Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-03-21
4 MEMORIAL
10 Opposition 10 lhe Lspham
Bill From Hains
Fish Commissioners Presented 10 HouS.
Committee on Fisheries
Vigorous Efforts Being Made TO Protect
the Fishing Industry.

sion OF sea and shore nsHerfee OF NJ sine has
| taken hsad in the meahsdsa battle in The
House committee on fisheries, and has pre-
scented to Congress a long printed memorial
in opposition 10 The L'phAm bill.
The memorial which sss presented in the
House by Milliken, says: while insisting
and relying spon the fact that such isgisls-
ton IS proposed would be absolutely cor
tiafy to the letter and spirit of the conslitu-
ton of the United States and s most dan
geious invasion of certain Of the long
established and dearly cherished rights of
the several states, it still seems fitting that
Maine should be hesrd in uneQ iivoesl re-
moDsirar c. sgsinst the proprie,y and sd
vahtsges of such law IS is proposed for
the consideration of your honorable bo'es.
1.-THE petitions Snd remonsuSnces which
are daily pouring in from ali classes Of our
people, more psrtiou ssly those residing
upon our coasts, indicate in part the intense
interest which is fsit in this matter, and the
lively alarm with which the passage of such
9 law is regarded. oar Legislature 10 not
in session, out il is not too much to assert
with confidence that resolutions simlsr to
those which have passed the Legislature OF
Massachusetts would readily receive The
substantially unanimous assent Of our rep.
resentstives and senators.
Snch feeling as this is entirely justified
by the magnitude OF the stake which our
State has 10 the preservation Of our fish
cries. The gentlemen who have sppesred
before the honorable committee Of mer-
chant marine and fisheries have represen.
It'd BY comparatively few men millions
of capital. welded with the easy flexibiiity
with which the organization OF the United
States Menhsden Oil & Gnsno Association
enables few men to handle it.
The commission on sea and shore fish
cries feels itself charged With the conserv-
alton of interests, which, while largely ex-
ceediDg in aggregate money value the as
sets of this association, are those of pe0.
pie 50 numerous aAd often at such humble
circumstances as to preclude their repre-
sentstion at This distant capital of the ns-
tion, except by the chosen officers of their
State. 1t is for these interests that The
commi 'sion desi es to speak"
The memorial next takes up the argu-
ment that the shore fishermen are the men
from whom the seamen would be recruited
in time of war and therefore should not
have their mean, of living taken sway
from them, which would be the case under
this bill.
The testimony CT Luther Maddox, given
before the committee Feb. IS, attracted d
the attention of the Maine commissioners
Ss vas expectei. Mr.. Maddox said of the
Maine fish wardens:
"fhey are very numerous; it is the most
lucrative busines ss in Maine" The m IN =
rial says advantage has been taken Of dis
tsnce by certain irresponsible persons,
largely those who have violsted our laws,
to misrepresenI the b.hery laws of our
| s!ste and their administration by ous way
| 5ene. 1t iB hsrdiy necessary to sag lnst
our laws are reasonable, the outcome OF
practical experience covering period of
maDy years and sppiy ing equally 10 resi-.
dents and non residents. The fish wsrdens
Of Maine reed no defence; it is, perhaps,
| rather q crs dat to their diligence than 9th
| erwise that they are not fully satisfactory
to ell the witnesses who have appeared
before the honorable commmttee of the
House
"a lsb0rious effort has been made to
show that those officers are an unscrupu-
lous, irresponsible, dishonest class of men
for whose benefit the State laws are es.
pecislly enacted. Ii 10, perhaps, OBVIOUS
| that this is an unqualified faisehood, rub
lished to bring the laws and State IiliceIe
Maine into dIscred,t and reflect in an unjusi
and cruel manner on the ~ardens primarily
| and secondatily on the TX cutive iii Gers
and citizens who are responsible for then
appointment.
These wsrdens, on the contrary, are
selected in the most careful and psinsttk-
| ing Dsner. Esch is furnished with bis nix
reports, both daily and quarterly, to ~
tn ha ion ~
case on the day Of its occurrence, thus
| brioging every violation of our State fishery
laws to bis notice snd az the close OF esch
| quarter q full statement oy each warden ia
made, accompanied by duplicates aud item
lied replies from the respective cOuniy
treasurer of the amouut Cf fines that have
been paid into the state during the said
| quarter by those convicted as the resul. OF
the wsrden's vigilance, the warden in nc
case receiving any part of the fines paid
From monetary point of view the off &c
| of warden is not to be desired.
The memorial sums up the contention oi
the commission by asserting these things
to be established by the highest authority
| !. The fecundity of FISH 10 not defence
against mans rspacity.
| 2. Fish obey laws such as render pro
tectiou essential,
3. Menhsden are food fsh.
4. menhaden are food for O. sh.
| ,. Food f,b other than merhaden arg
caught in menhsden fishing.
| 6. Menhsden fisheries can and do d.
minish the supply.
| The memorial concludes thus; 'Tf the
foregoing considerations commend them.
selves to your honorable bodies it will have
| become apparent thst no sufficient ressor
| exists for national control of our fsherie,
assuming, what we respectfully fail to COZ.
| cede, that Congress has the constitutions
| power to regulate them.
"Our lave are based upon the careful
experiments and sppreciative experience Of
years. The official guardians Of these in
terests are engaged in work Of CREST i'm
portsnce, not only to the citizens aud resi-
dents Of GU, State. but TO the great inlsDt
| states who receive the benef. Of their worh
in cheap and abundant food Fl sh in othel
wsys, to which reference has been made
Their lab3rs are increased and essentially
dangerous. They are met by armed resii.
tence, bosstful, wanion defaLcs, and eVery
device which interested cunning and tech
nicsl ingenuity can devise.
The representatives of the law are fsirll
entitled to expect every moral aid and pos
sible encouragement from the representa-
tives Of that nation to whose wealth aDt
prosperity they are making earnest and, a
they believe, effsctusl contributions. Act
Of vsn,on il egsl,iy will not be ratified un
der the broad seal Of the United States
Il is not before the judgement seat of ;h'
is- making body Of The union that organiz 2,
viostors of lar should successfully asssi
The legislation of Maine"
The memorial is signed By Edwin W