Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-28

country about the towns In which our stores
are located. Indeed l think the Hudson
Bay Company is one of the most progress
sive elements In the new Canada"
How about your fur trader You have
for years been supplying the greater part
of the furs of the world"
Our chief business is still in furs," said
Commissioner Chapman. That Is carried
on at various posts throughout these north
lands and 1t is as important today as 1t has
ever been. When the Hudson Bay Com
pany first entered America 1T was to buy
furs. and 1t then established Its trading re-
lations with the Indians. The sayages
knew nothing of money, and for long time
all trading was by barter. The beaver was
the usual standard of value and everything
was reckoned as worth so many or so few
beaver skins Upon our flag you will see
the words PRO pelle cutem." This means
skin for skin. and it means that we are
always willing to give fair value for what
we buy. In the words of President Roose-
welt 1t might be called the motto of the
square deal The trading is still by barter"
Trading With the Indians.
Then the company has not taken advan-
tage of the Indans?"
Il think not replied the commissioner
THE Indians look upon the company as
business partner Good feeling has always
obtained and this is the case today. Indeed
our relations with the Indians have been
rather patriarchal. They regard the
company as their father and adviser We
have never had an Indian war, and the
greater part of the skins bought by the
company throughout the generations has
oeen caught by the Indians and sold to it,
But do the Indians know the value of
their furs?"
Most assuredly They are shrewd trad
ers and are determined to get all that each
SKIN is worth. We pay more or less for
skins according TO the place sold, the
amount being regulated somewhat by the
cost of transportation. Goods for instance
cost more in Winnipeg than in Montreal
and they must necessarily cost a great deal
more at our far-away posts where the diff
Guilty of getting them there is so great"
Where do you hire your traders, Mr..
Chipman?'
The most of them are of Scotch origin.
we brought them over as boys of seven
teen; and as a rule, they expect to spend
their lives with the company. They learn
the indian language and are gradually adj
vanced from post to post We have civil
service rules, and men are seldom dis
charged except for cause. Some are paid
good salaries and in due time the employees
are retired with pensions.
What are the chief furs now shipped
from this continent?"
1.-The staples are the beaver, otter, mink,
fox and muskrat. There are, of course
many other kinds, but these are the chief
Where do the worlds furs come FROM"
They are mostly from the north temper
ate zone replied the Hudson bay commits
sioner. THE best are from cold countries
Siberia and northern Russia supply some
but by far the greater part of the furs used
by man are from North America and they
handled by us.
Then the Hudson Bay Company is the
largest fur company of the world?"
Il think so. 1t markets more skins than
any other"
The Great Fur Market.
Where do the furs go after they leave
this continent?''
ITO London That is the chief fur mar
ket of the world. Skins In the raw state
are sent there from Russia, Siberia and
North America. Every fur company
sorts and grades it's own skins before SELL
ing them. It matches the furs and keeps
the different kinds as far as possible to-
gether They are put up IN punches or
strings and are catalogued before sold At
certain times of the year there are euc-
ton sales of furs in London. The fur buy