New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-30
ILLE SELLING TRE1Tl

The practical completion of an agree
mcnt by Russia, japan, Canada and the
United States 10 terminate pelagic seal
ing is cause for general congratulaton,
since if will put stop tO the Wasteful
destruction Of seal life III BcrinS
/ Sea- and remove Il source of irritation,
! long open. between this country and It's
North Pacific neighbors. As the possess
or of the islands used by tile seal herds
/ for breeding purposes. the United states
! has seen its revenues from the sale of
! the sealskins which il could take under
conditions not inimical TO the perpetua
| ton Of the herd diminished by the wan-
| ton methods Of the pelagic hunters. who
destroyed females. rs well as males and
lost after killing many more animals
than they could possibly get on board
their vessels.
The ravages Of the poachers have been
enormous. When The United States pur-
| chased Alaska i'm 1865 the seal herd num-
bered from 4 100 900 10 60Dc,000. 1t has
! been cut down now TO fewer than 10000.
! According 10 the United States Commits
sion of Fisheries, If pelagic sealing could
have been stopped even as late as 1897
The seal herd would now contain about
| 100000 breeding cows. instead Of $1,000,
and the government could he taking 80
| GEO skins annually. yielding revenue
Of $4,000. instead Of less than 1900,
Welding a revenue Of $4,000. About
| S3o.O0OO00 in property has been sacri-
! feed in the last thirteen years through
! the operations of the p0achers, who have
realized perhaps SG,0o0,ooo ont Of their
open sea captures.
The United States and Russia VIII be
the chief benefciaries of an interna-
tional compact putting the pelagic ma
rauders out Of business. They have
agreed. therefore, TO indemnify Canada
and Japan for losses due to the cessa-
ton of open sea opera tons by Canadian
ard japanese vessels. The United
States. Russia and Japan will contribute
10 an indemnity fund 80 per cent Of the
skins taken by them on the breeding
islands. but as Japan's land catch is very
SIlldll lIdi GUILTY. VIII Sllilt equally
with Canada in the distribution Of the
indemnity fund.
Negotiations were delayed for time
by the desire of the japanese government
10 secure as favorable treatment rs
Canada had already obtained in sepa-
rate sealing convention with the United
States ratified last winter. The Tribune
not long ago expressed its confidence
that Japan would not assume a seriously
and permanently obstructive attitude.
and that confidence has been fully
justified, for by generous concessions all
around way has been found TO equaliZe
tie burdens and benefits of the agree
ment 10 all the signatories. Common
sense has triumphed over the narrow
considerations which so long prevented a
rational concert in preserving a natural
source of wealth for the benefit of all the
countries bordering Oh the North Pacific.
Each nation will now get Il fair share Of
the profit arising from the perpetuation
Of the seal herd. instead Of being driven
by its neghbors into Il senselesS policy
Of rapid destruction
The Taft administration Is entitled 10
great credit for having successfully
solved Il diplomatic problem which had
st,bbornly resisted solution for more
than a generation.