New-York tribune., 1910-07-24
NAGEL DEFENDS HIS
SEAL HERD POLICY
determination of SuperfIuous
Males Advocated by
Experts.
CAMP FIRE CLUB PROTESTS
Would Have Absolute Closed
Season-David Starr Jordan
Agrees with the
Secretary.

". T Hornaday and his fellow mem
Sers OF the Committee on Game Pro-
fective Legislation and Preserves of the
Camp Fire Club of America" have issued
III appeal 10 the people of the United
States against the decision of the Sec
-etary Of Commerce and Labor to kill
the super1iuous males in the seal herd
o. the Pribylov Islands. This committee
maintains that ii was clearly the Intent
Of Congress that, pursuant TO the
passage Of the Dixon bill nullifying the
statute requiring that new contract
should be made for the killing Of a pro-
portion Of the seals. no seals whatev er
should be killed and cites passages from
The debate in Congress in support OF this
contention.
Secretary NageTs position seems TO be
quite clearly stated in a letter he wrote
Il Mr. Hor,aday. under date Of May %.
1yln and which is furnished as an "ex-
hihit-" The Secretary asserts that all
a-e II ayr, nent regarding the necessity
Of taking every possible step to stop
pclaeic scaling. and adds:
You are Of the opinion that in the
moan tin7e the pres sarvation of the seal
herds would he furthered by a closed
season upon the islands for d certain
number Of years. AS TO this there is. to
say the least. d difference Of opinion.
Those who have been charged with the
responsibility 10 investigate these con-
citions advise that cessation of the
killing viii Only play into the hands of
the relaGic sealers. hey are tf the
opinion that the killing OF large pro-
portion OF the male seals is not only safe
bat oonduces to the preservation of the
herd. Il is proposed for the present TO
proceed upon this theory. as Congress is
understood t. have contemplated when
IT. law was enacted The President and
The State Department are fully advised
a Nh3t il is proposed to do. J think il
right 10 advise you. because you seem to
contemplate steps TO have the policy OF
this department reversed. Inasrnuch as
1he season is approaching. any action Of
that kind ought 70 be taken promptly"
Chsrge Award Excessive.
Mr Hornaday and his associates
further charge that the appropriation of
SlH44, ,0R-a secured from Congress to re-
inburse the North American CONNER
ciaI Company is excessive. alleging that
tAe property of the company is not worth
over S10.Goo: also that $4,000 appro-
I-iated tc support the natives who were
nat - be employed 70 kill seals proves
hi contention that Congress expected
that 10 seals would be killed. Mr.. Hor-
raday. under date Of May 10. 1910. wrote
Secretary NaEel urging the appointment
- FFenr. " Elliott to the Fur Seal
Board IN place Of Henry ". Lem bkey,
whom Mr. Hornaday appears to believe
70 he improperly interested in the killing
O. seals although Mr. Rornaday failed
u respond TO Mr- Nagels invitation for
sTecifcations ir this regard.
stripped Of such phrases as the case
the People agt- Charles Nagel. George
II Bowers. Walter l. Lembkey. ct al.
EgvinE the blood Of seals on our hands"
ct the controversy seems to resolvt
Itself into the purely scientific question
O whether the seal heard can be best
ca1served by killing of the superfuous
Z eles or by an absolutely closed season.
Nor Is Mr. Hornaday's comment. as if
( Wild species does not know how to
heed and multiply successfully without
tn nelp Of man." conclusive. in view of
the fact that the enemy from which this
Wild species must be protected is man
enGaged in pelagic sealing