Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-16
Remarks of Mr.. klmball of Bath,
Is House OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Fen. l3, on
THE FISHERY BILL.


opinon, the minority report should be sdorted
aud substituted for the majority report.
The coast of this STATE, extending about 800
miles, l. composed of fnet work OF bays, lnets
and haIbois, ahoundlng in fish IN former years
aud on the shores OF which were the homes OF
handy, industrious and vrtuOus class of cit izens,
Who earned ntortahle subsistence by honest
and unremting toll : fishermen. No more palr-
otto men resp lnded with alacriy to their counlrys
call I the hour Of danger. In the revolution in
the war Of 1872 aud IN the great rebellion, their
record is one ot honor and devotion to their
country. They manned our navies, and do not
say too much, wheo say that our Maine fisher
men conrihuted largely to our national success.
Now, III, this class of men come here to-day, and
ask to be projected in tler rights. The INST ar
ucle IN our Constitution declares that all men are
born equally fee and independent and have Ger
tam natural Inherent aud inallenable rights,
among " lich are those OF enjoying and defending
lite and liberty. acquiring, possessing and lro-
/ tectlng property, and Of pursuing and obtaining
I safety and happiness.
These petitioners, sir, representing thousands
OF other, come here to-day and ak 10 be protect
ed in their rights their property and their happ-
ness guaranteed to them by the Constitution.
TIE number of people in n Is State directly in-
terested in, and dependent upon the shore fishing
for a livelihood, i very large, and cannot be less
than 10000 MIL within few years, Their tolls
aud labnrs have not been uurewaided, and they
have supported their families IN comfort and ln-
dependence. None were better cItizens, none
pud thtiI taxes more promptly, none more tree
from debt. But, sr, a change has taken Lace
within iev YEAR. Their means OF nving have
been cut oil. Iher water farms refuse to respond
to their tolls and labor, and they are driven by
sore distress and need, to abandon their homes
and seek otter and less muneratye employment.
they no longer able to pay their tnxts, and
thtV cannot clolhe their chi dieu or support their
families without running IN debt. There are mem
hers Of tins house who can and VII Souch ior the
Truth OF th!s statement.
Now, sir, What Is the cause OF this distress and
ruin: 1t , tue lGdiscriminate mode OF fishing by
tue Pc rye steamers, which patrol our coasts from
j an ne to October with cea,eless vigilance, pur-u
ing HEN prey mo all the ule bay, inletS, har-
bon. aud rivers, and with thelt long and de- y
,eius sweeping up every thing the waters con-
lain, salmon, shad, aewNes ana porgies. Not
even sCulpin escapes and these visits aud this
Kind OF fishing i Iapeaud 20 long and as OF en AS
he porgIes show themseve,, wherever steam
can float.
This business of catching potgies with steamers
upon our coast, dates back but lew years.
Wheu SAILING vessels used, there was no
com tint from the t-ntrmen; but, though
proved .plotshle business, the snrewd men Of
Connecticut and Rhode III md saw that hN the Use
Of i ames tney could largely increase thelr pro-
ht,. There are Is steamers III this business.
lhese steamers are hgnt Of draft, swift and easily
handled, and able to follow the porg es where
ever tuey 20. Ii l. thus the shore hshiug has
been broken up. 1t docs not take many visits of
q porgte steamer into our small bays and nets, to
ruin the crop of the shore fisherman. The
/ steamers 20 every where, even iLtO our iesh
water rivers | have seea five o! them in the
Kennehec river at Bath, twelve miles from the
sea, with then nets out sweeping everything from
the bottom up salmon, shad, alewiyes aud pOr-
gir-, aud all other fish, III one common mess.
Tins state has expended thou sands of dollars
in the propagation OF f-h tOr restocking our NV
cr> aud the cl xeEs have been at great expense IN
lhe building Of fish ways. Laws have been passed
fUI bidding the taking Of salmon, shad anI ale
wige- alt-r the H. h of june IN our rivers. Yet
IN defiance OF those laws, IN utter disregard OF
the pOicy ,f the state in endeavcrng TO restOck
our rye ;, these pOrgle fishermen claim the rght
TO f,h when ana where they please, and they do
-. 1htN are all u1lted Ia one ASSOCIATION, haY-
Iug one common interest and purpose, aud the
laws that LOW exist ave mere cohwehs ioi such
a rich and powerful monopoly. Why, sir, when
the Comm Is. ion spponted by the Governor were
engaged N the eir labols here last fall, leading
aud repre- sentative man OF thus Poisle Assocla'
tton, came before them TO demonstrate against any
restriction upon their fishing. Inc Chairman oi
the Commission ssked nm if he was aware that
there was a satute which prohibited them FISH
ing M Our ryers. lie admitted tuat he Knew that
10 be TIE case. The Chairman then asked IT
they had t-hed the rivers knowing the law. tie
sald they nad,
The Chairman finally asked him if they intend
ed to continue fishing 10 violation OF law, aud he
replied that lhey did Now, Nh. Speaker, it is
hard to believe, in this law abiding community,
that such a statement should be true But it i,
Nm absolute fact, and thi, avowal If inteuiiona
disobedIepce to sfv law, present or future, was
made ig the CouncIi Chamber of this state House.
IS The State to throw away al, the money invested
ia re-stock inp our waters; Ale our fsuways to
be rendered useless; Are our shore fishermen
to have their means of livelihood DESTROYED in
v olation Of all law and of common right to
enable them I, increase lis great dividends
cnnuot believe it, sir
la former wears. when the 20. les would come
into the small lay, aud ullt., the fishermen were
not only always sue of taking erougn for bait
for the ir own fishing but they stlt large quanti-
ties to the Care Aun fishermen, many clearing
from that source alone from 500 to $500 sea-
sou-,he purl ie- being allowed to emain unmoles
ed hy steamers. attracted the e d. hake and other
sea ti,hand the fisherman leaped nis harvest Now
when 81 hoo OF po X lie, suikes into little bay,
the p rse steamer. hoy,ring around like hawks,
over a iarm yaid follow them up and with their
en-, rclous nets over one-thnd OF a uIle long and
100 ltet deep, sweep around the cLtre school,
&C ,p up evei, thing, and leave with their holds
full loaded down ior their factory, the fisher
men meaLtime, looking IN IRON the shore while
the bread Is bong taken from their children
mouths, powtIle.s TO help themselves. Are the
IL, NIB, T., of tins House eady TO indoIse such
va>iou of the IisL of any Of our citiZensi
<on, NJ cu..L.r lot ~. look ~, the other .ile