Evening journal., 1893-09-13
UNPROFITABLE SEASON.
Menhaden Fishermen Said to
Destroy Food Fish.
LEGISLATIVE FIGHT RECALLED

LEGISLATIVE FIGHT RECALLED
A Metropolitan Angler Wants What Half
of Lewes Has Already Demanded-DeIa-
ware Waters Furnish Millions OF Fish
for OIL.
During the last General Assembly An
effort was made by large number Of
Lewes men to have menhaden fishing
and the manufacture Of fish oil and fer
tilizer made unlawful within Delaware's
jurisdiction. The prohibilionists con-
tended that many food fish were caught
in the hauls of menhaden in the lower
Delaware and dumped into the trying pots
along with the fish only useful for oil
They even went further aud claimed that
the hsh oil manufactures on the beach
several hundred yards below Lewes were
stencil in the nostrils of the public
When the wind blew from the south the
odor arising from the piles Of decaylng
hsh was driven upon the devoted little
town, making life almost unbearabe
The Negro Voter Brought In.
AANA' WAo hAHo 0uWhutI argument NQ-~
vanced for the purpose of influencing the
votes OF the Democratic members Of the
General Assembly. IL was that the men
who controlled the fish manufactures
and feet Of boats were Republicans.
They employed from 6fty to one hundred
negroes who claimed residence In Sussex
county These negroes were usually
down East in the fall, but the fish
manufacturers made 10 point to have
them on hand the day OF election. there
by endangering the success Of Democracy
in Sussex.
The ish men denied every allegation
but that concerning the smell. They
sorted out and threw back into the
water all food fish caught in the nets.
They were Administration Democrats
and 80 were the negroes-as far as they
knew.
IL Was Universal Panacea.
The smell was admitted but only as a
healthful smell. IL was good for the
lungs, bronchial tubes, kidneys, liver or
/ spleen. A sure cure for asthma. catarrh
1 bronchitis, pulmonary trouble grip. salt
rheum or shingles. The town ought to
/ pay for Il, but the inhabitants were get
/ ting IL free. IN addition to this. the
refuse from the boiling.pots furnished
Sussex county farmers with a cheap
fertilizer. The employees Of the works
dealt with Lewes grocers and II that
custom should be cut of by adverse leg
islatlon business would be paralyzed and
the sheriff seize the town.
This was, ia effect, the argument. As
a consequence the bill failed 10 pass.
several amen dments TO the old law being
substituted.
Monhadden Season Unprontable.
Now a disciple OF Izaak Walton, writes
as follows to a metropolitan paper:
'Menhaden fishing along the Jersey
coast has practically ceased for the
season. the scarcity Of the fish having
made 10 Improbable. Menhaden fishing
has not only exhausted itself but has
done almost irreparable damage to all
other kinds of fishing, especially the
game food fshes--at least such Is the
almost universal opinion of those who
have noticed the gradual decrease In the
number Of food fishes that annually
visit the inlets aud bays.
THE influence money exerts upon
Legislation has nowhere been more con-
spicuously shown than ia the failure of
the attempt TO obtain Congressional
legislation against this most destructive
industry, for, pernicious as IL has
shown itself to be, IL is still an Industry.
A powerful lobby was sent to Washing
ton, and through its moneye1 influence,
all attempts to abate the evil by legis-
, lative enactment proved abortive.
"In view Of the damaging results, so
clearly shown In this seasons expert
ences, there should be renewal Of the
efforts of the anti menhadonites, for it
would seem hardly possible that Con-
gress, II at all disposed to protect one of
the cOuntry's most important food
sources, could refuse 10 enact law that
would compel the despollers to keep at
least three miles from the shores with
3 their destructive purse nets. IL would.
{ at all events, be worth while to make
another effort, and It would be strange
II New Jerseys representatives IN Con-
gTess would not feel compelled TO take
an active part in the contest.
, "But the trouble is not confined to
the Jersey coast Menhaden fishing is
- carried on with vigor from Name to
Florida, and the result will eventually
, be the same along the entire distance
This fact should have the effect Of
9 bringing In behalf Of the proposed restric.
d tive legislation the co operation OF all
8 the representatives of the Atlantic
3 states, and If the matter were properly
d presented to them no doubt would.
s "This Is most serious matter. It is
l. not that the rod and reel fishing along
g the coast is being ruined, but the food
= fish supply-upon which our markets
Z have hitherto depended-will be prac-
: tically ruined. It is, therefore, a subject
g in which all classes Of the community
= are interested and it will be 20 the
9 credit of anglers everywhere, but espec-
q tally in New Jersey and Eastern Penn
l. 81 lvania, TO Immediately unite and by
= vigorous protest endeAvor to secure a
= remedy"
T Some Of the Lewes prohibitionists
must have had him button-holed for an
I hour or two.
o TROUBLE OVER A REAPER.