Daily Kennebec journal., 1879-01-29
Close Of the Porgy Hearing.

The committee on Fisheries gave another
protractcd hearing on the porgv question. in
Representatives Hall, yesterday afternoon
Judge Goddard, for the shore fishermen, put
in the remainder of the testimony on that
side. and Gen. Hall called out the witnesses
on the other side of the question.
Bion Wilson, Esq, appeared for the men
haden industries, and presented statistics
showing the extent Of the enterprise. The
capital invested in it in this State is over
81, 600, 900; they employ each wear 900 men.
on the average; the amount of oil and guano
produced each year in this State amounts to
the value of $500. 900, which is taken from the
ocean and added to the wealth of the State
He next considered the amount paid Maine
men and vessels. In lS7S. one companv
alone paid over $4,000. Ii the other X
companies paid only small percentage. il
would amount TO several hundred thousand
dollars paid the past year to Maine men and
vessels. The right of taking fish from the
waters of the ocean belongs to every citizen
of the Unitcd States. The other side has not
shown that injury has come to the fish
cry interest. This great industry. like Others
may have overshadowed some of the smaller
ones, and the legislature cannot afford 10
destroy ii in these depressed times
an industry that has done so much
for the material prosperity of the State
Hon. j. w. Bradbury argued the legal
points in the case. He would not have the
legislature of Maine place itself in antago-
nism with the laws and treaties of the gen.
cral government. BY the treaty made be-
tween the United States and Great Britain. in
1871 (the justice of which he would not now
argue,) the State has no control over the fish
cries except those in the rivers, etc. The
authority to make treaties belongs to the
United States. and every judge is bound to
carry the provisions of such treaties into ex-
ecution lie read extracts from the treaty re-
ferred to. and claimed that by it British sub
jects have the right to come to our shores
and fish, and that we have no right to restrict
them. II allows them to fish close up to the
shores. BY the constitution of the United
States people of other States have the right
to come here and fish. The laws of Maine
cannot prevent it; only the high contracting
parties can abrogate the treaty. He had q
pride in Maine and its legislature. and dis
liked to see either placed in a wrong position
Judge Goddard made the closing argument
for the shore fishermen. He said that in the
evidence adduced there had not been parti-
Gle of evidence against the reduction of one
mile. The other side had undertaken to deny
altogether too much; they have even under
taken to deny that there had been falling off
III 'ht Vi hsu. Hcb ilstu NtTy DolulN
declared there had not been. From this he
appealed to the personal knowledge and OBJ
servation of those living on the seacoast
Watch cause and effect. and YOU will see that
the disappearance of these fish is coincident
with the appearance of the porgv steamers.
Shall we allow the fishermen to be ruined !?
We don't want to annihilate the menhaden
industry, but porgies were not created entire
" for fishermen outside of the State. They
have steamers that can ply the ocean, and we
only boats. In answering the point made by
Mr.. Bradbury, in regard to the treaty qnes-
tion, he said that was an Interpretation not
put upon it by Great Britain itself.
Is it pretended that British vessel,
paving the duties, can come into our
harbors and sell intoxicating liquors, regard
less of our State laws? He thought it was
with poor grace that the treaty with Great
Britain was invoked, when Great Britain has
put contrary construction upon it, as in the
Newfoundland case. We had better attend
to oar own State laws and not mcddlle with
those of Great Britain until asked to. lie
spoke of the depression in the times, and
asked if it were good policy to add to the
depression by cutting Off the very substances
on which so many of our people live? He
asked the committee to vote to give these
fishermen fair chance--to give them the
bill, and demonstrate whether it will afford
the protection claimed.
This closed the hearing, and the committee
will hold a secret session on Friday afternoon
at 2 o'clock, to take the final vote on the
question.