Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-25

no more. and where the grass grows.
where once was stretched the keel Of
many a stately ship. And the only
bright spots along that whole coast. my
friends. from the time YOU leave Lubec
until you get to our great city at the
head OF Casco bay, are those. towns
from the great and fruitful sea of four
and one-half million dollars to be put in
circulation among those people. II is
only in those towns that the pulse of
trade today beats regularly: and it is be-
cause. | say. that TO those towns. among
15."9 people who earn their livelihood
from this industry. and among nearly
6o.000 people who are more or less depen-
dent upon Tit is because among those
people over four and one-half millions CT
dollars has been put into circulation. into
the natural channels of healthy trade for
investment and for circulation. Now.
my friends. | do not mean to make so
strong statement as to say that by this
simple appropriation bill you have the
future of that industry. the only indus
try on the coast today which is profits
able-l do not mean to say that you have
1t in your power. by defeating this APP
preparation. to ruin that industry at once.
But do say most emphatically that you
have il in your power to curtail the flu
ture of that industry, to curtail the
means Whereby children born there must
earn their livelihood. and to limit the
source of that magnificent food supply
which has come down to us from our
fathers and which 1t is our duty to
those who come after us. II must be
preserved and il must be protected. and
you are asked now only for the paitry
sum of $4,000 to do it: and | do not be-
that industry or limit that food supply
viii he Endorsed either by the people of
this State or by the conscience of any
man who has investigated this subject
as | have done. sent here by the people
TO subscrve their interests. tApplause.)
Mr.. Fogler of Rockland: This resolve
tV, IT,
have a deep interest. for they are largely
engaged in the sea and shore fisheries.
! wish to state this. that it is true that
in the year 1895 there was thousand
dollars left over of the appropriation
for that year. That was left over for
this reason: That appropriation could
not be used, it did not become practicable
assets in the hands of the commissioner
until April 1895. and there We're no ex-
penditures by the commissioner for the
protection of the shore fisheries for the
months from january to April. so that
from April 10 January. in nine months.
by economy there was a thousand dollars
left over. That is how the thousand dol
lars was left over from the year 1896.
nine months of the year. That left him
$500 for the year 1896 and that appro-
priation was entirely expended by the
tober until January following there was
no work done for want of funds Now
the commissioner says that he ought to
fully in the intervals of the shore fish
cries. | think he Is right knowing as i
do, and have known for a number Of
years the value and Importance of the.
sea shore fisheries and the great impor-
tnace of their protection. The sea shore
fisheries is one of the most important
which have been compiled by the COM
missioner of sea shore fisheries show that
the value of the products so far as he
has been able to get them. the products
ma rlxnt . No. .,l,<
fisheries. is A.S26. Ga2: and If we add to
that the large portion of that product
which is used by the people along the
coast from Kittery to Eastport, which is
used locally and which never goes into
the open. market where an account can
be taken of it. have no doubt that the
Of this State for, the year 1896 was fully
*o.00,VOO. Now that $5.OOO.000 represents
labor entirely. for the product itself as
II swims IN the sea and comes to our
snores costs no man cent. costs the
State not a dollar: 1t is product which
comes TO us every year freely and without
price. and whatever is received from that
Product is from the labor of the men
upon the sea shore. the fishermen upon
the coasts and ON the Islands many of
whom are today in this Indictment. sea-
ing fish along the coast say 1t repre-
sents labor. We have that product; tits
q food product. There Is nothing sem
secting fish and game for c the men aT' from rom
New York and Boston to come here and
shoot and carry home leaving little
money TO be sure with the railroads and
stages and inn-keepers: but 1t Is an in
dustry which produces food. which is
used In every family in the State more or
less, rich or poor, and in that Industry
fully 1a,000 persons are engaged for the
year. The livelihood of 5000 people,
have no doubt, is obtained through these
sea shore fisheries. The State has appro-
prtated | think rather niggardly hereto
fore in the matter of protection OF these
fisheries. The protection of these fish /
ries Is important. Through this protec-
ton the product OF the Sea shore fish
cries has appreciated year by year and is
still continuing to appreciate; and Wade
the great body of the fishermen on the
coast are in favor of protection and pre-
serving the law. vet there. just as in the
northern forests there are men who for
the purpose of present gain will en-
deavor to SO conduct their fisheries as to
depreciate the value of the fisheries Ia
the future: and to prevent that to pro-
vide that the fisheries on the shore shall
be kept up to the present product and
that they shall appreciate In TIE future,
the fisheries need protection. The pres
ent commissioner of shore fisheries has
done good work. not the work OF pro-
lection that he would desire. not the pro-
lection which the people upon the ci,ast
arc entitled to- because he has l,ecn
-