Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-24
CAMPFIRE CLUB SAYS
CONGRESS is DEFIED
Law Shows No Intent of Closed
Season, Replies Department.
VALUE OF EXPERT OPINION
Critics Condemn Theory of "Sur-
plus Bulls-Assistant Secre-
tary Cable Quotes Scientists
In Support of It.

Under the title, "A Square Deal for
the Fur Seal" the Campfire Club of
America has issued open letter to
the people of the United States, in
which bitter attack is made upon Sec
retary Nagel of the Department of Com
merce and Labor, who, the club de-
that will result In the ultimate ex-
termination of the fur seal.
An appeal is made to the people to
use every effort to prevent Secretary
Nagel from allowing, for several years,
the slaughter of any fur seals
The club points out that Congress re-
fused to allow new contract with
any company for the killing of the
seals, as in the past, and insists that
The law recently enacted by Congress
shows conclusively that Congress in
.vnued there should be long closed
season.
Betrayal Of Taft Charged.
That Secretary Nagel has also be-
IL y
cusation brought. The club says. too.
that the President, in his message to
Congress-, spoke in behalf of closed
season for the seals.
1t is pointed out that in 1874 the
seal herds which visited the Pribilof
Islands for breeding purposes numbered
at least 4.5UO.UUU. ana rnat today they
number between 10000 and 5000. The
statement is made that with closed
season of ten years the herds can be
increased SO that they will again AFFORD
a great industry.
The United States government, as rep
resented by Charles Nagel, secretary Of
Commerce and Labor, is about to Ierpe-
trate very grim and deadly joke on
the few surviving fur seals on the Prib-
ilof Islands of Alaska" says the letter.
The seals are to be slaughtered by
the United States government in the
name of protection
His sole excuse for going contrary to
the will of Congress and continuing the
slaughter OF the remnant of the fur seals
will be found in the advice of experts
that unless 90 per cent of the surplus
male seals are killed each year the sur
plus bulls will fight with the brooding
bulls over the females and seriously re-
tard breeding in the herd"
The club maintains that the seals know
how to breed and multiply without the
help Of man.
Claim Provision for Closed Season.
The charge is made that when the Sen
ate committee the conservation of
national resources took up the matter,
upon the request of the Campfire Club,
and brought in bill that would have
allowed a close season for the fur seals,
Secretary Nagel obtained appropriations
amounting to $1JUUOO with which to con-
time the killing of the seals. and that
he was not frank with the Senate COM
mittee.
1t is also charged that Walter 1. Lomb-
key. one OF Secretary Nagel's advisers,
OBTAINED an appropriation of $1OU.OUO to
purchase the time-worn seal killing plant
Oh the outgoing North American Com
mercial Company, which, the club says,
was not worth more than $4,000 at the
most, dnd which was purchased by the
company twenty years ago from its
predecessor for $60,0UU.
The club charges that Secretary Nagel
obtained an appropriation of SOOCO to
support the :UO natives on the Pribilof
Islands, whose means of livelihood would
vanish with the suspension of seal kill
ing, and that he was now going to use
this money TO pay for the slaughter OF
the seals.
The letter is signed by w. T. Horna-
day, chairman; A. S. Houghton, secretary:
julius H. Seymour, counsel; Bayaru
Dominick, jr., treasurer: Robert b. Law
renee. George W. Burleigh. Leonidas
Dennis. Joseph p. Howe, Charles d.
Cleveland. Oscar A. Campbell. William
B. Greeley, Marshall Mclean, E. W.
Sanborn and Stanley d. McGraw. These
constitute the committee on game pro-
tective legislation and preserves OF the
Campfire Club of America.
Reply of Secretary Cable.
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and
Labor Benjamin S. Cable, who is acting
secretary in the absence of Mr.. Nagel
denounced the charges made by the
Campfire Club as utterly futile yester-
day afternoon. He said:
The departure of Secretary Nagel for
Alaskan waters being we'll known, 1t has
been judged an opportune time to at
tack his policy regarding the seal
islands
las authorized by the act of Congress
OF April II, 1910. the Secretary has is
sued instructions and regulations for the
killing OF surplus male seals by the
natives of the Pribilof Islands. under the
supervision of government agents. Nc
definite number of seal skins 10 be taken
mas DtSH HAtC.
Ample provision has been made to pre-
vent the killing of female seals and year
ling seals. and also for the reservation OF
male seals for breeding purposes to a
number at least five times in excess OF
the number needed for breeding purposes
All killing Is to be done not only under
the supervision OF the agent In charge
p but also under the supervision of a train.
ed naturalist
THE wisdom of the Secretary's course
m killing male seals not needed for breed.
ing purposes is primarily a question fol-
the biologist and the naturalist, and alsc
turns upon the effect of such a course
upon pending negotiations looking to ar
international agreement for the absolute
prohibition OF pelagic sealng-the rea
source OF danger to the herd
Justification of Policy.
THE departments action was taker
with the concurrence of the Department
se-