditions anywhere else in the animal
world. The fighting propensities of the
males evidence the natural law of the
survival of the fittest and Mr. Williams
did not see how human killing could i'm
prove the natural condition of the herd
Representative Hill asked regarding the
sentiment of the natives and white settlers
in the Pribilof Islands relating to the treat
ment of the herd. Senator Faulkner said
he did not know of any sentiment whatso-
ever, so long as the natives continue to
be taken care of. Senator Faulkner said
he thought his company would have claim
to damages If the killing of seals should
be indefinitely suspended and then the gov
eminent should step in and kill < 5OO sea-
a year as food for the natives and sell fine
skins. He asserted the company had made
no great profit, and he saw no reason why
the government should abrogate the con-
h tract, when the killing could be limited to
any number the government desired
Pelagic Sealing Should Be Stopped.
Mr.. Frank H. Hitchcock from the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor, stated
that a conclusion had been reached that the
time has come for some action looking to
the restriction of the killing on the islands.
The department is not in favor of suspend
ing the killing entirely and therefore does
not favor the Robinson resolution. 1t be-
lieves that less drastic measures can accom-
plish the desired result. He said IL land
killing were suspended entirely at this time
It would result in an excess of male life
These bulls would go to sea and give a fresh
impetus to pelagie sealing, the followers of
which are just now pretty well discouraged
1t is the pelagic sealing. he declared, that
every one agrees should be stopped. If the
land killing were suspended now the United
States government would have no induce
ment to offer to Great Britain in negotia-
tons looking to cessation of the pelagic
sealing.
Mr.. Hitchcock outlined a policy on which
the department has tentatively fixed in
dealing with the seal problem. It proposes
to limit the killing of young seals to those
two years of age. and not to allow the kill
ing of seals over four years of age The