The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-01
Mr.. WRITTEN PLEASES THE HOUSE
by His Efforts In Behalf Of the Mack
erel Bill.
The Appearance Of the Dog Creates
the Customary Storm.
State College Affairs Railroad Leg
IsIatIon-other Matters.
Especial to the Press !

| AUGUSTA, req. Z6.-t ne house discovered
another good debater this afternoon. 1t
was Mr.. Whitten of Portland, who champi-
ons the fishing interests Of the coast. in the
conflict over the bill to amend the statutes Sc
that mackerel may be caught in the bays
Mr. Whitten reviewed briefly the history Of
the bill now before the House. 1t is report
ed by the six members Of the fish and game
committee who represent sea coast constitu-
encies-Messrs. Whitten, Smith, Warren.
Hichborn, Hamilton and Nash. This in Mr..
Whitten's opinion showed what those prac-
tically interested in the fishing interests of
| the State thought to be needed. The re-
| monstrances came largely from places not in
terested in the fishing business. and mainly
from persons who know nothing about fish
ing These petitions were circulated by the
Fish Commissioner and his wardens. and
many names were secured by misrepresenta-
| tion. Mr.. Whitten read letters from people
| who said they had signed the remonstrances
history Of legislation on this subject, Mr..
Whitten said that In 1878 there was passed
law prohibiting the catching OF mackerel,
shad, etc., In bays, to take effect one year
from date. in 1879. When the time came for
the law to go into effect, it was amended by
striking out the word "mackerel." In 1880,
an attempt to put the word ''mackerel' In
again failed. In 1883, Judge Goddard, in re-
vising the statutes, thinking the word mack
erel' had been left out by some mistake, put
tanned that the word "mackerel' had been
put in until 1885, when a fish dealer of Port
land, Mr.. Dyer, was fined $3.50 by warden.
M. Dyer consulted the law, and was aston
erel." Judge Goddard was con-
regret that the mistake had been
made, and offered to come to Augusta to the
Insr rfaln 9 4 a. ran&tG GxA
But the fisheries and game committee OF that
legislature would Lot hear him, Mr.. Written
said, and so the effort to have the mistake
rect!ftd was unsuccessful. Mr.. Whitten
| read letter from Judge Goddard subtantiat-
ng the statements made in regard to the mis-
lake in revision.
There was another reason why the word
'mackereP should be stricken from the pro-
tective laws. The aim of legislation is to
protect fish in their spawning beds. But the
mackerel are already protected by United
States law that prohibits the landing Of any
mackerel during the months Of May and
June under penalty Of confiscation OF the
vessels That law advocated before con-
| gressl0nal committee, and Congressman
Reed engineered it through the House of
| Representatives, and Senators Hale and
Frye through the Senate. That law gave
the mackerel profession enough. They did
| not need any from this House. Mr.. Whit
tens speech was loudly applauded.
the position of the minority OF the
tsh and game committee, who thought the
as to show that the mackerel should be pro-
tected 10 the bays and on the shores.
Mr.. Whltten added to his remarks by ex-
planning that mackerel spawned south Of the
Hatteras and were in this respect different
from shad and herring which spawn on our
own coast.
Mr.. Race of Boothbay, opposed Mr.. Whit
ten; He said he wished to call the attention
OF the House to the fact that only 2S1 per-
sons had pettioned to have mackerel exemp-
ted from the seining law while the remon-
strants were 9417. Mr.. Race said that the
change, If made, would let the big seiners In
upon our shores to destroy the fish,
The question was then put and on a riud
roce vote Mr.. Whitten's bill was passed to
be engr0Ssed.
The bill in the parts affected by the
change, is as follows: #
Chapter 26 of the Public Laws of the year
1886 entitled "An act TO amend chap. 40 of the
r; s., relating to migratory fish" is hereby amend
ed by striking out the words mac serel orr from
me leIn line. 50 that the said act as amendad
Sect. 1.-THE taking of herring, shad, porgie
of purse and drag SCENES is prohibited in all small
bays, nlets, harbors or rivers where any entrace
70 the same or any part thereof from land to land
Is not more than three nautical miles in width
der penalty npon the master or person In charge
Of such seines or upon the owners of any vessel
or seihes employed in such unlawful fishing OF not
less than $500 nor more than $500, etc.
The Dog and the Sheep.
A proposition to legislate for the dog never
fails to stir up storm in the House OF
Representatives. This is the history of
years. Men seem to be more jealous of leg
islation to regulate their dogs than Of laws
to regulate their morals even. The dog
bill" now before the House was drawn BY
the agricultural committee. 1t is compound
measure for the remuneration of the owners
Of sheep and cattle destroyed by dogs, and
the protection in turn of dogs against
thieves and malicious persons. The bill
provides that every owner or keeper of a
dog over four months Of age shall annually,
on or before the first day of May, cause the
dog to be registered, numbered, described
shall provide the dog with a marked collar.
The cost of the license is fixed at a dollar
and fifteen cents for male dog and three
dollars for q female dog. The money. so re-
the State Treasurer to the payment for
sheep destroyed by dogs unknown, upon
| proof of such destruction being made to the
| selectmen. When the dogs doing the dam
age are known the town shall recover the
pay from the owners of the dogs. So much
| for the protection of sheep and cattle. This
was explained by Mr.. Wing of Manchester,
and met with no objection from the House.
But the section projecting the dog met with
much opposition. That section was as fol-
| lows:
Any person who shall steal or confne and Sc
crete any registered dog, or shall kill any such
dog, unless such killing be tustifabe In the pro-
owner ia civil action for the full value of such
dog, and shall, upon a criminal complaint, be
fined not more than $40 or imprisoned not more
than 80 days or both,
This section raised a storm. DIR. Grindle
was against it because the dog was worth
less Cur and not worthy such distinguished
protection. Mr.. Peakes OF Dover, said If
md ranf xxac m or nd ho xuon mi Tod 10
bill entitled IAN act to protect dog owners
from the ravages of sheep in their focks."
Mr.. Sprague of Dexter, thought the dog had
protection enough. But Mr.. Burleigh of
ford, thought dogs needed protection from
cruel and Irresponsible thieves and perse-
cutors. shower of amendments came in.
The House adopted one proposed by Mr.
| tion of the killing of dog the protection of
| person as well as ''life or property" so
that the killing of dog should be ''justifa-
| BILE in the protection of life, person or prop
| by Mr.. Manley of Augusta, and adopted, to
strike out those last lines Of the section,
| which read thus And shall, upon crimi-
nal complaint, be fined not more than $40, or
imprisoned not more than 30 days, or BOTH"
After being thus amended the bill passed to
| be engrossed.
state College.
The State College resolve was debated al
most all day In the Senate today. The re-
| solve was defended by Senator Haines and
by Senator Collins of Aroostook, who is one
| Of the most jealous champions of the faIm-
| er in the Senate, and by Senator Heath of
| Kennebec. Senator Wright of Oxford en-
| deayOred to make the expense of the college
| less by cutting off about $4,000 wanted to
| pay for the diseased cattle, for the lathes and
| iron foundry and for the horticultural estab-
| lishmeIt. Senator Libby raised an import
| aut point In regard to the 5000 wanted to
paw the debt incurred for the diseased cattle.
The college authorities had declared that
they had put in pledge part of their endow-
ment fund, and had obtained money to pay
for the cattle from Bangor bank. Mr..
Libby drew out the fact that the original en-
dowment fund was really S118,OOO, and that
from this the college had accumulated about
$4,000 additional. Six thousand of this thew
had pledged as collateral to pay the 5000
debt on the cattle. Mr.. Libby Thought this
paid the debt, and that the State should not
be held to do 1t, whether the college had done
righttully In using the endowmentlor not
When the amendments came to ballot the
first Ito strike out $4,000 for lathes. etc ] il
was defeated, to 16 Messrs Poor. Hard
ing and Libby voted against the amendment.
ana Freeman for 1t.
The second amendment Ito strike out the
$1,000 for horticultural purposes). was de,
feated IA to IL, Messrs. Poor and Iihhv vot-
ing against 1t and Freeman and Harding for
it.
The third amendment, the $4,000 cattle
item, was also defeated, Messrs Poor and
| uardine AGAINST IL and Freeman ana 7 ihs1