The Portland daily press., 1888-02-07
the FIsHERMEN's FIGHT.
Free Traders Beaten and Commits
sioner Chamberlain outWitted.

/
Free Traders Beaten and Commits
siorer chamberlain outwitted.
! washington Despatch to Boston Advertser.1
The prettiest bit of work for the industries
| of the United States that has been done since
| the 50th Congress convened has been engin-
| eered from two rooms in the ST. James Hotel.
! The two rooms are the headquarters of the
| National Fishery Association the engineer
is Luther Maddocks, formerly of Boothbay,
| Me-, and the work they have done is to de-
| feat all possibility of fish being put on the
free listeven by this free trade house, spurred
| on by the message Of Mr.. Cleveland, which
| Henry George so helpfully welcomes aid in
dorses as a straight out free trade document.
That is showing worth talking about,
| isn't it?
1t has been accomplished only by the most
| assiduous and energetic work. Secretary
| Maddocks has worked day and night, week
in and week out. He has directed the forces
| and kept the whole system working as he has
done. The National Fishery Association is
| comparatively young body. 1t is the sue
cessor of the Fishery Union formed at Glou-
cester two years ago. Fault was found with
that because it was so largely local body.
So it was wiped out; everybody who was ct
all interested in the fisheries was asked in,
and national body, comprising all sorts and
conditions of fishermen from both coasts of
the continent came together, drawn by the
common desire OF protecting the one indus
try.
Mr.. Maddocks was picked out as the execu-
tive man, and as such was picketed at Wash
ington just about the time Hon. Joseph
Chamberlain came over from England. The
Honorable Joseph did not know that when
ri yalty in England shipped over a commits
siOner who was to occupy 25 rooms at the
Arlington at half as many thousands month,
the plain, plebeian fishermen had sent quiet
klA wrrf4 ia A4f lwnuw
brown mousrache and and a prodigious
amount of vim in him, to a little down town
tavern.
But the little quiet man knew he was
knocking against the big social lion and he
went about his work with uncommon sense
While Hon. Joseph Chamberlain ate course
dinner every night and washed it down with
plenty of Mumm, not unfrequently talking
to the numerous pretty girls Of Washington,
dancing with them or sitting in a luxurious
tete-a-tete in the houses of Anglomaniacs,
still allowing his gallant nature to demon
strate his devotion to the fair sex, the Maine
man was dumping fishery literature by the
cord into the mails, and by means of his busy
pen, his stenographer and his letters was
stirring up big wave of public sentiment.
While Hon. Mr.. Chamberlain, his single glass
in his eye, went up to the diplomatic cham
Der and talked wisely of treaties and techni-
calities with Sir Charles Tupper and Mr..
Angel of Michigan, Mr.. Maddocks was stir
ring up his brethren on the Pacific as well as
the Atlantic slope to understand how Canada
had cut down the American fishing fleet, di-
minished the fishing villages and hurt its
wharYes and haTbors.
The contest has gone on a little over two
months, and the quiet little fisherman from
Maine has fairly and squarely whipped the
English diplomat The first intimation of
what was constantly blocking his progress
came to Hon. Joseph Chamberlain when Sec
retary Madd0cks mailed him copy of that
fiery little pamphlet, mo Surrender" devils
ed by Mr. Maddocks and our own Gen. Cogs-
well, who is in the fight, as he always is in
every one, heart and soul, body and boots.
This told just what the fishermen wanted,
and more, what they did not want. Now
they feel so sure of their footing that they
independently stand up and say they. will
not have it, anyway. What is this they have
done?
First-They have captured the Democratic
House of Representatives The public sem
timent Mr.. Maddocks has set going by his
plain statement of the situation has dashed
up against not the members only but the
ways and means committee, the foreign rela-
tions, and merchant marine and fisheries.
Secretary Maddocks counts on his list sixty
members on the Democratic side.whe have
found out that they would better vote
against Tree fish. A majority of the House
is against any such proposition, he says,
with an air that shows he knows what he is
talking about.
Second-In the same way, great pressure
has been brought to bear on the committees
named. The members have had letters
since the session opened, and direct from
their districts, and prominent men all over
the country talking the economics of the
fish question to them.
Third-The state department and the
White House has had its fill OF fishery
speeches. Prominent Democrats of national
note have told both the Secretary and the
President what it will be very well not to do.
Such men as X. ). Spofford and Judge Chas.
Levi Woodbury. have made clear what they
think of Canada's action and attitude. The
administration is confronted with what it
must lose, and there Is no doubt that 1t is Sc
riously perplexed over the affair.
Fourth-The National Fishery Association
has captured the fish commissioner. Mar
shal Mcdonald is man of its own appoint
ing The slate was all made up for L. b.
Ferguson, but the latter did not get in. The
Association had three weeks to work in, but
it fairly showed Col. Lamonts desk under
with petitions for Col. Mcdonald. And he is
a man heartily in accord with the views of
the Association.
Fifth-The views of the people on the folly
of treating with Canada until she deals with
us fairly and ceases to grab at all we have,
have been iterated and reiterated, reaching
to the commissioners, until Hon. Joseph
Chamberlain has been met by stubborn
American sentiment at the very table of the
gorgeous diplomatic chamber.
This is the work of the quiet little Yankee
fisherman who finds himself after two
months unrelenting work able to snap his
fingers at Her Majesty sllord high commits
sioner. and hear the news through Canada
that the arbtrators are patching up make
believe convention so as not to adjourn with
out Offering ANYTHING to the people of both
nations as the result of their labors.