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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (April 4, 1912)
Making #e rur seal Abundant c HE fiSi«i-2*ti o' Dec-mbe:. IJJ1. «-m t»se time set lor tji<r *o* mal a of cs» of the »2i*: ttn*v r'jr.: inter na.l-.aai ocaervatton tneaa thii o'er b--ra t*f If ’*4 Piimn! to .i eos t-' a-.ioa or treaty cctirlr.ded at Aasibiezt'm «*. l.'ly Hit. t»* (be raided State*. Great, JtrUr'r., Russia. aa»l ItMt. *he for M»ts of the sit" j *). i. l) will re « if tor tie first • tae a •ore el ftroMrises t:.ai Las Stet a to tif absciutelj nr- r **ry *aJ i* r'-i'an asteed fry *fcm tear great powers lor a ferns jf la jwn The a^neeitaeat pr jhibits ■ . •• *jr pr!aa •• seals’!*. « r toe i.. ;#f ;t - *;• while .a n.e wit'er. and ttaut* •»>* lrr-!T le fcfliia. of » .rr>:a* rasie *•«!• cm fa*, a r >*e -t.ro' 1 ol the CMe-t *rrs u» ■ :• **•«! Tile m*»>-stlir. •' e resr e « ' the dep!.<-'4 I ar *«*! -it f.i. u. rootmeri al <*t t *. ' -'I..- - •» Of • be -or ir. t in* • * 'Ton. • t - - r»n* n a waaceft -roe1 -a; a irei sid r(X'tf» a Umc Hood dbrt'-liters ■* . :aa' ;;=.ai e -a! •m Pir oi. - ahabf* certain parrs of both the a- tun tal toi bant hemitjjfcenes, hut the ■auwt «|rtiK herd* I've ;n the north Pacific, ref -e* • • »e» «: - • u-t suit • owrty related spe r->. at-d are itut s» the Aie* in H -ssiaa and Japitw- tar ►.pals. nwr«rti»«if Although lhe •arth* m neat* roi* widely on the h‘gh t T ajwar* reeo-t tor breeding purposes to err*. •• detai' » bt*« o' ltad trf it Is this • : » at;c* **»•-• tan <-Blar nations property rigMs h cbm* and has created several tnter arriacai n-api at: jb* Tae tstpaaeae aeals » -1- bo land art; - Rob bea t land tsi eartals l/! anus of the Kurt’e chi-'r. 'he P-:*- sa amts never go v* other abare* than it.o*e of 'he 'o*niaaa<:»T Is'.anda. m tie e-aat of Easarfcatka; val th.- Alaskan era-* a "ter distri* _u*g *b< reives over the » »’rr* perl t# tie PacSc Ocean u tar V Lth »■* anwtbec* CaJtfamu. stake an ansual pil cHawce «a taiaads la T'.-rtn* Sea. Of all the for teals, tie nor*, assttrojs and *» *»omaa: are those of Alasba. which rime to t l totted State* with afi the nher resources . the tetr'fry whee Russia -eded her Juris » vjoc Tie Alashas fer srals hive for many »*-.*c* bc«a the i«4Wt of r»rotra«-Tejl utioml nad tpierna'ioasl dlaruss aa. and dur 05 the »'"»r» in# aad IfM 'UM la for *a unusual *****rt of an *n flan. lc iddmoa to the con • tderaf*«a '—wised dur.5« tie diplomat’' aego t a'.wma retulttag la dw treaty already men ' foacrena baa eparted a new law re li me is tin aeal iaiancs a new dlsr-s'atloa » u waa la tie administration of tie islands. • ad tie cnrereaaeat a# represented br tbe » r.a« <rf F *»tm baa for tbe 8r«t tJine es r -*ed la "be '.uataess at taking and market •« eeal MiM t?ea 0 ata*"or Include* permanent • Van*- abaenratioa and oaatrol of the herd. • nary authority *o suspend all kiliine. a**! d'orre'lanary power to lease the sealing »" *«es ,e to exploit them aa a *ok rnnient i—W'f Tie naly land to which the Alaskan fur seal* • • -r resort 1* tbe croup of sma!'. rock? Islands • ■ ta Fennc £ea ?!* m'let torn, o' fna Ij^ka totatfl the nearest land These bits of hhw* tend hare corns to he popsiarlr known aa the Sea! Islands. from their a or: rnosplr n«na font are: hat aaosc ceocrapt.*r* thee or* railed the PribUof Islands la honor of the • iMdaa asrica'or who, la 1TM while In the emtasp of a Kamchatka a trading ■ onspany. fallowed 'i-e migrating eeala anl ascertained for the Seat time where they resorted At the <Jm» af tbs discovery ef tbe •' ere were as hsaaaa inhabitants as soon ns the Rues tars began to take sea sk:ns they transferred thereto tram the AJeutiaa Ts’ar.ds a a—her at satires to do the manual labor, had from tune to time established null col©, wtew at carious convenient points The tee*e*t population cumbers about 300 rs the tno talas.da When tbe aeal Islands came Into our custody •he far easts thereon — -aart tiled the most ral *»W» amst.' resow.-re that say coverntnent e»er |«s> *1 *1 Owinc to the immense body of animals present and ’he flflndtr of cotint Inc with aay decree of accuracy. erUmste* of lie mix* of the herd at that tim- necessarily liter widely tbe estnrmes feeing two million aad ossea million It Is safe to asat^c.e that the sremfaer wea between two and a half and tmmr aatttion distributed «• !l to H rookeries At the close of the sraaoc cf 1311 the Atesfcas seal herd coastals of not more than IMAM tadirldirals of all r;es Ttiia r ppall sc dwlnd Inc of 'ha herd ha* nernalonsd marh raatem and ha* subjected the govern mi nt to morh unfavorable criticism, hsmuae the rowerett en: has eserdaed foil and contlnsniia control 4sr -ig all the Intervening yosrt up to the pn-seat date It will be seen, however tka* tbe erttietem la not Jus"'fed. for •he reason that the decline and decimation of •he herd came thru rsuae* operating when the seals wer* am be rh seas and beyond •he fester* tag ears of *%etr foster father It Is I wtfeerm*re a fact that the emeremest took active steps to aarnre adequate protector, for the seals when away from the l—ffeilofR and that its efiorta were f—1st rated caieCy by th» eee.lts «f an unfortuna'e international arbitration Although the seal* are easily killed by the anrthsds adopted by man for 'heir dertree Ik* on **n and land they are eatable of with stand, ic Brest prlislioa and of uedcrgulag iinpwO—lT muscular erection 1. raa '.taiB tlu maelre* daring winter la the tempewtwa* noth F: r.Sc anbou: retorting to ' - - . j&DOuCfgyan qST&CUZ 7JZAXD tiSin of 7Yo '1 COJ& J*AJJ£D Qrf ££AO£ Ia»d s la itself no small accomplishment for air-breathing animals. The females, leaving the islands in November, go further south *haa an;- other members of the herd, and in December appear off southern California. • here they remain until March. They then begin their long return journey, reaching the islands early in June. Within two days of their arrival on the rook eries the cows give birth to their pups. Not until ten or twelve days have elapsed do they return to the water or take any food. Then, after washing and playing near the Islands, they make their first long trip to the feeding grounds, coming back to the rookeries after three or four days Thereafter throughout the season ttie cows make regular feeding trips at intervals of five to ten days. The seals subsist chiefly on squid, but also cn ^erring, smelt, salmon, pollock, and other kinds of fish, which are caught and eaten In the water They have prodigious appetites and gorge themrelves whenever the opportu nity comes On the approach of cold weather, the cows and pups leave the islands together. Up to that time the pups have subsisted solely on milk, and they then have to learn to egteh their own food, consisting of fish and squid. Inasmuch as the natural mortality among the pups in their first year is fully 50 per cent, it Is evident that they experience many vicissi tudes in the tempestous sea6 to which they commit themselves. The males follow shortly after, but some remain about the islands throughout the winter in inild seasons, and the natives always depend on seals for food in December and January. Fur seals and hair seals have always been regarded as legitimate objects of exploitation, and all governments having real or assumed property rights in herds of seals have sanc tioned their killing, under restriction, for fur, leather, oil. food. etc. Beginning in 17S6 and continuing until the sale of Alaska. Russians were almost contin -outiy engaged in killing fur seals on the mb:Inf Islands. In the earlier years there was a promiscuous scramble among rival compa nies. so that to maintain order and properly regu'ate the taking of seals the government was forced in 1799 to give the privilege to a f ir.gle c mpany, created by imperial decree sr.u having among its shareholders members of the imperial family and the nobility. This a.-eociatlon, known as the Kussian-American company, enjoyed a monopoly of this business if long as Russia had control of Alaska. An abase is-ued by Alexander I In 1S21 for the regulation of tbe company had as one of its features *he prohibition of foreign vessels within J90 miles of tbe Russian coasts and Islands. This ukase involved Russia In a dis pute wtth the United States and Great Britain, resulting in the treaties of 1824 and 1825. which recognised Russia's claim to jurisdiction over the whole of Bering Sea, Okhotsk Sea. and other water inclosed by Russian territory. From the outset the company placed a ra tional limit on the number of animals kilted each year, and in the light of later experience It is evident that the herd would have been fully able to sustain the annual harvest of skins if these had been taken only from the males. But males and females alike were slaughtered in ignorance or disregard of the polygamous character of the seals, and as early as 1806 it was necessary to suspend operations for two years in order to permit the herd to recuperate. When killing was resumed, however. It was along the same destructive lines, and the mighty fur-seal host continued to dwindle un til by 1834 its numbers were reduced to one fifteenth or one-twentieth of those present in the first years after the discovery of the islands. The suspension of all killing for a term of years then ensued, and by the time operations were resumed the company officials had come to realize that the females should be protected, and later the sacrifice of old bulls and young pups was stopped. The result was a remarkable recuperation and increase in the herd that afford a' valid basis for the belief that speedy reco*«rp of the decimated herds of Alaska, Russia, and Japan may follow the elimination of the factor re sponsible for their present condition, namely, the indiscriminate killing of males and females at sea. When Russia ceded her Jurisdiction over Alaska, the Pribllot fur-seal herd had at tained a degree of prosperity closely approach ing Its condition at the time of its discovery, and we thus came into possession of a re source but little impaired and had a knowl edge of Us significant history to guide us in Us treatment. It is a cause for congratulation that no coun try has dealt with its seal life in a more intel ligent. humane, and zealous manner than the United States, and it was a cruel fate that for so many years rendered our efforts futile. The only occasion when there was any laxity in our administration of the seal islands was dur ing the first years of our possession, when the government was still unorganized anywhere in the territory and various private companies landed parties on the Pribilofs and took sea! skins without any government supervision or restriction It was in that year that the larg est killing in the history of the islands was made: the numoer of skins obtained was prob ably not less than 300.000. and may have reached 375.000; but this take was not indis s'IZnr of a -&4CJ&IQ& criminate, was confined to bachelors, and had no effect on the permanence of the herd. Although the indiscriminate killing of seals in the sea had been going on from very early times, this business was not extensive, was conducted by natives using spears in their canoes, and had no appreciable effect on the herd. Special inquiry made by the government showed that in different years from 70 to over 90 per cent of the seals killed at sea, either on the northwest coast or in Bering Sea, w«t females. What pelagic hunting then meant to the sea', herd when so large a fleet was engaged, and what it has meant recently when the fleet w»3 larger in proportion to the number of seals, may be appreciated when it is stated (1) that for every seal killed and secured by the hunt ers not less than two seals were killed and lost because they sank before the hunters could lay hold of them, while many that wer> wounded and escaped died later; (2) that for every adult female killed on the way to the islands in spring an unborn pup was sacri ficed; (3) that for every female killed after the herd had reached the islands a pup on shore was left to die a lingering death by starvation, and a pup to be born the nert sea son was likewise sacrifleed. The government was not slow to realize the damage done to the seal herd by pelagic seal ing, and was led to assume jurisdiction over the entire American side of Bering Sea and to regard as poachers any persons found hunting seals therein. The seizure of vessels flying the United States and British flags followed, and there arose a controversy with Great Brit ain. which culminated in the reference of the case to an International tribunal of arbitration that met in Paris in 1S93. The award of the arbitration court was against the United States on both of the main contentions, namely, thc Bering Sea is a closed sea. and that the prop erty right in the seal herd warranted the gov ernment in protecting the seals while on the mga seas. Sine# the award of the Paris tribunal the case of the fur-seal herd has gone from had to worse. The United States gOTermnent early showed its good faith by prohibiting its citi sens from engaging in the lucrative industry of pelagic sealing: but the subjects of all other countries were permitted to do so, and it was the injeetkin of a new factor, Japan, that con tributed more than any other cause to the decimation of our seal herd. The fur-seal problem with which the United States government now has to deal presents several phases. The most important duty the responsible officials have to perform Is to eon serve and increase the seal herd. This in volves continuous care, study, and observa tion: the determination of the actual condition and seeds of the herd, and the application of the results of scientific and economic invest! gation to the welfare of the seals. A scarcely less important duty, and one that Is in no respect antagonistic to the first, is tc provide a revenue and to utilise a highly useful resource at the time when that resource pos sesses the greatest market value. This In volves the Judicious killing of the male seals when they are two or three years old and the disposal of their pelts to the best advantage A third duty is to ascertain What are the real needs of the helpless native inhabitants of the seal islands, and to give them the air that is best suited for their mental, moral and p'nysi cal natures. Recent criticism of the government’s policy of taking the skins of seals In view of the de pleted condition of the herd te based on defi cient knowledge. The fur seal being a highly polygamous animal, and males and females be ing born in equal numbers, it follows that un der the conditions that have prevailed and still continue the number of males produced is far In excess of the requirements of nature for the perpetuation of the species. The preservation and increase of the sea! herd is entirely compatible with judicious sac rifice of a limited number of young male seaU each year, and this is quite as true when the herd is depleted as when the rookeries are crowded to their full capacity. When the pres ence of a sufficient reserve is determined by responsible officers of the government, the utilization of the surplus males for their pelts and incidentally for native food is justified and demanded by common sense, and fulfills the utmost demands of both the spirit and the letter of genuine conservation. If not a single male seal were to be killed on the islands or at sea during the next five years, not a single additional sea! would be produced as a result of that course. If not a single male seal were to be killed on the islands or at sea during the next 20 years, not a single seal would be added to the herd that will not be added if the present policy of re stricted killing of surplus males Is continued. Held Prisoner All Morning Tt»c*ttrt Visiter Lens Oeco Ui4i(«i,«(4. Not to Say Em txm—irg. Position. rttUft trSeeimtim DM) m ')Mt *ra:s of tin mother of one arrived at » roldtif tad tstennma trtod to pacify i vtkca at ttt e«<1 of baif an hour there was no | rign of abatement of the storm be ; *©ok her gently but firmly by the arm. guided her right out of the porch, and | locked the outermost door upon her. As master and scholars returned to . their work, the sound of angry expos tulations and of knocks and haxnmer | lng upon the door reached them from the distance, but the much-tried man . took no notice, thinking to Mm—t^ "She will go when she is tired ot that.” When at the end of the morning the master went to unlock the doer, he found his enemy Bitting calmly on the ground, waiting for him with an expression on her face that baffles de scription. He had shut her skirt into : the door when be locked it, and kept ! her a prisoner all the morning! Strange Reunion of Veteran*. When MaJ. Georg*- Edwards Mon tague Hastings ot the British army finished dinner at the Hotel Astor. New York, ne was surprised to And a little gray-haired man In the lobby standing at attention with his hand to his forehead as he passed out of the dining-room He stopped to learn the reason for the salute and found that the man. Peter Farrell, who is a watchman In the hotel, had fought with him In a battle with the Zulus in 1878 when a majority of the Eng lish party was killed. It was the first time the two men had met since the battle. The two men fairly fell upon each other when they had told their names. For more than three hours they dis cussed the memorable battle. When they parted both agreed that they wanted to see each other again. Heading Him Off. “Mamma, why is It that the women never have any secret societies 7“ “You are too young to understand, darling—but don't ask your papa or 1 shall not bring home the box of candy I promised you." Miss Helen Gould, philanthropist, one of the best loved among Amer ican women and possessor of millions, has come forward to save the family fortunes from passible wreckage and' to restore the prestige of the family name At the very moment when the finan cial downfall of the family is impend ing she has offered to cast her per-* sonal fortune into the breach to stay the threatened calamity. In so doing she has chosen to for get and to forgive all that has oc curred to alienate one member of the family from the others. She is in spired by her own bounty of heart and by the deep reverence in which she holds her father's memory. Miss Gould left New York the other day in her private car for San Fran cisco. for it is there that the arrange ments will be made by which the UIU11II V o ouf. She is going to look over things lor herself, and is accompanied by some prominent financiers. Si;e will see and study for the first time the great Gould properties that, have their center in San Francisco. With iter are a number of eastern finan ciers and railroad men, with whom she will advise. On her trip to the coast Mis? Helen Gould is accompanied by the men at the tend of the Gould properties. In the party are B. F. Bush, president of the Missouri Pacific and the Denver & Rio Grande and future president of the Western Pacific; E. T. Jeffery, president of the Western Pacific, chairman of the financial board of the Rio Grande and chief financial adviser to the Goulds: Charles H. Schlacks, first vice-president of the Western Pacific and of the Denver & Rio Grande™ I'ntil now Miss Gould has remained free of the financial enterprises in which her family has been involved. Her chief concern has been her philan thropic work. When it looked as though the Missouri Pacific would be l03t to George Gould, he was able to interest Speyer & Co., and they raised $23,000,000 to put into the property. Then attention was turned to the Denver & Rio Grande. A system of financing has just been completed by which from $10,000,000 to $25,000,000 will be available. The Western Pacific remains to be financed and it will be done through the assistance of Miss Gould. She has practically agreed to use her entire per sonal fortune, estimated at $20,000,000. to help restore the family credit. Miss Gould is credited with having said that she will give every cent, if ! necessary, to preserve the heritage that her father bequeathed them. HEAD OF VERY SMARTEST SET Sadness and gloom have been the portion of a large section of the American Society (be careful of the large SI), since the publication of that remarkable book ‘ The 4C9 Ultra Fashionables of America,” compiled by Charles Wilbur de Lyon Nichols, bn whose shoulders has fallen the mantle of Ward McAllister, inventor of New Yorks “400.” The cream of the cream of American society have now been segregated, corailed, re concentrated or otherwise abstracted , from the common herd and sealed on high in the splendor and dazzling radiance of Mr. de Lyon Nichols, au gust approval. There appears to be, however, a remarkable lack of inven tion displayed in the New York list of 300 notables. It is confined prac ! tioally to the guests who were invited 1 to meet the Connaughts and Princess Patricia on their recent visit. Surely - -r*-**-*•■> « ur-u >>- ' It can only muster a beggarly 300. Even Ward McAllister. in an earlier and less enlightened period, permitted the metropolis to have a sacred circle of 400. The reason may be that only the superfine ultra-fashionables are included in Beau Nichols' arbitrary selec tion. and that those unfortunates who are at all tainted with the stigma of slowness, who do not fully subscribe to the modem doctrine of “eat, drank and be merry, for tomorrow we die." are dropped relentlessly. Possibly the ; compilers wisdom did not wholly desert him and he hesitated to embark on the Stormy waters of the next stratum below, being assured of countenance and support by the precedent already established. KING PETER IS IN TROUBLE Is the bloody drama of 1903 about to be repeated In Belgrade? That is a question that all Europe, including Servian people themselves, are ask ing. For weeks reports have emanat ed from Belgrade that a conspiracy has been formed' among the officers of the army having for its purpose the dethronement of King Peter, if nec essary. by as violent means as those of the terrible night nine years ago, when King Alexander and Queen Draga were murdered in the palace. King Peter is paying for whatever guilty knowledge he may have had of the regicide plot with uneasy days and sleepless nights. Now in his sixty-eighth year, he is wondering if it wr.s worth while after all, to trade his peace of mind as a private citizen in Switzerland, for the bloody crown of Servia. Through the palace still stalks the restless ghost of Alexander _J ♦ V, ~ ~ 111 -___1 the echo of the shrieks of Draga. At the foreign office and in the war ministry all knowledge of plots and conspiracies are denied, of course. “It is a sensational newspaper lie," said one official, who was most anxious to leave the impression that the best rela tions existed between Peter and the army and Peter and his people. But talk in the cafes, converse with officers to whom you have been vouched for or ask any representative of the common Servians, the working people, and one finds little praise for Peter. "Servia wants to become a republic." one army officer said. “The army and the people are tired of the dynasty.” RULER OF SMALLEST STATE By the death of William Alexander. Grand Duke of Luxemburg, which oc curred recently, a demure young woman not yet IS becomes sovereign 'of that little principality. She is the .late ruler s eldest daughter, the Grand Duchess Marie- Luxemburg is a state of 99S square miles in the angle where Germany. France and Belgium meet. It has about 250.000 people. From time immemorial it has been an ap panage of the House of Nassau. It was therefore virtually part of Hol land. though separated from it until the death of Queen Wilhelmina's father in 1S90. Then it followed the male line to the father of the grand duke just dead. In 1907 the succes sion in the female line was instituted by a family statute. At a time, some years ago, when it seemed likely that Queen Wilbelmina of Holland, would be childless, she (lesigiiairu luia j wuu& &>auu uuiucsa Tgv ’w_ i»(,, / as heir to the throne of the Nether lands and was about to ask the Dutch states genera! to pass the necessary legislation to this end. Shortly afterward, however, the hopes of the Dutch people for a direct heir to the throne were gratified by the birth of the little Princess Juliana. The grand duchess is described as an unusually pretty girl, impatient of advice, quick tempered and impulsive—characteristics which greatly displease the royal busy-bodies who are already occupied in selecting for her a suit able husband.