VENEZUELA AND AFTER 339 



cries. As to the seals in the Pacific Ocean, 

 whose diminishing numbers at the breeding- 

 places in the Behring Sea gave great concern 

 to the United States, an agreement was reached 

 in the summer of 1911 by the four powers 

 chiefly concerned, Great Britain, the United 

 States, Russia, and Japan, prohibiting pelagic 

 hunting for a period of fifteen years. This 

 involved the temporary extinction of a large 

 industry of British Columbia in order to avoid 

 the utter destruction of the fur-seals. 



By this time no controverted question of 

 right remained to make trouble so far as con 

 cerned the relations of the United States and 

 Canada. Commercial policy offered, however, 

 as for the last half-century, inviting opportuni 

 ties for modifications and improvements. In 

 both countries there were indications of serious 

 discontent with the existing high tariffs. The 

 American revision of 1909 was followed by an 

 overwhelming defeat of the Republicans in the 

 elections, in which tariff questions played a 

 large part. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, prime minister 

 of the Dominion, thereupon entered vigorously 

 upon negotiations with the American Govern 

 ment for a reciprocal reduction of duties on 

 the commodities most involved in the commerce 



