INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 541 



The Chairman. You spoke something in your report somewhere 

 about fixing an arbitrary standard of so many seals as the quota for a 

 leasing company to take. 



Mr. Clark. That was exactly the situation on the fur-seal islands 

 in 1909. The company had a perfect right to take 15,000 skins. 

 That was the number which the bureau fixed. They did not take 

 that number by something over 600; that is, they failed to get them. 

 The point I had to make was this, that with an arbitrary quota fixed 

 in Washington, and a declining herd, the tendency on the part of the 

 leasing company was to get every skin it could get. 



The Chairman. Irrespective of the regulations? 



Mr. Clark. Of course the regulations would be enforced, and were 

 enforced, because they did not get the skins. They could have 

 easily gotten the other 600 skins if the agents had allowed them to 

 take all the small seals. 



The Chairman. You said there was trouble going on between the 

 agents and representatives of the leasing company. 



Mr. Clark. I did not say that. 



The Chairman. What was the trouble about ? 



Mr. Clark. I did not say any trouble existed, but I did point out 

 the fact to this committee that there were five keen, capable com- 

 pany representatives on the islands, and there were but two Govern- 

 ment agents. I did not say there was any quarrel between them. 



The Chairman. I may have misunderstood you; but you said that 

 on account of having five there, they were in supreme authority. 

 Is not that what you said in your report ? 



Mr. Clark. They had a majority, yes. 



The Chairman. Did they have disputes among themselves? I 

 would like to have that cleared up further. 



Mr. Clark. No; no disputes that I know of at all. 



The Chairman. Why did you say an exercise of authority on one 

 side to subdue the other side, if I may use that expression ? 



Mr. Clark. I have not said that I saw any such, and I have said 

 very positively that there was no conflict between them. I was 

 picturing a condition which existed at a time when there was a- 

 declining herd, and when its existence did not do any harm to the 

 herd; but I was also having in mind a condition which would change 

 and be the exact reverse when the herd would need an increasing 

 number of males and not a decreasing number, which, with this same 

 eagerness on the part of the leasing company to get as large a quota 

 as possible, would be a danger and menace to the herd. 



The Chairman. But you say the leasing company was in supreme 

 authority, in your report of 1909, do you not? 



Mr. Clark. I stated that the breeding reserve having been set 

 aside — that is, the number of animals necessary to give an increment 

 of males for the herd — the work of hauling and killing the seals was 

 left to the leasing company. 



The Chairman. I do not know that we are clearing this up any 

 further than it was cleared up a day or two ago. Was it your idear 

 the leasing company had taken advantage of the agents of the 

 Government ? 



Mr. Clark. No, sir; but my idea was 



The Chairman (interposing). The agents of the Government had 

 no authority over them at all, had they ? 



