36 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1910. 



for successful conduct of its business. The first step in that direc- 

 tion is to do away with the appropriation of Congress for their sup- 

 port and to increase the wage earned through the taking of skins to a 

 sum at least equal to the amount necessary for their maintenance. 

 This would at once eliminate the objectionable element of charity in 

 the present system and allow each man to support himself and family 

 from his own earnings. Such a course is in my opinion not onty an 

 act of simple justice, the consummation of which would, moreover, 

 involve no additional expense to the Government, but would go far 

 toward increasing the moral tone of the native, by making him more 

 self-reliant and self-respecting. It can be taken without additional 

 legislation, the Secretary of Commerce and Labor now having the 

 power under existing law to fix the natives' compensation for taking 

 skins. 



SCHEME OF COMPENSATION OF NATIVES. 



The scheme of compensation embodied in the foregoing recom- 

 mendations may be summarized as follows: 



1. The appropriation for natives' support to be discontinued. 



2. For natives' labor an allotment should be made of, say, $3 for 

 each sealskin. 



3. The moneys thus derived should be formed into a general fund, 

 winch should be prorated among all the natives of both islands. 



4. Tins fund, by agreement with the natives, to be used for their 

 support at the rate of a certain weekly amount based upon the 

 number of mouths in each family. 



5. The balance or remainder of each native's account at the close of 

 each year to be paid to the native in cash. 



It must be understood that the native is restricted b} T his work 

 to the seal islands and can not go forth to pursue any other vocation, 

 be it more or less profitable. It is not fair to this laborer to deny 

 him all progress in the world and to confine him in his necessarily 

 restricted sphere to such compensation only as permits the bare nec- 

 essaries of life to him and his family. Whatever a corporation hav- 

 ing a lease of the sealing privilege may have done, the United States 

 Government ought not to put its laborer into the condition of constant 

 and continuous vassalage with all progress denied him. 



NATIVES ON THE ALEUTIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



The Aleut race is not found on the mainland, but inhabits the 

 Aleutian Archipelago and several of the islands along the coast of 

 the Alaskan Peninsula. It was never numerous and now embraces 

 probably fewer than 1,000 souls, whose numbers are decreasing 

 rapidly from disease and insufficient food. Some action should be 

 taken to ameliorate their condition. 



