The Portland daily press., 1886-04-10

of over 100000 annually, The shore and gull
| fisheries have been absolutely worthless.
Carefully compiled statistics for the whole peri
cd of twelve years show an annual average oi
SO sc vessels engaged in the gulf fisheries and
within the shore line. The average annual catch
in the gulf was worth in our market $l94 1853
within the shore line, $6i 8S2 LnsI A. %ouia h glve
$673 Now an American vessel In the gun, tC
pay expenses of outfit, Insurance. depreclaton o.
vessel crews share ana masters 6rS nf mae
erel. So, that every mackere taken eitner m int
gulf in the shore line actually cost nearly IWlce
what it was worth. During the Wh0le tWelVS
years our vessels took about seven hundred and
fifty thousand dollars worth, and they cost tneu
more than S120o,ooo. The statistics OF the las las
half of the treaty period make still worse show
ing Formerly it was not unusual for us to nave
500 mackerel vessels at time in the gulf, but ID
1879 we had A; In 1880, "a; in 1881, 3; IN 1857
1t needs no argument outside of these figures te
show that the right accorded us to fish in the Gull
of st. Lawrence and within the three-mile shore
line is absolutely worthless. Why is 1t that priv
ilege formerly OF immense value has become val
ueleSS? Simply for the reason that there has
been radical change in the manner and methods
of fishing.
The entire worthlessness to us of the privileges
accorded by the Washington treaty. the4~aFHaual
but certain destruction of our fishing industry, the
alarming decrease of our fishing feet and OF the
sailors y nSsr Se Sf al men
treaty be done, introduced resolution into the
Senate instructing tile President to give notice of
oution was reported back from the Committee on
Foreign Relations unanimously and passed both
Houses of Congress without dissent or DIVISION
July l. 1885, should have released us from this
bondage, but months before that long-deslred day
arrived our fishermen heard with amagement and
IN ion h Of Se Senate
treaty. extending certain provisions OF the ola one
with new agreement that
'sThe President will bring the whole question 0i
the fisheries before Congress at Its next session IN
December and recommend the appointment OF q
Joint commission by the Governments OF the
United States and Great Britain to consider the
matter in the interest of maintaining good neigh
borhood and friendly intercourse between the two
thus odg o. If
tween the United States and British North Amer
ica."
Now, Mr.. President am not going to attack
the honorable Secretary. cheerfully accord to
him an honest desire to do that which seemed to
him to be for the good Of the fishermen and the M
peace of the Republic. have no doubt that Sir
Ambrose Shea and Mr.. West, the British minister
persuaded the Secretary that the Gulf Of st. Law
renee was great and profitable fishing resort fol
our fleet; that very likely Canada would enforce
her penal laws as she had before; that our adven
lures would be b broken up; that even the peace o.
Now, MI. President, who seeks another com
mission? In the light of the history L have
our fishing interests Of the awards and judgments
of commissioners having hitherto the consldera
tiOn and settlement of differences between US ant
our Canadian neighbors, is there single ray O
encouragement for us to enter again upon this
dangerous pathway? What have we to gain by
it? What have we to ask OF Ganaday W04H, va va
treaty of 1878 and if we had not no civilized ma
tion in this day would dare refuse them. The
right to capture bait in their waters? We coulo
not enforce it under the old treaty and we would
not under new. The right to fsh In their wa
ters? l have shown conclusiyely that we could
not avail ourselves of this right they w0ud pay
us a bounty for encouragement. To dry fish on
their shores? This was once of value, when the
epcres Of New England . 6 eToaby We
have not so dried thousand tsh under this treaty
and shall never again even allowed CONNER.
opinion we are entitled to them, regardless OF the
abrogation of the treaty of Washington, even If
the treaty Of 1918 Is now reviewed; :. ,,,,. ,.,.
and ice rests on precisely the same basis as the
right to purchase any other article they have to
SELL and should this right be denied, Congress
can promptly and effectnally retaliate by exclud-
ing British colonial shipping from our ports In
these regards our intercourse with these colonies
depends entirely on legislation. not on tredtes.
There is not the slightest danger OF Great Britain
asserting to any interruption of these privileges,
to any interference with this intercourse. New
foundland, a few years since, passed Law rsp n51
hibiting the sale of bait and Ice to olr h5ieIiGi
but Great Britain refused her assem- 10 eio iosie
Mr.. President, 1 asscrt without fear OF contra
diction by any man engaged in the hshing pusl-
ness I do not mean importer of fish, that we nave
nathing to ask of Canada. She has no control ov-
er nor exclusive interest in any waters Where we
desire to fish for cod, haddock, hallbut, or mack
erel. Then what is there for a commission 10 SET
tle so far as we are concerned? Canada, | ad-
nit does seek something of US. Our market is to
ruling of the Secretary OF the Treasury, that solid
ly-frOzen halibut, frozen for weeks, brought into
Gloucester by the vessel-load, were nsh freSn tor
market is opened up to Canada for at least 6Oo,-
100000 pounds of fish annually L SAID we asked
nothing Of Canada but we DO demand o. our See
tariff laws, If he is in doubt, we and not Canada
shall have the benefit of the doubt. II the Seere,
tary will wisely reconsider this decision, and find
SOME way to rule that small herring, brought in
fresh to-day, and tomorrow boiled In oil and made
SardineS, shall be admitted free OF duty, MS con-
clusons will be much more benehcent Tor ms
Now, Mr. President ought the Canadian in JUS
tiee to have free access to our markets? Consld-
er for moment the advantages he enjoys over
our fishermen. He pays no Federal taxes, nor
pate in the support of our schools, nor our poor
nor our police In event OF war ne owes US o o az
with England he mans the ships OF the enemy
His government pays him bOunties, amounting ID
1882 to S172, ,3o9, about 81 ton to vessels en- en-
gagged in the fisheries and So to each man en-
plOyed in the boat fisheries. His vessels Dullt
largely of the softer woods, cost MN only nttie
more tn an one-half as mnch as ours. There IS no
duty on his cordage, his supplies, or his nets. Inc
men are content with wages and a living costing
Allow me. MI President to illustrate few of
these differences. The pay, last year, OF men men
hired ON Canadian vessels was from $40 TO So
for the trip, while the wages OF the american
crew for the voyage of about four months were
from SI2O to $50. The Canadian crew were
obliged to prepare the vessel for sea. dlscharge
her, wash the fish caught on return to port, ana
await the sale of the cargo for payment Wnlie
the American crew do nothing OF the KIND, ana
are promptly paid on arrival at nome port me te
handle cure, and dry their fish at 70 cents Gay,
or cents an hour, while the Americans employ
men for the same work at from ~ 10 80 cents an
One of their vessels belonging to Yarmouth
made last year two TIPS TO tne @ ia padks a ahu re-
lean vessel, owing to the greater distance from
the grounds made but one trip and took 400
quintals The cost of the Canadian vessel re-
ferred to, prepared for sea, was $4,000; of the
American, 12 tons less in measurement, was
$500. The outfit of the Canadian was from
81, 800 to So, 900, of the American $4,000 - ne
Dominion Report of Fisheries" shows that their
fishing vessels prepared for sea, classed IN Brit
ish or French Lloyds, cost from $40 10 Soo ton,
while our best vessels cost from $50 to $l1O a
ton.
Our Government used to pay bounties to our
fishermen, but repealed them all in 1866. Our
vessels are built of the best white oak. Equip
ment and supplies are subject to a Federal tax
The men assist in the support OF all our instltu-
tionS and help pay all of our taxes. Is there any
Justice in exposing them to a free and open COM
petition in their own markets? Ought not the Can
smptonss Ba It paS the people are inter
ested In obtaining cheaper fish. The statistics DO
not prove that the payment of our small duty IN
creases the price received by the fishermen for
their fish. It must be remembered that he re-
ceives only two-fthS of the cost OF his fSh 10 the
consumer, While transportation ana Ine imuule-
men share the other three-fifths. Besides, these
fishermen in the best seasons do not average in
earnings more than $500 each, and last year the
average was not quite 500. Surely no man
would ask that his fellow should expose him
self to the dangers and hardships of the fisher
mans life for smaller compensation than THIS
Why, sir, common humanity, a decent regard for
the rights of others. would compel him to say: I'll
eating free fish offend my brother fishermen, tnen
I'll eat no more free fish while the world lasts"
But, Mr.. President, said that could not ad
nit that the price of fish was enhanced by the
duty, and produce the statistics sustaining my
opinion:
Aggregate average prices Of mackeret and cod
fish, in gold, during period of ttUetUe gears De
fore the reciprocity treaty, thirteen gears during
that treaty. sir gears beteeen that treaty and ne
commencement of the Washington treaty, ana
tavelUe gears under the Washington treaty, the
basis being the price of neackeret and Goldfish on
September 1, each gear, IN Gloucester, (Mass.)
market, Averaged for each period
zzsszEE
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