The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-03-22
COMMISSIONER INQUIRE
~ GUIDED BY THE LAW
Has Asked the Cooperation Of Commits.
rlourr Little but Failed 10 Receive
H. Reply "a Mnrkhams Letter

PORTLAND March 3.-.Edltor As
lnflnn. In your issue ~ March 10 ap.
pearrd letter from Mr Markham Of
llwnro who. In an attempt to champion
the cause rf the Washington commits
nioncr II misleading In some Of his
statements and In others he INDUCES in
a rnmnncing vein lhh, indicates a
natural talent Of 'he jules Verne order
Doubtless your readers have not for
gotten whAt took place the commence
menl of the closed season last fall, !
had patrol boat on the river from the
morning of the liih until the 18th OF
August all nAhing operations on the
Oregon side ccaslne promptly tsome 10
arrcptn being made hy mel. and all can
nrrica closing down No EFFORT was made
tn enforce the Law on the Washington
side. and three canneries were run there
In open ard nagtant violation Of the law.
Many II not all the flsn for one OF these
cannc4cs Wrrr furnished from traps IN
Bakers bay How many. n any. Of IN ~
unlnwfully caught fsh came from your
correspondents traps | am unable 20
say but the ~ viii shown In his COM
munpauon toward the oregon commits
sinn.r hrcaHs. 81 his EFFORT to put stop
"a this unlawful work. would indicate
thai hr had more than an ordinary inter-
est In the matter. TO say the least. II
not why does he rush into print with a
lctter showing such temper against me
and In defense ~ the Official who had
jurisdiction on the Washington side of the
river. where the violation OF The law was
permitted and encouraged?
with these facts before MS Is no, ar
Heuit 10 discern the motive that inspired
Mr.. Markham TO write as he dld-and the
same can be said OF Senator Megler's
letter when We recall the circumstance
Of mAsa meeting held In Astoria 10
protest against the non-ohservance OF
the law on the Washington side OF the
river. one cannot restrain his admiration
OF the immaculate gall Of your corre-
spondcnl when he says that "the hsh-
crmcn on the Washington side obey the
law" What rot
Now. as TO the cause OF the present
discussion. Under the Oregon law the
rlose season begins on February Is at
noon. but as the legislative conferees OF
the two states agreed to make a Joint
close season date. commencing March l.
no effort was made by this once Ia en-
force the law until that date. at which
lime / wrote TO the Washington cominis-
,loncr. asking him 10 cooperate with me
n the work OF patrolllng the Co'umha
river for that purpose. Mr., Little rt",led
hat he could not comply with my re-
lucsl. as he had no funds. etc, ana re-
,uested me to let his side OF the river
Alone stating that "a he had not been
provided with sufficient funds, H. con-
.,rued Il that they thls people, did not
want the law enforced (which statement
our correspondent conhrmsl. protest
,galnst this because Mr.. lAttle's posi-
Ion made any practical enforcement OF
he law impossible.
In conclusion permit me TO say that
Turing the past six years ! have done my
Utmost without any appropriation to en-
orce the close season laws, because
elleyed this To he the most important
art Of a commissioners duty. Proper
lose season laws strictly enforced Will,
ilthout doubt, preserve the Industry.
nd. although our present law In this re-
pect Ia not AL that II should he, yet
ia an Improvement over the old law,
nd It IL my purpose 10 enforce 1t over
he entire river. as the decision OF the
nlted States court OF Oregon, United
tntes Judge Hanford, OF Washington, !
,ncurrng authorized me to do Here
is quoted from sllibus OF the case OF
tate Of oregon vs, Wicken'
independent legislative control by one
tate IN the exercise Of such jurisdiction. ,
ne word concurrent when applied to ,
he jurisdiction Of Oregon to enact penal d
ws for the Columbia river, can 0ns !
lean the power to enact such criminal
autes ms are agreed or ACQuIEsCED
hy the state OF Washington, OR AS
RE ALREADY IN FoRCE WITHIN +
IS JURISDICTION"
Has not the state Of Washington ac- t
nlesccd? And has Il not already In force
law which makes It unlawful to FISH :
" salmon between March | and April /
and between August 10 and September |
p? This Is the decision of the only
ibunal having Jurisdiction In both y
ates, and shall be guided by 1t until
IL reversed by higher court,
| shall he glad to havd the Washington
cooperate In this work,
HOLIISTER D. INQUIRE. q