ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 443 



Office of Special Agent, Treasury Department, 



August 15, 1893. 



Sir : We, tlie uudersigued Treasury agents, have the honor of sub- 

 mitting to you a question of vital importance to some of the most worthy 

 natives of the seal islands, and of recommending the adoption, by the 

 Department, of the ruling we have already given in the premises. 



Congress having appropriated $19,500 for the support of the natives 

 of the seal islands, the question has arisen: Sliall a pro rata share of 

 the appropriation be expended for those natives who have money saved 

 by economy from the earnings of years past? 



Agents in charge of the islands, at different times, have held contrary 

 opinions on "the subject, one man insisting that the native must exhaust 

 his last dollar and become a pauper, al3Solutely, before Government 

 aid should be given him, while others held tbat it would be both unjust 

 and impolitic to bring the thrifty and saving to the degrading level of 

 the pauper. 



Our own opinion is that all sealers should be treated as equals in the 

 distribution of the necessaries of life by the Government, and that the 

 few who have had the forethought to save a little money should be 

 allowed to hold and hoard it for future emergencies. 



Under existing rulings the native men guard the rookeries, build and 

 repair roads, and do all the work that is done for the comfort and clean- 

 liness of the whole community. 



Were we to refuse rations to those who can aftbrd to purchase them 

 it would hardly be fair to compel them to work on the road, and were 

 we to permit idleness on their part, we could hardly induce the pauper 

 element to perform labor with any degree of satisfaction. 



A temporary ruling has therefore been made to the effect that Gov- 

 ernment aid shall be given to all alike, and we very respectfully submit 

 the matter for your decision. 



Joseph B. Crowley. 

 Thos. E. Adams. 

 Joseph Murray. 

 Enos T. Hall. 



Hon. John G. Carlisle, 



Secretary of the Treasury. 



