Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-17
WILL HURT MAINE
Objection to the Newfoundland
Reciprocity Treaty.
Will \. Work Great Injury to New Eng.
land Fishing Industry.
Maine Will Oppose It as Matter OF
Self. Protection.

Rockland, Me-, Nov. 16-The New
foundland reciprocity treaty, otherwise
called the Blaine Bond and the Hays
Bond treaty, which will be submitted
to the next Congress for ratification, is
one of paramount importance to Maine,
which ranks second in Importance in
fisheries in the United States, and
among the dealers and among the deal
ers and fishermen it is Peing dis
cussed from kittery to PASSPORT. The
ratification of the treaty is of partic-
ular interest to the extensive fishing
interests Of Knox, Hancock. Penobscot,
Washington, Lincoln and Cumberland
counties where the largest fresh and
cured establishments are to be found.
From reports from Gloucester TO
Eastport it can be stated that there
is a decided opposition to the signing
of the treaty. Gloucester especially
sees in it ruination Of their fish bust
ness, and A. r. Nickerson of Boothbay
Harbor, speaking for Maine fishing in
terests, says that Maine viii oppose
the treaty on grounds of self-protec-
ton.
The exception of green fish from
the operation of the treaty does not by
any means satisfy Rockland or other
large centers where the green" fish
is cured and shipped to other parts of
the country. In fact, dealers here see
the transferrence Of the homeless cod
WI Ia hnr
is cheap.
James Donahue of the Rockland Fish
Co, whose firm handles about 5000,
900 pounds of cod, haddOck and hake
mostly cured, said: I'm my opinion
the removal of the duty on cod and
| other fish, such as is advocated in the
pending treaty, is the worst blow that
| can be dealt the valuable fishing inter-
| ests of this section. There is duty
| now of about IS cents quintal OF
dried fish from the provinces, and the
removal of this will destroy our in
dustry In the first place they operate
in a different manner in the fish bust
ness in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland
There the fishermen make several trips
and store their fish with the dealers
receiving no cash price for it, being
allowed whatever store pay is neces'
! sary for themselves or family.
| The dealers when they have sufficient
| stock. enter the market and can under
bid the New England dealers every time
for the reason that they have not paid
for their fish, and any reduction in the
market price is suffered by the fishermen
not the dealers. For this very reason the
| wholesalers under the New England
| Iaa Iars lacnfp the fact of the dltN to DE
paid. With us ii is exactly the opposite.
| We do business in an independent Amerl-
| can manner a fisherman is paid caSl
| for his fare when he lands it here. and
| the buyers have to take the gambler :
| chance of a rise fall in the market
mostly produced by fair or foul weather
and YOU rob the New England fishermen
of their best crews, for they will fish at
home.
hats only one feature. BY the new
| treaty we only get reciprocal rights to
| buy bait, sell fish, etc. the same as a
| British subject. That is provided for
now by the payment of a license of near
| ly 81 a ton on the VESSELS registry. For
$40 or $50 q year an American schooner
| can enjoy all the rights of fishing down
| East" and sell their cargoes across the
| line for better prices. Remove the duty
| and we get free bail while they get free
| entry to a market where now, despite
| the duty they undersell us because OF
some OF the methods of doing business.
| In New England III 1888 tieEe were ID,
| G3l men employed in fisheries ashore and
| on sea Maine alone employs 17,000; while
| Massa chusettS, whose general product Is
| of greater value, employed l5,vO0. Maine
| increased $500 in the number OF men en-
| ployed while other states showed de-
| crease The total amount of capital IN
! vested was $50, 000. 600 Maine had A.ll3,0O
| and massachusetts S14,OW,COl The num-
| her of vessels employed was 142l. total
| value $1.303,00O. The total product was
| 80 ,457, 500 pounds. of which Maine pro-
duced 1a3, 404 600 pounds, valued at s.. 6o4.
| 900 The increase in value of Maine S
! fisheries that year was half a million dol
las.
| her invested capital IS per cent, mostly
| due to the high price of Holsters. She is
| only surpassed by Massachusetts IN the
value and extent of her industries in the
fishing line. Her, lobster INDUSTRY Is
| greater than all other states in the union
| combined. and the new treaty advocates
| free Holsters The lobster fishery yielded
| H. 1S3 900 pounds in 1909, worth nearly 81
| ofn, 900. and located mostly in Knox coun-
| ty.
duced $3l40O0 worth: the cusk, paddock,
make ana pollock $500 900. In 1898 Wash
| ington county had 1900, Hancock a110. Lin
| coin, 1900 and Cumberland and Knox 1860
| ing business. Knox county has IS vessels,
valued at $50 600. engaged in fishing. Han
/ cock county has the largest number, Us.
| valued at S150,ooo. Knox county ranking
Knox has a total of $500.010 invested in
vessels, boats and fishing apparatus:
| while Washington county leads on ac-
| count of its sardine factories, the figure
| being 81, 500 600; Hancock. S552, 900; Lincoln,
| $3.50 600; Cumberland, $733, 900.
The same species of flower never
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