The Penn's Grove record., 1895-06-21

THE sHAD
DUAUMT

having our shad carried and sold we
had better quit the shad fishing bust
ness. Our success financially, does not
depend altogether on the number OF
shad we catch, but largely in what
manner we dispose of them. l will
give facts and figures which will prove
what an iron grip certain monopoiies
have upon the Threats of the fishermen.
During the past spring / caught sou
shad in the bay. They netted me a
fraction over $3.50 per hundred. Ex-
penses on the same, S4.25 per hundred,
or nearly one-half of net profit. Ex-
penses on 5000 shad S2l5. 90. THE price
of shad has been lower this spffA4r; than
any time during the past 20yesG which
covers my experience, as a sdierman.-
The expense on our shad III the Bay
was increased this year, thus cutting
our prices still lower and making the
burden still heavier for the fishermen.
1t is plain to be seen what an iDjus-
tice is done US on the part of the sales.
men of Philadelphia. They charge us
$500 per hundred for selling shad,
which would have amounted to nearly
20 per cent this spring, while they sell
shad and all other kinds Of fish from all
parts of the country for 10 per cent.
Why is 1t that these statesmen discrim-
mate in favor of other fishermen, as
| against the Delaware River 6shermenY
l answer il it is because we fishermen,
as a body make no effort to compel them
to sell our shad for 10 per cent. They
| we'll know that $500 per hundred pays
them much better than 10 per cent
would.
A few years ago the shad Fisher
| mems Association appointed a commit
tee to wait on the statesmen of Philadel-
plia and tried to get them to sell our
shad for 10 per cent, but we failed be-
cause we were not supported by a ma
jority of the fishermen. The fishermen
! all cry out against this injustice done
them on the part of the statesmen, but
they make but little effort to help over
! come it.
The freight on our shad from the
fishing grounds to the Philadelphia
market is entirely too high. The Den
| ny Bros advanced the freight fifty cents
| per hundred above last years rates on
| shad In the bay, imposing an extra tax
| of from SIS to $50 on the Bay nets.
| Ny extra tax on 5000 shad was $25.
/ do not know just how many shad
| Denny Bros carried from Hope Creek,
| but / think 1t was about $50, 600. The
J cent advance on this number of shad
would impose an extra tax of $3.50 on
| the fishermen at Hope Creek. Before
| the shad fishing commenced q commit.
| tee from the Association waited upon
Denny Bros and like beggars we plead
| with them not to advance the freight
| on us in the Bay, but Notwithstanding
our earnest protest against an advance
| in the rates they did it all the same.
| Thus proving the words of two{ men
| had more weight and influence Than
| what two hundred fishermen havG
Oh, what a humiliating positi bn is
ours. We fishermen said w wol not
| pay the advance in rates, but we 1t
| ali the same. This shows our s9sSN-
| ness and it is evident to all thd W
have no right to say who shall Prry
| u shad or what amount of freigy we
will pay, or who shall sell them. Like
the gally slave, our business is do
| the bidding of those who lord it s0yer
US. 1t is for us to toll day and Tight
| and submit with the best grace POI Eible
to whatever may be put upon us b The
| boatmen and statesmen. Here is aka.
tion without representation and it WAS
this that brought about the R~sssHffon-
| airy war. The colonies of America pro-
| tested against injustice of this kind by
the force of arms, but the fishermen
| haven't become that desperate yet,
1t is said that the pen is mightier
than the sword. As We are opposed to
| war we will fight it out with the pen.
| hoping it will prove to be the sword of
| Justice to those who are laboripgl I'M
der heavy burdens. We will whisper a
word or two of warning to those Mono.
poles who have us in their pdwer.
Pharoah had his Moses, Bonapart had
his Wellington, Leo X his Luther, and
Charles the /. his Cromwell and Tam.
many Hall its Parkhurst, and the Eshad
statesmen and boatmen may profit by
their example. If this be treason let
them make the most of it.
1t does appear from the above state
ment that we fishermen. are the dumb
est set OF block heads In existence, and
are not capable of doing businesA for
ourselves. We labor and toll day and
night and are exposed to the storms
and cold and in the early spring we
sweat freely at the nose, wear clothes
that are hardly fit for a tramp, eat cold
grub, sleep on a hard bed when w9 get
time to sleep. All this labor is per.
formed and these lhardships endured
linking we will better our condition
u life, but we get badly deceived in
this. The most important part Of our
business we leave in the hands Of those
who wear soft rainment and a fare
sumptuously every day. Why should
the fishermen be looked upon al tbe off
securing of the earth? Why is It'll our
calling is spoken of in derison? Fish
ermen, let us redeem ourselves from
the odium and stigma that rest upon
us. Poverty is what brings disgrace
upon every kind of business in this
world, and unless we can devise some
plan whereby we can get more money
for our shad and reduce our expenses
our condition in the future will bS as
bad or worse than 1t has been in the
past.
Their is no doubt in my mind but
what all these burdens that We are
laboring under could be obviated in a
short time if we would take the only
sensible course that is open to us land
that is by uniting our forces t0gether
in the Shad Fishermen's Protective3As-
ISOLATION. Their never was q time in
the history of shad fishing when there
was greater need in concentrating our
forces against those who have us in
their power. AL the fishermen we
have talked with are out spoken against
The advance in freight al Hope Creek
and considered it as uncalled for.
a While we have no personal feelings
Ugainst The Denny Bros. who are hpn.
Ired and respected citizens OF our toFn.
1T is business for them to get all they
Jan out OF the shad line. AS a matter
IF business we feel that it is the duty
I every fishermen to do what he can to
help protect his own business also. Ii
we do not accomplish anything that
will be- beneficial 10 the fishermen it
will be because Of the indifference on