Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-02-18
FISHERY ARGUMENTS.
The Menhaden Indus
try Discussed.
SENATOR HILLS PROSPECTS
Brice Thinks He Will Have A Solid
Delegation to Chicago.

WASHINGTON, Feb. iS.---A large ruuiber
of Interested persons wore present at the
meeting of the house committee on hsh-
cries, which II cons dering "A bill TO allow
the menhaden aud mackersi fisheries TO De
pursued within the marine jurisdiction OF
the United States. regardless Of state law
to the contrary. Tho menhaden fishing In
terest was the most largely represented.
The menhaden fisheries opened with an
argument In favor OF the bill hy W. r.
Brown Of Philadelphia. who Is largely In
terested IN the menhaden fisheries. He de-
clared that laws had been passed by Maine,
Massachusetts, and New York that oper.
ated to destroy the most important men
haden fishery interests Of the country.
The coming and going OF the menhaden
were beyond the knowledge OF any man.
Yet state legislatures had sought TO para
lyze an industry that did not interiors
with or injure other fisheries. The United
States had acquired from Great Britain,
under the treaty Of Washington, the
right to take fsh In Canadian waters,
yet there were citizens Of certain
states of the United States seeking to
deny a similar right 10 tho citizens OF
other states. From his own bitter expe-
rience ne could tell how the Maine fish
his vessels, and taken his nets. His prop
erty in Maine today was almost valueless.
There was the great Casco bay full OF fish
last year, with the gates locked. Fish TO
the value OF $50, 600 were lost, aud not one
soul proilted by the law. The passage OF
the pending bill would guarantee the fish-
ermen against destruction of their prop
srty. All he asked was that this great in-
dustry should be placed under the care OF
the commission created by the national
government
Mr.. Brown showed that the nienhaden
fisheries had been of vast benefit to farm
ers, AZ they had been able 20 furnish a su-
perior fertilizer nj n cost less than half the
cost of Peruvian Rusno. There was enough
Ash manure made last year TO produce
2. 400 900 bales of cotton. or 00O,0 900 bush
els OF wheat. But this great industry was
paralyzed and could not again be COLI
Quoted II the fishermen were to bc at
tackled by state authorities as heretofore.
The menhaden industry has also been Of
great value to the leather makers, and the
fish oil used Icy the tarnery reduced the
cost Of leather The fish oil was also
used BY coal miners for their lamps, and
to enhance it's cost would bc to punish the
poor miner who was willing to buy his
own oil Mr. Brown denied absolutely that
the Jnenhaden industry injured the food
fisheries, and quoted the finding Of Pro
fessors Laird and Goode. that men could
do nothing TO increase or decrease ma
terialiy the fish In the ocean. He declared
that the r!Snhaden fishers did not take
enough food fish 10 supply the tables of
the vessels. He did not believe that
twenty-five barrels Of bluehsh and sea
trent had been taken in the purse nets
since they were first used In 1859. He had
eiahty-five afiidavits 60 that effect from
practical fishermen.
Mr.. Brown also declared that local fish
ermen for the markets objected TO the
operations of tho nenhaden fishermen, but
Representative Milliken OF Maine, who
was present, cont radicted this and asserted
that he had letters from points along the
whole Maine coast protesting against the
bill. He had seen thirteen steamers nc
one time before his house fishing for men,
haden, and taking 500 barrels of fish Mt ono
haul. Surely that must diminish the fish
supply. As to expert testimony, he would
rather have that of practical fishermen on
the coast than Of the theorists.
Arguments in favor of the bill were also
made by Captain Nathaniel Church OF
Rhode Island, his brother, Samuel Church,
Joseph Watkins OF Philadelphia, ex- Fish
Commissioner Blackford of New York,
Robert J. Bradley Of Bocton, and Others.