Evening journal., 1918-03-14
BUTcHERY AND SALE OF BIG GAME IN NORTHERN
ALASKA

l
white mountain sheep and caribou meat in the upper
thirds Of Alaska its all the year round act
ualy was drawn in the United States Department Of
Agriculture that it is ofcialy endorsed by that depart
ment and it is also vigorously supported by Charles
sheldon prominent officer Of the Boone and Crockett
Club.
The other surprise is the discovery that through the
operation OF a little Joker sBillfuly concealed in the
Alaskan game law ever 1902 the sale OF the flesh
moose sheep and caribou quietly has been proceed
Ing in northern Alaska for knows how many
years. The bg-game sportsmen OF New York Delaware
and other places sl rubbing their eyes, and won
derng what hit them
From a statement made by William T Hornaday who
recently appeared in Washington in opposition 20 the
sulzer bill Il appears that up TO date number Of
hystercal have proposed to slaughter the
Of the nation reckessly a war measure, but the
sulzer bill as the first overt act in that
direction during the and year thereafter.
"fhe astounding thing about that bill" says Mr.
uornadsy. lis the fact that It the Depart
ment OF Agriculture and has been ardenty supported be-
fore the House Committee Territories by r. w Nelson
Chief Of the Biological Survey and Charles Sheldon rf
the Boone end Crockett Club It must be stated how
ever, that MT Sheldon had authority to represent the
Boone and Crockett Club support Of the BILL and the
club hastened 20 so record in declaration strongly
opposing that The official endorsement Of the
United states Biological Survey OF scheme TO put the
finest game animals Of Alaska into cold storage, and
actually sell them an the year rOurd merely to beat the
alleged beef trust OF Alaska during the is asound
ing development It is directly and actively contrary to
OF the foundation principles Of preservation
and is also directly contrary TO the declared principles
and policy Of Mr.. Hoovers Food Administration
According to Mr. Hornaday prior to February the date
Of the lrs hearing the Suzer BILL there
20 believe that truo sportsman wild life
defender in the whole United States would consent to-
much less openly advocate the destructive and exer-
minatory which that bill proposes He thinks
viii take long time for the Department Agriculture
to explain satisfactorily to the American people its
course in This matter II the sulzer bill is right then
what is the Of going with the business OF pro
tectng American game during the war?
But the sulzer bill is a serious bluudcr in Judgment
The idea Of feeding the people Of Fairbanks and all the
other towns northern Alaska all the year round on
moose sheep and caribou meat Just TO beat the beef
trust and avoid paying high prices for beef pork ana
mutton, is little short Of insanity The printed report Of
the hearing Of February and G. giving in full the tes
mony OF Messrs Sheldon Nelson fairly astounding
"But stn surprising the revelation that for
unknown number OF years past during every annual
open in northern Alaska the flesh moose sheep
and caribou has been buehered and sold for profit and
the Department Of Agriculture has not lifted finger to
stop IT," Hornaday continues. ANY Secretary
Agriculture could have stopped II at any time under the
law, merely by issuing regulation forbddng It. The
l. Of New York. who partly instrumental In pro
curing the rst Alaskan law 1902, dreamed
that the act it passed contained single word afford
y ing color Of excuse for the sale of game"
But the act did contain cunningly concealed joker
which by the the word dispose" sale by
inference only, afforded oophole for the butchers Of
moose, sheep and caribou. During all these years the
leading game protectors Of the New York Geological
Society, the and Crockett Club, the Campfire
Club Of America, the Permanent Wild Life Protection
Fund the American Bison Society and many others have
rested securely the belief that the Alaskan game law
which they helped TO make did not and could not per-
nit the commeciaizaton Of the finest Of northern
Alaska. Last week when in turn Madison Grant Charles
Stewart Dawson, William B. Greeley George Bird Grin
nell, T. Gilbert Pearson Edmund Seymour f. A. Quares
3 and Marshall Mclean asked whether they had
known that the legal Of moose. sheep and caribou
meat had been going on northern Alaska. each one
answered "No." Belmore Brown tho only who
that caribou being sold. but he did not
know about the sale Of the other two species.
Naturally, feel II train had gone on and
left us says Hornaday. I'VE have been too trust
full too easy and sufficiently watchful We never
dreamed that there could happen the thlng that
really happened long ago and has quietly been going
years And this after all the hard work have been
doing FOR twenty years against the sale Of gamer
Al the hearing OF February pc the sulzer bill Wig
orousy opposed by representatives OF the New York
Geological Society," the Campfire Club, the Boone and
IS Crockett Club the Wilderness Club OF Philadelphia and
= by other organizations who elegraphed wrote their
b protests Several members OF the Committee Terri
tories seem to keenly alert TO the dangers already
u surrounding the game Of Alaska and there is little
prospect the bin will be favoraby reported &c
the House The questions OF Judge William C Houston
u chairman Representative Dowell and other members
n showed very clear understanding Of the merits of th
y controversy
a Congress never viii pass the sulzer bill" said Nh
y Honaday any other bill remotely resembling
10 it A much more important question for all The sam'
protectors OF America 20 consider is; Will the Depart
ment OF Agriculture continue TO permit the sale Of
sheep and caribou while the secretary has ample
to stop IL before the opening OF the next hunting
he Shall sordd butcher the beautiful white mountain
sheep ever again the chance to bring into Fairbanks
ID at one time tveny-six hndquarers Of sheep meat fol
RS sale at fifteen cents pound-as Thomas Riggs, O
lr Alaska. testified done not long agol"