Las Vegas optic., 1912-05-04
sealing RULES
severe ON
WHALERS
RESIDENTS OF ALASKA ARE AL
LOWED TO USE ONLY PRlMI.
TIVE METHODS.


exist.
In view Of this, a mass meeting
was held, at which a statement was
drawn up and unanimously signed,
setting forth their grievances. Cop
les of it have been forwarded to
Governor Clark, Delegate Wicker
sham, the bureau of education in
Washington. and the Presbyterian
Board of Home Missions in New
York.
The statement follows:
THE natives of Alaska have never
been treated as body polite as 9th
=, er native people of the United States
have been. Our land has been taken
from us without compensation, or
even pretense of compensation. Our
fishing rights have been taken from
us in the same manner. Canneries
and fish traps have multiplied to such
an extent that fish are scarce and be-
coming more so every year. Game is
not so abundant as formerly, and the
restrictions on the sale of deer flesh
and the skins of both bear and deer
make it impossible to derive any reve-
nue. from that source. Land fur-bear-
ing animals have been ruthlessly de-
stroyed by white hunters and poison.
ers, and very little can be made from
them.
"There is not a great demand for
native labor in Alaska and many OF
us are unable to make a living in
that way. We have never been given
charity and never asked for it, and do
not desire it now. We wish to live
independent lives.
Zone remaining source of revenue
and food supply was the fur seal
herd that passes along our coast ev-
cry year. We have always believed
that as our fathers from time i'm
memorial have taken few seals from
the countless thousands that pass, we
also have certain definite rights to do
: so. That right was considered by the
former treaty with Great Britain.
"The recent fur seal treaty takes
away from us that right. No notice
was given us and we were not con-
sidered in the matter. The rights OF
other people interested in the busi-
ness were considered and adjusted by
the treaty, but as to us i is silent ex-
cept to give us the right to take seals
without firearms.
"The only seals taken in southeast
ern. Alaska are killed in the open sea,
many miles from land. 1t is many
years ago that our people killed ami
mails with clubs and spears or bows
and arrows. We have no such weapons
} and no knowledge Of using them, and
I IlO Ou0 VI uo WOulu dOtChnpt " tohS
: seals without the use of firearms.
4 "The annual gross income of our
9 village from that source is about $12,-
= 600, besides the supply of seal meat
: and oil. We have listed our proper.
S ty used by us in that basiness. which
t is practically useless for other pur
J. poses, and find that the aggregate
t value of it is about $4,000.
: I'VE therefore respectfully ask your
t consideration of this matter, with the
s end in view that We be given such re
t. lief as is just and proper"
Il Peter Simpson, a native boat build
d er of Sitka, said:
s "The government ought to establish
schools to teach the natives to use
t. spears and other primitive weapons
g il it wishes us to take a backward
= step. Under our present conditions
e we have lost all interest in the ole
4 customs except that we have to make
It our living off the resources that have
y been ours by right since the begin
e ming of time 1t is lust the same as
2 If the government we're to force tht
e farmers of the country to use the
d spade instead of modern machinery
T. The seals are wild and it is impossi
9 BILE for us to approach within spearine
b distance of them.
0 1--WE are trying to be law-abidins
e citizens. but one thing puzzles US
y would a man go out thirty Or forty
J. miles from shore without firearms
%The sealers are sometimes blown
9 so or 60 miles from their camps and
s are compelled to land in places alive
J. with bear and other wild animals and
o depend on the land for their living
e until they get back to their permanent
e camps. How can they do that with
n out firearms?"