The Nenana news., 1923-02-03
FUR MAN MAKES APPEAL
 TO CITIZENS OF NORTH

George R. GoShaw, veteran Alas ka fur buyer, has addressed the fol- lowing letter to the people of AL aska, urging their cooperation in throwing the fur seal industry open to competitive bidding. Mir. Goshaw is now in Washington attending the hearings which are being held by the senate commerce committee |:
 Believing that you are person sonally interested and deeply con- cerned in the present investigation relative to the matter of the Sale of the Alaska Fur Seal Skins, l 2n writing to you, calling attention 10 the salient features which caused this inquiry. The investigation is now scheduled before the Commit tee on Commerce, the hearing be- ginning next week.
 In 1910, while a deputy |. s. Marshal for Alaska, l personally conducted the first Government Sale of Alaska Fur Seal Skins at Unalaska. The skins were sold at public auction to the highest bidder in the 'salted form Since that time I have devoted much time and attention to this matter of fur seal sales, believing that it is best for the Government to sell all fur seal taken at the Pribilof Islands at public auction in the 'salted form
 The present method of selling the Governments Fur Seal Skins Is thru a contract granted by the Department of Commerce to the Fouke Fur Company of St. Louis, Mo. The contract granted by the Department grants to that company the Exclusive right to dress, dye and sell all fur seal skins taken by the Government each year-the contract being for period of ten years. ...... ... .-
 The contract causes to exist to- day, the closest and most exclusive monopoly in any industry within the United States-the Government Is a party to it. This contract Is menace to the Fur industry for t restrains all competition-no oth- CT fur firm or fur dyeing company can obtain a single raw fur seal skin legally taken at the Pribilof Islands @.
 At the time the present contract was granted, no person-no firm in Alaska or the United States, other than certain officials of the Depart ment of Commerce and members of the Fouke Company, were given an opportunity to enter into com petitive bidding for the dressing dyeing and the selling of the Alaska Fur Seal Skins. It was entered into in 8 most secretive manner, aosoi' utely contrary to all law.
 In 1919, President Harding, then in the United States Senate, intro dueed a Bill $ 2857' which provid- ed for the sale of the Alaska Fur Seal Skins-no action was taken on this measure, other than sending it to Committee. Last June 1922. Senator Johnson, introduced s 3731 it being an exact copy of s 2857,. Senator Johnson's Bill was referred to the Committee on Commerce, of which Senator Jones of Wash. jngton. is the Chairman.
 Bill S 3731 provides, That nc fur seal or fur seals shall be taken the skin or skins of which wher properly ssalted, or cured in salt shall measure less than thirty-sev en and one half inches in length and provided further, that all ful seal skins so taken and recorded shall be sold in their salted form as cured and shipped from the Is lands, and in no other shape, bs the Secretary Of Commerce, from and after passage of this Act"
 Now it is up to you Are you interested in the matter? How doe; the present method effect you and E your business? Are you willing that the Government shall continue te be your competitor grant. ing to its partner exclusive priveleges, thus making 1t possible