Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-15
REPLY BY BOWERS
Answers Charges Made by
Senator Hitchcock.
DISCUSSES FUR SEAL BILL
Saws He Has Tried to Defeat the
Amendment.
BACKED BY ADMINISTRATION
Nebraskan Declared Commissioner
Influenced by Those Interested in
Pribilof Islands Privileges.

Commissioner George NJ Bowers of the
bureau of fisheries, replying today to the
charges of lobbying made in the Senate
yesterday by Senator Hitchcock, referred
in caustic manner to the sources of
information of the Nebraskan, and de-
clared that he never had endeavOred to
conceal the fact that he had opposed the
Hitchcock amendment to the fur seal bill,
now pending In his opposition to the
amendment Mr.. Bowers declared, he was
supported by every eminent scientist in
the United States acquainted with the
facts, as we'll as by the administration.
and laconically said he was willing to
back his sources of information against
those from which Senator Eiitchcock's
was derived.
Commissioner Bowers said he had not
had opportunity to read Senator Hitch
cocks speech carefully.
ut has been the policy of the admin
iStratiOn and the bureau of fisheries to
oppose the Hitchcock amendment to the
fur seal bill. and to secure the passage
of that bill as it went from the House
In the effort to do this l have used all
legitimate means at my command. If
Senator Hitchcock chooses to call my
actions lobbying he is at liberty to do
SO.
Backed by Administration.
'In my course l have had the support
of the administration, and of every zOOl-
ogist and biologist in the United States
without exception. l have been guided
largely by the conclusions of such men
as these. On the other hand, 1t is a well
known fact that Senator Hitchcock's
opinions are formed for him by a we'll
known professional lobbyist, and that all
his information comes from this profess
sional, paid lobbyist. l can only say that
prefer my sources of information to
his
Senator Hitchcock charged that Com
missioner Bowers was under the influence
of those interested in companies that had
been given the privileges Of killing seals
in the Pribilof Islands, and in this con-
nection asserted that Bowers appoint
ment to office was the result of efforts or
the late Senator Stephen B. Elkins OF
West Virginia, who in turn was financial
ly interested in the North American Com
mercial Company. which held a govern
ment lease for the killing of seals.
Senator Nelson of Minnesota joined
with Senator Hitchcock in attacking the
administration of Commissioner Bowers.
Senator Lodge. who had charge of the
fur seal bill, insisted that If there had
been violations of the law they should
be held against the government agents
on the ground and not against Commits
siOner Bowers.
Bill Taken Up.
The fur seal bill was taken up mme-
diately after the receipt Of a message
from the President urging that Congress
do its part in putting a treaty into effect.
Senator Hitchcock's attack on the late
Senator Elkins. d. o. Mills and other
prominent men interested in the North
American Commercial Company drew Wig
orous replies from Senator Lodge. Mr..
Hitchcock produced a bond this company
had filed with the government and de-
clared that it had been repeatedly broken.
1T is one of the most scandalous chap
tiers in our history" he said. 1.-The extent
to which these men eXerted power with
the State Department and other branches
of the government. They even used the
Department of State to compel Russia to
pay something like $4,000 for the seizure
of sealing vessel in 1891"