The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-11-17
SUNDAY FISHING
m THIS STATE THOUSANDS OF TABLES
ARE SUPPLIED WITH FISH.

Prohibition of Sunday fishing
under the new fish and game laws,
which were enacted by the West VII.
ginia solOns in Difference to the. de-
mand from the public for the better
protection of the fish and game Of
the State, does not meet with the
approval of every one.
Thomas N. Darrah, a West vir-
ginia disciple of lsaak Walton, with
his hook and pen picks two sections
of the game laws as doing injustice
to many fishermen. He says:
As lifelong fisherman, who has
fshed in the waters of other states,
as well as here at home. l wish to
cali the attention of our readers to
two provisions of the fsh and game
law-as the same was amended at
the last session of the legislature
that, in my opinion, are unjust and
Ill advised because they work great
hardship upon large majority of
those who take pleasure and recrea-
ton in fishing.
''The first of these provisions is
the one which makes it absolutely
unlawful to fish on Sunday. Nv OBJ
lection to this provision is that prac-
tically it altogether denies the right
of fishing to that numerous class of
our citizens who are compelled to toll
on ali the days of the week except
Sunday. These people, who support
and keep alive all our great industries
have only Sunday as day of recrea-
ton, and they are in the habit of
then seeking rest and quiet along the
banks of our rivers and creeks, where
they and their families, without an
noying other people, find more in
nocent enjoyment in fishing than is
possible to be had in other way. All
this opportunity of enjoyment is, by
the new law, entirely taken away
from them and they are given moth
ing in place of it.
The other provision to which L
object is the one prohibiting fishing,
at any time. by any person unless
such person has with him the writ
ten permission of the land owner.
This provision in its practical work.
ings, results in great hardship in
in many instances. There are many
cases in which the land owner is a
nonresident and is represented by a
local agent, who will tell the fisher
man that he has no objections what
ever to his fishing, but will, never
theless, decline to take the respon-
sibility of giving a permission in
writing. Under the old law the fish
erman could fish at his own risk un-
til the owner objected, and if the
latter did object all he had to do was
to say so, and that ended the mat
ter. The result of the new law is to
bring about dog in the manger
state of things. The fishing is there,
but nobody can take advantage ofit.
Not because the land owner objects
but because an ill-advised law has
deprived many people of an innocent
enjoyment that worked so little
harm to the land owner that he new
er thought it worth while to make
any objections to it.
The fish industry of the United
States is one of the largest industries
in the country and should be fostered
and encouraged by all.
I'm this State thousands of tables
are supplied with FISH, And yet the
legislature has placed hardships upon
all those who catch them. What is
the use of the state spending money
for keeping up hatchery, game
- .r :.