814 INVESTIGATION OF THE EUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OE ALASKA. 



Mr. McGuire. As to the destructiveness of pelagic sealing, I 

 believe you state you have not changed your mind? 



Mr. Elliott. Not at all. 



Mr. McGuire. And it was about that time that you testified — — 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). I am against pelagic sealing. I was 

 one of the first opponents. 



Mr. McGuire (continuing). That it would not be safe for the 

 Government to handle those islands. 



Mr. Elliott. I did not then know any better. I was sixteen years 

 away from the islands, and did not understand what changes had 

 been brought about, until I got up there in 1890. 



Mr. McGuire. And it was about that time you received about 

 $7,000 or more from those companies ? 



Mr. Elliott. Years afterwards. 



Mr. McGuire. I say, after that ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. Before this company gave up its lease ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir; and I turned the company down after they 

 gave me money. I reversed their own desires. 



Mr. McGuire. After they paid you, or after they quit paying you? 



Mr. Elliott. Before they paid me, I turned them down. 



The Chairman. Mr. Elliott, in that connection I would like you to 

 make a statement as to whether you are employed by anybody now, 

 or have been in years past. 



Mr. Elliott. I have no idea of it. I have no idea of being em- 

 ployed by anybody now. 



The Chairman. Do you know anything about a pelagic sealers' 

 lobby? 



Mr. Elliott. Until that telegram of Jordan's appeared I never 

 heard of such a ihing. I was astonished and, at first, indignant, and 

 when I found what it meant I became very, very indignant at the 

 idea of my representing 



Mr. McGuire. The hearings here have Mr. Elliott recorded as the 

 employee and representative of this sealing company. 



The Chairman. Of the Alaska Commercial Co. ? 



Mr. McGuire. That is the way he is recorded in the hearings. 



The Chairman. I meant whether he had any interest now. 



Mr. McGuire. Oh, I see. 



Mr. Elliott. Those "hearings" I never saw. I never saw the 

 "notes," and I deny them as fictitious and padded. 



Mr. McGuire. By the way, in order that we may know something 

 of the reputation of the men on that committee, as to whether they 

 would misrepresent anybody, I should like to read the names. 



Mr. Elliott. Did they represent me — - — - 



Mr. McGuire (interposing). I said misrepresent. Here are the 

 names of the committee present: The chairman, Mr. Morrison, Mr. 

 Mills, Mr. Blount, Mr. Blackburn, Mr. Hewitt, Mr. Herbert, Mr. 

 Loud, Mr. Jones, Mr. McKinley, and Mr. Hitchcock. Those were 

 the members of the committee. 



Mr. McGuire. I have here the National Geographic Magazine, of 

 December, 1911, in which appears this paragraph: 



If not a single male seal were to be killed on the islands or at sea during the next 

 five years, not a single additional seal would be produced as a result of that course. 

 If not a single male seal were to be killed on the islands or at sea during the next 20 



