154 INVESTIGATION" OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



work on the islands must stop, and the lessees put out; he saw the 

 greedy hand that prevented any settlement with Great Britain, and 

 was ashamed of his part in the business of illegally killing those seals 

 under the whip of the lessees; and, among other plain truths, he said: 



In my opinion the only way to save the Pribilof herd is by an entire cessation of 

 sealing for a considerable period. I have heard diverse views on this subject, and 

 about closed seasons of 1 to 10 years as being the only way to restore the herd to its 

 best form. I believe in 10 years. 



Whatever period is adopted it should involve the entire cessation of seal killing 

 on the islands. Of course, I am speaking unofficially, as I have no part in the present 

 deliberation of the commission. (Fur Trade Review: Oct. 1, 1898, p. 446, New York.) 



And as for J. Stanley-Brown, this is the same "scientist" and 

 "keen business man" who was introduced to the House Committee 

 on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor, April 

 20, 1912, in the following "modest" terms, by the United States 

 Bureau of Fisheries, to wit: 



Dr. Evermann. One of the interesting phases of this question that has attracted 

 my attention is the attitude which some persons have assumed toward the large num- 

 bers of able and distinguished naturalists who have visited the seal islands and who 

 are without question the men most familiar with the fur-seal herd and the many 

 problems connected with its management and effective conservation. 



Within the last 25 years nearly a score of the most distinguished naturalists not 

 only of this country, but of Great Britain, Canada, and Japan have visited our seal 

 islands for the specific purpose of studying the habits of the fur seals and the prob- 

 lems connected with the proper management of the herd. Among these gentlemen 

 I may mention the following: 



Dr. Evermann (reading): 



"Dr. Barton Warren Evermann, in charge of the Alaska fisheries service, who, as 

 special fur-seal commissioner in 1892. spent six months on our seal islands in the North 

 Pacific and on the Russian seal islands, studying the fur-seal rookeries, hauling 

 grounds, and migrations. 



"Mr. Joseph Stanley-Brown, of New York, spent the seasons of 1891, 1892, 1894, 

 1895, 189fi, 1897, and 1899 on the seal islands, where, as naturalist and keen business 

 man, he made very th< irough study and investigations not only of the habits of the seals 

 but very valuable study of the economic questions involved." (Hearing No. 10, pp. 

 518-519; House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and 

 Labor.) 



The "value" of Joseph Stanley-Brown's "studies" to the lessees 

 can be at once grasped by the most casual observer, but to the 

 public interests which he was sworn to guard, and paid to do so, 

 that value, no man living or dead, can find the least evidence of. 



That the greedy lessees however, found him "valuable" enough, 

 goes without question, for we find this entry made on p. 222 of the 

 St. Paul Journal, to wit: 



Wednesday, June 6, 1894. 

 Steamer Lahne of the North American Commercial Co. arrived, having on board 

 J. B. Crowley and wife, as chief agent, and Mr. Judge and wife, also Mr. Brown, 

 superintendent of North American Commercial Co., Mr. Chichester, and Mr. Arm- 

 strong. 



The services of Joseph Stanley-Brown are invoked by the Bureau 

 of Fisheries to renew the seal lease and defeat pending legislation 

 which prevents that renewal, and the following sworn proof of this 

 collusion is submitted herewith : 



Mr. Elliott. And I want Mr. Bowers to pay some attention to this because this is 

 important, at least some good lawyers have told me that it is very important to him — 

 Beins an official letter covering a ' memorandvim ' addressed to George M. Bowers, 

 commissioner, urging him to take steps to prevent the passage of the Dixon fur-seal 

 resolutions introduced in the United States Senate by Senator Joseph M. Dixon. 

 (S. Res. 90, 91, 92.) 



