The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-06-05
Secretary NageI Of the De-
partment of Commerce Will
Seek to Preserve the Seals
in the Future.
PRICE OF THE SKINS
PROBABLY WILL ADVANCE
The Enforcement Of the Law
in Regard to PeIagic Seal
ing viii Mean a Great
Scarcity in Skins.
By SIDNEY EspEY

BY SIDNEY EsPEY
Washington, June 4.-Since the ac-
tion OF congress during the present
session has given Secretary Nagel OF
the Department Of Commerce and La
bor. the right to protect the seal herds
OF Alaska. active steps have been
taken by the secretary with this OBJ
ject in mind. Within the next few
weeks Special Agent Lembkey. OF the
Department Is to leave for Alaska,
where he will gather q force of several
hundred men to carry out the instruc-
tions OF the department In preserving
the seals.
According to the instructions at
least 800 male seals of three years OF
age are to be allowed to escape from
the killing field on the islands OF st.
George and st. Paul in the Phibilhon
group. Others may be used for COM
mercial purposes. whose skins are OF
certain weight.
This action of the department.
means that the government IS going
into the seal killing business for prof
It. Sealing boats owned by private
parties, It is said, will not be permit
ted to kill seals on this group OF Is
lands. Should catches be made. boat
men engaged in this business will
have 10 conline their activities to =
!. epaoe outalde the thrss mile limit OF
the island. The conservation Of the
seal herd In Alaska. which has suffer
ed 10 seriously for a great many years
from pelagic sealing was brought
about by reports from government Of
ficers In Alaska that the herd would
be extinct In five years II the govern
ment did not take immediate steps to
protect the seals. Governor Clark OF
Alaska, who Is in Washington now,
took the matter up with the various
committees Of congress and with the
secretary OF the department Of COM
merce and labor. with the result that
q conservation OF the seal industry
was decided upon. Not only does the
legislation enacted provide for the pro-
lection of the seals. but 1t Is to become
the means of providing additional rev.
enue to the government.
Skins Sent to England.
As contemplated, all seals killed by
Lembkey and his men. will be sold.
The meat and other valuable portions
of the animal. except its skin be dis
posed of In Alaska. The skins are
TO be cured and later sent to London,
where higher price is obtainable
than in the United States. English
dyers have a peculiar process for dye
ing the skins and later of treat
ing them, which cannot be dupli-
Gated In the United States except at
greatly increased cost both to the ul-
innate consumer and to the furriers.
Secretary Nagel. however, does not
hold out any hope to ladies Of fashion
nor to the fur interests that the gov
ernment's methods will In any way re-
suit In cheapening the cost of seal
skins.
Prices In this country will remain
the same as they have In past years" /"
said Mr.. Nagel. I'm fact 1t might re-
suit In making seal skins little
higher than every before. The reason
for this is that this government and
the government Of Great Britain will
rigidly enforce the law in regard to
pelagic sealing. This will mean a
great reduction in the number of seals
brought into any port with q conse-
Quent increase In the price of the
skins.
up to the present time the Japan
ese and Russians have been the great
est offenders in killing seals. Mum
hers of poaching crews have been ar
rested. and at one time interna-
national complications were threaten
ed. Through the cooperation of ia
pan. however. and by the vigorous
methods adopted by the United States
end Great Britain 1t is almost impos-
sible now for poachers to successfully
operate In the waters OF Alaska and
Canada"
Up to the present time. the United
States government has collected about
$4,000. 900 In revenue from its seal
fisheries In Alas;sa. It Is expected that
rs result Of the present co1sevGtf0n
movement. with its consequent in.
crease in seal herds. the returns from
this industry will bc much larger in
tho future than in the past.
To Protect Corporations.
To safeguard the interests of cor
porations as well as those of the gov.
erument, . number Of Checkers ol
the internal Revenue division of the
Treasury Department have been as
sig7ed by Commissioner Cabell t.
make an Investigation Of corporations
on June 1. to see whether or not the
proper corporation tax returns have
lCootinued On Pags Three,l