The Portland daily press., 1884-12-29
EASTERN FISHERIES.
Important Convention of Inter
ested Parties at Gloucester,
Mass.
PROTECTION OF AMERICAN IN.
TEREsTs DEMANDED.
Letters from Congressiaien Read, and the
Resolutions Adopted.

| men in the fishery interest was held In the Cty
Hall this afternoon to form national asso-
citation for the purpose of protecting that ins
terest egainst injudicious legislation through q
renewal of the provisions of the fshery treaty
| with Great Britain, which expires next July
Gloucester was represented by nearly all of its
outftting firms, fish handlers and master mar
liners, and the following delegates from abroad
were present:
| Fulton market New York, E. G. Blackford Caleb
| Haley and Oscar Comstock.
| Portland, Me-, George Trefethen, Oren b. Whit
ten, A. NJ Smith, =. A. Emery. 9. A. Dyer, e. S.
Southwest Harbor Me-, AlvAh DolliYer and NJ
| B. King.
Vinalhaven Me-, Edwin Lane II. v. Lane and
| Stephen Dyer.
Proyincetown, Joshua Payne, James Clifford. Will
liam Malhewson, P. a. Wharf, N e. Atwood, John
d. Hilliard and ID. 2. johnson.
Wellfeet; James Swett, Jesse H. Freeman
| Robert B. Jenkins and j. G. Young.
sHarwichport I. b. Baker and W. B. Kelay.
Marbehead, George Knight and William R.
Knight
| tsvus obeT.
Rockpoft. George Griffin, Joshua Tarr, john
Parsons, Loring Grimes George NJ. McLain, ,Zebuon
Tarr George J. Tarr, George Eiwell, E. G. Abbott
| and N. F. S. York.
Boston. A. Winsor, Freeman Emery, Richard L.
| Mayo.
Chatham, George Eldrdge,
.Boothbay, Me-, A. B. NckersOn, j. C. Poole, L.
Maddocks
Wells, Me-, Daniel W. Perkins.
Also, delegates from Lamoine Bucksport and
other Maine and Massachusetts fishing towns.
The convention was called to order by SyI.
vester cunningham, chairman of the Glouces-
Ter committee, who made pertinent address.
A permanent organization was effected as fol-
lows: President, B. III. .Corliss of Gloucester:
vice presidents, David Crowell OF Beverly. w
Mathewson of Provincetown, A. NJ. Smith OF
Portland, Richard L. Mayo of Boston, Eugene
G. Blackford of New York; secretaries Will
liam II. Jordan of Gloucester, A. K. Nicker-
son OF Booihbsy. Mr. Coriss stated the OBJ
1ect OF the meeting, receuntng the legislation
to which American fisheries had been subject
ed In recent years, and said the convention had
not assembled to ask any favors of Congress or
any one else, but to demand their Just rights
Letters were read from Senators Dawes, Hoar
ana Frye, and congressman Stone, Morse, Col
lins and Lowering.
Senator Dawes expressed himself as opposed
to renewal Of the reciprocity treaty.. giving
it as his opini0n that our first duty to the fish.
ing industry, and all others possible and profit
aole Is that Americans should control Ameri-
can markets. There is an additional reason
to be found in the fact that our fisheries are a
school to which our navy and merchant marine
must look for able, hardy, we'll trained and
brave men. Senator Hoar expressed full sym-
pathy with the movement. Senator FRYE ex-
pressed great interest in the revival of our
merchant marine, the revival of our navy and
the encouragement of the fisheries the three
being as united as we're the Siamese twins, 1t
was his opinion that the fisheries provisions of
the treaty OF Washington were an outrage
upon the rights OF our fishermen. These pro.
visions will expire next July. From this
death there will be no resurrection. Repre-
sentative Stone did not anticipate unfayorable
legislation toward the fisheries at present but
intimated that he would keep his eve on the
canadian efforts for renewal of. the recipro-
city treaty. He said he had reason to think
that the President did not favor q renewal of
the treaty, and it was pretty certain that
nothing would be done adverse to the interests
OF our fishermen during this administration.
Representative Morse was of the opinion that
the present administration would net be able
to make reciprocity treaty, aud suggested
that steps be taken to acquaint the incoming
administration with the real grievances of the
hshing interest and the rights it desires to
secure. Representative Collins said that there
Eas in washington only mere runner of
Canadian reciprocity which he did not think
could materialize, and declared that the fishery
treaty now about to expire was fraud and q
cheat upon orr people. Representative Lover
ing said that so far as his investigation went
he had found no one extremely anxious for a
renewal or continuance of the fishery treaty.
except, perhaps, our Canadian friends, who
have had it all their own way under its nro-
visions, and was of the opinion that its opera
ton would cease in July in accordance with
ph0 CAuA ueSiE0 Ol our government, A
committee, of which Sylvester Cunningham
was chairman, presented the following resolu-
tions, which were unanimously adopted:
Whereas, The government of the United States
BY the treaty of 1918 with Great Britain took
from the fishermen of the United States the rights
guaranteed them by the treaty of 1882 to fish in all
bordering on the of British possessions
in North America, excepting small portion of the
coast of Newfoundland and the Maedslen islands
and the right to go upon the shores thereof for the
purpose OF curing fish and the right to enter the
pors OF the British Provinces for the purpose of OBJ
tanning supplies without obtaining from the Britiah
government any equivalent for the fishermen or
making any compensation to them for the rights
thus summarily taken from them; and whereas
the surrender of our rights has been the source OF
great annoyance and injury to our fishermen and
our vessels nave been unjustly seized by armed
cruisers for ALLEGED violations Of the stpulations of
the treaty by which their rights were surrendered
and condemned in the colonial courts without Legal
authority and that to an extent to make it unsafe
for our vessels to pursue their legitimate VOYAGE:
therefore, 1t is the duty of the government OF the
Un1ted States at once to take such action as will
protect the fishing interests and render it safe for
the fishermen to pursue their lawful business; and
whereas, the action of the United States by the
treaty known as the reciprocity treaty of 1854 and
the Washington treaty of 1871 modified the rights
OF our fishermen and materially affected their in,
terests and in both treaties to their great injury
We heartily approve the action of the government
| IN terminating those treaties, and we are de-
eioeuy Grst oGp3sed to making any treaty with
| latien to our fisheries. That the only effects
of the provisions of those treaties have been to
those OF the British Provinces and the governments
OF the United States, instead of adopting policy
such as Is pursued by all nations toward their fish
cries. mas taken from our fishermen that encourage
ment which for many years given them by
bouLties and otherwise, and has brought our fish
cries into an unjust competition with the fisheries
OF me Brltsh government, which government gives
her hsheries support which our government with
holds from ours: We therefore request that the
government of the United States will take prompt
action to restore to our fishermen the rights taken
| from them by the treaty of 1918, or provide for
them full and just compensation therefor and
that the government will return once to its early
policy of aiding and encouraging our fisheries
VIII ch all governments have found necessary to
secure their successful prosecution and
recognize the Importance of this national industry
On recommendation of the committee, of which
George Steele was chairman, it was voted to form
permanent association. to be known as the Ameri-
can Fishery Union, to consist of one representative
to be chosen from each fishing port the officers to
consist OF president and six directors-four from
Massachusetts and three from Maine. The follow
ing ofticers were elected to until others were
chosen In their place: George Steele, Sylyanus
Smith, william II. Jordan of Gloucester, James
clifford, Oren b. Whitten, George Trefethen of
Portland, and f. II. Smith OF North Haven. A
vote OF thanks was extended to the citizens of
Gloucester for their hospitality to the delegates and
to the president for his services. publication com
mittee was chosen to prepare report of the doIngs
| of the convention.
1 NTVYT