366 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



than $5 on each skin sold. By such plan a ranch larger permanent revenue would be 

 assured to the Government, the natives secured in the free eujoyment of their rights, 

 and a monopoly wholly inimical to the best interests of the Territory shorn of a large 

 part of its tyrannical power. Conceived (as there is abundant evidence to show) in 

 corruption, born in iniquity, and nurtured and grown strong and insolent on ill-got- 

 ten gains wrung from a hapless aud helpless people, this giant monopoly, which rests 

 like a blighting curse upon the progress and welfare of this great Territory, should 

 be shorn of its corruptly secured, much-abused franchise with no more delay than 

 may be absolutely necessary. 



The mortality rate as compared to the ntimber of births furnished me by the author- 

 ities of the Greco-Russian Church indicates the gradual extinction of the native peo- 

 ple, particularly the Aleuts on Oonalaska Island, the population of which was 1,065 

 in lci82 ; 326 deaths have since been recorded, while there have been only 158 births. 

 During the past summer an epidemic carried otf a larger number of people at Belkof- 

 sky and on the Shumagin Islands ; a very heavy rate of mortality is also reported from 

 Kenai and Bristol Bay, occasioned by pulmonary diseases to which the natives, owing 

 to exposure aud want of proper precaution, are generally subject. In my opinion, if 

 some effective measures are not taken to ameliorate their condition the complete ex- 

 tinction of the native inhabitants of the Aleutian Islands and on some parts of the 

 main-land will be a question of comparatively short time only. A removal of the dis- 

 abilities imposed by the grinding monopoly which has destroyed their every ambition, 

 and made them reckless of lives scarcely worth the living, would give them new hope, 

 and tend to an indefinite prolongation of their existence as a people. The civil gov- 

 ernment is powerless in the premises, having as yet been unable by reason of the ab- 

 sence of mail communication or means of transportation, to extend to them the poor 

 protection of its qualified, limited, and altogether doubtful authority. To a higher gov- 

 ernmental power, one they do not know in their present deplorable condition of ab- 

 ject dependence how to reach, and if they did would not dare appeal to, must they 

 look for redress of wrongs which would not for so long a time have been quietly en- 

 dured by any people anywhere in the slightest degree less patient and helpless. 



Department of the Interior, 



Executive Office, 

 Sitka, Alaska, November 12, 1888. 



Sir : I most sincerely hope the investigation your committee has been making into 

 the affairs of the Alaska Commercial Company has not been closed upon such evi- 

 dence as you have been able to obtain, holding your sessions in Washington. I 

 have lately returned from a protracted trip through the large section of country 

 dominated'by that corporation, and was not aware until my return that an investi- 

 gation was in progress. I do not know what witnesses have been called or examined, 

 but am perfectly well satisfied that you can not possibly have elicited the truth from 

 such evidence as is within reach from Washington. 



During the past summer I visited nearly all the stations of that company on the 

 Aleutian Islands, on the Pribylov Islands aud the main-land, and can only say that 

 nearly everywhere I found abundant evidence to prove every assertion made by me 

 against it in my official reports to the Secretary of the Interior and to Congress. 

 These witnesses," and their name is legion, could not possibly have been called to 

 testify before your committee, since it is impossible that they could have responded 

 to subprenas, even had their names been known to you and such process been served 

 upon them, owing to the great distance at which they reside from Washington and 

 the utter absence of any mail communication or means of transportation save that 

 supplied by the company itself. 



It is not 'likely that I will be able to visit Washington the coming winter. Were 

 I there, however, and the case not closed, I would not hesitate about 2;iving my 

 statement under oath, especially could I have my official interpreter with me who 

 assisted in obtaining the facts. If desired, I will forward the names of ten or a dozen 

 persons who will testify under oath to the truth of the charges I have made; but, in 

 my opinion, a subcommittee ought to visit the scene of the company's operations in 

 order make a complete and thorough investigation, and if it could get by San Fran- 

 cisco in cog. its inquiries might be more effectively made. 

 Very respectfully, 



A. P. SWINEFORD, 



Governor of Alaska. 



Hon. Poindexter Dunn, 



Chairman Committee on Merdmnt Marine and Fisheries, 



IIonHc, of Representatives, Washington, D. C. 



