330 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



wLile a perfect mania raged amoug the women to secure orders for 

 shawls, regardless of wlietlier they already had them or not. Again, 

 the few natives who have means, incapable as they are of appreciating 

 the satisfaction of independence, feel that in some way this maintenance 

 on the part of the Government of their less i^rovident neighbors is a 

 wrong to them, and that their very thriftiness luxs barred them from 

 certain benefits that they might have been able to have secured from 

 the Government had they been less prudent. In short, they seem to 

 consider that a native dependent upon tlie Government, even though 

 work is devised in order that he may be self-sui)porting-, is in a more 

 enviable position than is he who has money to his credit. 



Natives ijaid for all labor done. — A careful record is now kept upon 

 the island of all work done by the natives, and thej'^ are paid for it at 

 about the same rate of compensation they receive from the company 

 for manual labor. The amount so earned is placed to their credit on 

 the books of the Government. No actual money is paid them, but, as 

 instructed, orders are given them upon the company's store, the amount 

 of which is charged on the other side of their account. These orders, 

 as directed by the Department, should accompany the accounts of the 

 company, Avhile the stubs of the same will be transmitted to the Depart- 

 ment with the reports of the resident agents. 



So long- as a native has money to his credit, either from previous earn- 

 ings from the annual killing or the taking of foxes, he is permitted to 

 spend only so much per week, and no orders are given him until his 

 own resources are exhausted. 



Native funds. — The items of the money ($9,885.64) which the natives 

 of St. Paul had to their credit on the books of the North Americiiu 

 Commercml Company on August 10, 1892, will be found in the census 

 report of that island (Exhibit G). That on St. George will be found 

 set forth in detail in Exhibit F. 



ReconDnendation. — While the present system of caring for the depend- 

 ent native is entirely justified by the emergency which suddenly arose, 

 and by the farther fact that its continuance is expected to be of short 

 duration, nevertheless, should it be found that the present condition of 

 aft'airs is to continue indefinitely, an attempt should be made to devise 

 a plan contemplating a regular ration of food and clothing, for the 

 objection can be urged to the present method that in the hands of a 

 careless or improperly disyjosed Government agent it could be carried 

 out in a way that would be unjust to some and i)rove disastrous to the 

 morality of the village. 



Constant employment essential. — Constant employment is one of the 

 most imi)ortant factors in maintaining a wholesome condit ion of affairs 

 upon the islands. It is during the winter season of idleness that quas 

 brewing and general misconduct become most fiagrant. This is the 

 consensus of opinion of all who are familiar \T'ith lite on the islands. 



Character of worh furnished. — The question of furinshing' employment 

 to the natives was, as required in my instructions, a subject of confer- 

 ence between the superintendent of the company and myself It was 

 nuitually agreed that the most effective method of guarding the rook- 

 eries was from watchhouses upon the shores; that the Juitives, with 

 pro])er supervision and (lis('i])line, could be advantageously employed 

 for this i)urpose, and that the construction of a better water snpi)]y, 

 roads to rookeries, and tlie general improvement of the village would 

 give the necessary employnunit to the natives when not engaged in 

 their regular work of seal killing. 



