The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-19

the products Of American enterprise The business was poo
hen as Il now and II will probably always be, anc
lew ie disposed engage in it in preference TO the
merous helds OF enterprise which newlybaptized
public presented And at this time government
In u view of the importance and necessity of the propo
son took into consideration the subject of encouraging
American fisheries Mr. Jefferson made report in 1871
setting forth the importance of the NATTER and urging thai
something be done for the protection and upbuildng
an interest so vital to the public veal statement of the
condition of the cod and whale fisheries had been made
Congress by the general court of the State of Massachu
sets Mr. Jefferson then Secretary of State to whom the
paper was referred submitted lengthy report upon the
subject In that report he alluded to the difficulties which
the French government encounterng in the
ton OF the business and to the effect of the granting
bounes and imposing of duties the importatons of for
egn fish into French ports He also says Of the English
government:
The policy of the English government since the peace
has been to prohibit all foreign fish in their markets and
they have given from eighteen to fifty pounds sterling
hing vessel complying with certain conditions This
policy said to have been far successful to have raised
the number OF employed In that business in I7SG
fourteen thousand and the quantity of fish to hundred
and thrty-two thousand quintals."
He then speaks of the difficulties in the way of the growth
OF the fisheries Of the United States and closes this
his report in these words:
This rapid view Of the codhshery enables US to discover
under what policy it has fouhed declined in the hands
OF other nations and to mark the fact that 1t Is
business to be left to itself with nations most advanta
geousy situated" srt
do not find that Mr. Jefferson ever recommended d.
rect bounty The proposition new and open proper
tests thought that allowance
in the form of drawback articles of common
and necessity would accomplish the purpose But he did
not fail, on his elevation to the presidency to give his
opinion Of the importance of the fisheries In his second
message to Congress we find these words:
"To cultivate peace maintain commerce and navigation
and all other lawful enterprises to foster fisheries
nursery of navigationthese fellow citizens the land
marks by which to guide overseves in all pro-
ceedng By continuing make these the rules of
on, shall endear to countrymen the true principles
of the constitution ."
Maintaining the point In own mind that
neither this any other of the nations granting aid
the fisheries intended anything less than to
courage the fisheries of increasing the number
eamen and Of adding wealth by increasing the products
of the country shall argue the question of draw
imported fish cured with dutiabe salt That is
ter which explains ITSELF The country comparatively
poor the time of the original adoption of the bounty ss
tenn; the treasury not overbuIdened and salt
staple article of consumption with fishermen, reduction of
duty upon the article would be- to them as good as gold
ITSELF far it affected their interests II bounty
them coming in indirect line which would make it well
enough with the class who to receive the benefit with
out apparently affecting the pockets of the people the
government II partial inducement, consideration
to the fishermen just exemption from jury duty in my
State is consideration to many who benefited by it.
while all the rest held to the discharge of that duty
But, as early as 1892 Congress passed law clear in
its provisions and Its intentions sunlight This law
says nothing about curing, sailing exporting fish, but
provides that the vessels to be benefited by 1t shall be
employed at sea for the term of four months per year.
That law gives to vessels twenty tons and under
thirty TONS 81 30 per ton over thirty So SO per ton
veeghths Of the amount to he divided among the fisher
men, and the balance going to the of the vessels
Now the form of the question becomes clearer before
not easy to steer clear of the salt The subject was
befogged by itand repeat it because much difficulty has
arisen upon the poinwhe the simple fact is as believe
that salt entering largely into the list of articles of
sve use in the outfit of fishing vessels and especially the
export trade in sated fish formerly extensively carried
by people, the allowance of export duty draw
back exported fish, cured with dua5ie sal would an
the purposes OF the governments and benefit the fish
as much as it was then intended that they should be
Htad Hanra rnnr lanhf
that point in the debates of the day But leave salt out
of the question Fishermen ne.. OF # as aver I'm,
the law Of today granting bounty to the codsherie saws
hohg ABOUT the article so far as its entities the fish
ermen 10 the allowance From the date OF the passage of
the act OF 1892 the business of fishing prospered and it go
continued until 1907 when the bounty allowance and tbe
SAT- tax were both repealed Again the subject seems TO
be identified with the action of the government in reference
to tax How happens that those two measures were
passed together cannot explain may have been couc
dence not regarded may be that gentlemen
ing constituencies remote from the immediate seat of the
fishing interest did not weigh the matter carefully but fell
into the Of believing that the remission of
the duty on salt was all that the government intended to
do toward the encouragement OF the fisheries But can
not see why exception shoud be made of the fishermen
bounty was not intended 10 be given aid of their call
ing Whatever was the reason and however the fact of
the simultaneous repeal to be understood one thing is
certain that after the withdrawal Of the bounty the sh
cries declined rapidly, and continued until 1873 at
which time Notwithstanding that should presume the
government desirous of compelling American seamen to
ship in the service to aid In carrying the pending war
we find new law passed nearly doubling the former al
owance of bounty to the codsheres The salt duty had
been taken off with the bounty in 1907 Still the business
fingered and fast dying 1t needed material aid and
perhaps 1t needed encouragement such evidences of ap
probation give to every and to every in life With
The act establishing this last bounty of twenty cents
bushel put upon foreign salt but if profit on the
alt consumed was what the government was after ves
el of eighty tons would have to fifteen hundred BUSH
s before their would balance at the Treasury De-
and that, tell the gentleman from per-
onal knowledge is salt by one-haf than coud be
lsed legitimately by any vessel in four months fish
ng
Again in lslo Congress considered this subiect and
wisely as think granted additional aid to the fisheries
increasing the allowance So so per ton to all vessels
above live and under thirty tons and $4 per ton to all
,boye thirty tons, with provisions to the time of
easervce, &c. At this time believe salt was not talked
,f at ALI and this last act stands day the law under
which fishermen receive from the government certain
,mount OF money the 3lst day of December in each
year, provided they conform to the requirements of the
avn which, claim, they do generally or get nothing or
.sk for nothing under the law
MIR. Chairman we hear gentlemen talk hppaptly Of
rauds committed the treasury by fishermen claiming
bounty under the existing law No gentleman can doubt
he personal bravery OF who far they have had
'ccason In war have proved themselves strangers to
md who in their every day labor give evidences of firm
and courage True courage and meanness and dis
honesty cannot live together. The who will peril his
lie IN just cause will not be likely to sell his honor or his
conscience Tor the pary OF twenty dollars which
he average received by each for his share of the
bounty have doubt that exceptions sometimes oc-
,uri but the great mass Of American fishermen would
corn the act of false swearing to gain any point and much
more for the sake of getting few dollars of the
ional treasury. They have learned to believe that the
aid them for what they have DONE and for what possibly
Tou may still wish to have them do vessel is fitted out
Always presume against the interests of the owner for
,odhshing in the early winter months.