The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-05
MESSAGE OF lPRESI-
 DENT TO CONGRESS


 standards of international action. duty among governments, and tell in favor of the peace of mankind. Panama Trip. I have just returned from trip to Panama and shall report to you at length later on the whole subject of the Panama Canal.
 The AIgeciras Convention. The Algecfras Convention, which was signed by the United States as well as by most of the powers of Europe, ' supercedes the previous convention of 1880, which was also signed both by the United States and a majority of the European powers. This treaty con- fers upon us equal commercial rights with all European countries and does not entail q single obligation of any kind upon us and I earnestly hope 1t may be speedily ratified. To refuse to ratify would merely mean that we forfeited our commercial rights in Morocco and would not achieve another object of any kind. In the event of such refusal we would be left for the first time in hundred and twenty years without any, commercial treaty with Morocco; and this at a time when we are everywhere seeking new markets and outlets for trade.
 The destruction of the Pribilof Is- lands fur seals by pelagic sealing con- tinues. The herd which. according to the surveys made in 1874 by direction Of the Congress numbered 4.700, ,00O, and which, according to the survey of both American and Canadian commits sioners in 1891. amounted to 1,O0O. 900, has now been reduced to about 1SNhOO Ihis result has been brought about by Canadian and some other sealing vessels killing the female seals while in the water during their annual pill grlmage to and from the south, or in search of food. As a rule the female seal when killed is pregnant. and also mas an pnweaned pup on land, so that Tor each skin taken by pelagic seal Ing as a rule, three lives are destroy eu-the mother. the unborn offspring, and the nursing pup, which is left to starve to death No damage whatever is done to the herd by the carefully as psssulsted nais Sd kiiliing on land; the custom TOT all or the present evil. and Is alike fndefensible from the economic stand point and from the standpoint of hum
 In 1896 over 16,OO0 young seals were round dead from starvation on the Sribiiof Islands. In 1897 1t was estimat- eo that since pelagic sealing began upward of 4oO6 6O9 adult female sesi. had been killed at sea, and over 3O0 unO young seals had died of starva ton as the. result.The revolting barbar- ny or such practice, as we'll as the Masteful destruction which if involves needs no demonstration and is its own condemnation. The Boring Sea TribunaI Eac,a1 Wnicn sat m Paris in 1893. and which
 
 Chlted states to exclusive jurisduction . in the waters of Boring Sea and fo n property property right in the fur. seals when outside the three mile limit, determin- ed also upon certain regulations which tne Tribunal considered sufficient for the proper protection and preservation 9I 9pI the TUT seal in. or habitually resort Ing to. the Boring Sea. The Tribunal by its regulations established a close season, from the 1st of May to inc Sast SI or July. and excluded all killing around the Pribilof Islands, They also proVided that the regulations which they had determined upon with a view 70 the protection and preservation of five years to new examination. SO as to enable both interested Governments to consider whether, in the light of @ past exPerienoe, there was occasion Tor any modification thereof.
 The regulations have proved plainly inadequate to accomplish the object of protection and preservation of the fur seals, and for a long time this Gov ernment- has been trying in vain to secure from Great Britain such revi- sion and modification of the regula. tions as were contemplated and pros vided for by the award of the Tribunal of Paris.
 The process of destruction has been accelerated during recent years by the appearance of a number of Japanese vessels engaged in pelagic sealing. As these vessels have not been bound even by the inadequate limitations prescrib. ed by the Tribunal of Paris, they have paid no attention either to the close season or to the siXty-mile limit imposed upon the Canadians, and have prosecuted their work up to the very islands themselves. On July 16 and 15, the crews from several Japanese ves- sels made raids upon the island of St. Paul. and before they were beaten off by the very meagre and insuffi- ciently armed guard, they succeeded in killing several hundred selas and car rying off the skins of most of them Nearly all the seals killed were females and the work was done with frightful barbarity. Many of the seals appear to have been skinned alive and many found half skinned and still alive. The raids were repelled only by the use of firearms, and five of the raiders were killed, two wounded, and twelve cap tured. including the two wounded. Those captured have since been tried and sentenced to imprisonment An at tack of this kind had been wholly unlocked for. but such provision of Ves- sells. arms, and ammunition will now be made that it's repetition will not be found profitable.
 Suitable representations regarding the incident have been made to the Government of Japan. and we are as- sured that all practicable measures will be taken by that country to pre- vent any recurrence of the outrage. On our part, the guard on the island will