INTESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Committee on Expenditures in the 



Department of Commerce, 

 House of Representatives, 



Monday, October 13, 1913. 



The committee this day met, Hon. John H. Rothermel (chairman) 

 presiding. 



The Chairman. I see there is a quorum present. The committee 

 has no clerk, so I suppose we will have to proceed without calling the 

 roll. Mr. Walsh, Mr. Watkins, and Mr. McGuire are present, and so 

 there is a quorum. 



Mr. Elliott, you may take the stand. 



STATEMENT OF MR. HENRY W. ELLIOTT. 



(The witness was duly sworn by the chairman.) 



Secretary Redfield. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question? 



The Chairman. Certainly. 



Secretary Redfield. How much time am I wanted to give now to 

 this investigation ? That is one question which I wanted to ask, and 

 whether it is the purpose of the committee that I should appear as 

 a witness in any way, which I shall be glad to do. I ask that question 

 because I have not yet read my morning's mail, and there are matters 

 of the very largest importance that I must act upon to-day. I have 

 to leave the city on Thursday to be gone until the 4th of November, 

 end it will not be possible for me to remain. In the meantime almost 

 every hour of my time will be taken by pressing matters. My 

 Assistant Secretary is absent from the city. If I am wanted merely 

 as a matter of interest to me, I shall have to ask Dr. Jones to take 

 my place, but if I am wanted to serve the committee, I shall be glad 

 to do that. 



The Chairman. Mr. Secretary, we sent you a notice of the meeting 

 so in case you saw fit to be present you would have an opportunity. 



Secretarv Redfield. I wist I had nothing else to do. 



The Chairman. We certainly do not care to detain you here so far 

 as the committee is concerned, but we thought that we would give 

 you an opportunity to be present. 



Secretary Redfield. I appreciate that. I am deeply interested in 

 this whole subject; it concerns me very deeply. I appreciate and am 

 grateful for the light which Mr. Elliott throws upon the whole sub- 

 ject matter. I should like very much, Mr. Elliott having been sworn, 

 to take this opportunity to make a statement to the committee 

 which you may or may not desire to have made a portion of your 

 record. 



The Chairman. You may proceed to make the statement, Mr. 

 Secretary. 



