New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-30

cents would, but the men who say this 10
not know President Taft
! REMEMBER THE FATE OF BAL
| IINGER. is a member of the
! Cabinet whose duty it is to preserve the
seal herd on the Pribylov Islands. The
preservation OF that herd is the truest
form of conservation. This member, who is
Secretary Nagel Of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor. has refused to renew
! the contract whereby the seals were killed
! By z private company and the native irhah-
itants supported by the company that had
the concession. Instead, he has assumed
| the care of the seals and the support
of the natives. He is not q mammalogist
| but he has secured the advice of the most
/ competent authorities this subject in
/ the country, and they all have advised him
/ that the welfare of the seals requires the
! killing of the superfiuous males. This is of
course, necessary with herds of cattle and
with many other varieties of animals The
f.! seal is a polygamist. and each male main
! tains a harem. II the superfuous males
! are not killed there are constant fights
among that SEX in which females are often
| killed. and the loss Of every female is a
serious matter in the present depleted con-
dition of the herd. But zoologist of note
differs with Secretary Nagel. He insists
that no male should be killed. Secretary
Nagel has submitted the views of this
scientist to experts. and they all say he is
in the wrong. But that is of no Importance
TO this well meaning zealot. He happens
TO be an impractical visionary on this sub
ject. but he doesn't realize that. of course.
and so he is threatening the Secretary with
3 scandal which will rival the Ballinger-
PIncbot If
served man and a worker and he is loath
to talk of his troubles. Could he be in
duced to make public the facts in connec-
ton with this affair, the threatening let
! tiers and warnings he has received, he
would a tale unfold which would make ex-
tremely interesting reading. and a portion
of the world would learn something of the
methods Of the gentle muckraker who Is
inspired only by the highest ideals to COM
pei others TO see things as he does, or to
destroy them.
THE COAST SURVEY-"I love the
truth, but oh, you circulation is said to
be the motto of the undertaking publisher.
But the publisher of this class has no mo-
nopoly of the disregard Of truth Charges
have been preferred before the Senate
Committee on Commerce against the Coast
and Geodetic Survey. A brief abstract of
the charges appeared in these dispatches
TO The Tribune on Saturday morning. One
of the allegations was that the expenses
of Che survey have increased $4,000 900 in
two years with no adequate increase in
the amount OF quality of the service. The
charges were printed for what they were
worth. and before It was possible to look
into them, \ careful investigation of this
7 1cd Boil q
fact that the total expenses of the survey
have been for the last three years as fol-
lows: Fiscal year of COS. 1891 290; 1902,
5000, 900; 1910 appropriated in this years
budget, s997.290 And in the face of
! these facts, which matters of public
record and open 10 all who will take The
trouble TO look, il is charged that the ex-
penses have increased s2oo0. 600 in two
years Another charge is that the vessels
of the survey have been used as nur
series" for the wives and children Of off,
GERS in direct violation of the law" This
charge is equally ungrounded. First. there
Is no Law prohibiting the wives and chill
dren Of officers going on board the vessels
The prohibition is found only in a bureau
regulation. which the chief has authority
TO suspend in his discretion, and, of course.
the implication in the charge is a wild
eXaggeration. The wives and even the
children of the officers have in extremely
few instances made trips on the vessels,
but, of course, the man who would accuse
bureau of having increased its expenses
at the rate of 100000 year for two
years when its total expenses have never
amounted to 100000 in any one year
would not hesitate Is exag4erate anything
else
PRESIDENT TAF'T'S POLICY-Presi-
dent Taft has told the members of his
Cabinet he wants them to hew to the line,
regardless of the political effect Of the
charges of the muckrakers or the attacks