Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-01-26
FIGHT To amend
ROGUE RIVER FISH
BILL AGAINST HUME.
An Estate That Took Lifetime Build Up Swept Away by
An Initiative Bill naugWated by Rod and Gun Club at
MedfOrd---Widow Hume Takes Up the Fight Where Her
Husband Dropped 1t.

The law enacted by the people clos
ing the Rogue river to fishing except
with hook and line involves such a
fragrant case Of destruction of large
industry and valuable property be-
longing to the Hume estate that the
widow has come before the legisla-
ture for relief The Hume property
has carried on the propagation Of
salmon more extensively than any
other fishery in Oregon, and the es-
tate was about to be sold for nearly
a million dollars and divided among
about 40 heirs, when the sportsmen
Of Medford and Grants Pass Initiated
a bill closing the river forever to
fishing with anything but hook and
line. That was done to make the up
per Rogue river valley hunters and
fishers paradise, while the millions
of salmon that will never bite at any
kind Of a. bait or lure must 20 to
waste and die and clog the stream
with dead fish A reasonable adjust
ment ought to be made to allow the
commercial fishery to take the COM
mercial fish and allow fish for ang-
ling to go up the stream. Following
letter In this mornings oregonlan
shows the plight Of the widow Hume
who arrived in Salem last night to
make the fight of her rights in the
legislature.
The Danger Line TO Property.
Ashland Ore, Jan 24.-(To the
Editor Let us have little more
light on the Rogue River fish law
that closed the stream to commercial
fishing by the initiative process at the
last election Was 1t not represented
by those who circulated the petitions
for this act that there was no lnten-
tion TO interfere with the large sal
mon fishing business in tidewater ON
the lower river? What interest had
the railroad in this act of business
assassination that their employees
should circulate the petitions. How
many men were truthfully informed
ON this question when they voted on
II? Who Is benefited by this, the
worst piece of legislation ever adopt
ed by people who boast of their in
telligence and honesty and who would
like 10 have It said of Oregon that Il
has the best system of government In
the world2
Only by persistent inquiry can one
secure the facts The railroad COM
pany is the only beneficiary Of this
act. as Il now gots the long haul OF
all fish for Southern Oregon from
Portland instead Of distributing them
from Grants Pass as heretofore
There was about $4,000 worth Of
salmon caught each year at Grants
Pass by residents of that city and
Nvirinity, but they did not have the
large amount OF capital In the busi-
ness that the lower river fishermen
had. Can II be possible the big vote
In Multnomah county for this law was
due alone to fishermen voting to help
their business at the expense Of the
hshlug business on Rogue River?
Oont YOU think some Portland busi-
ness men could see that this act
would bring southern Oregon money
to Portland for fish? The only other
fellow who thinks he rs benefited by
this freak law Is tho so-called rod and
line sport, who takes a bottle and
bite and wades tho rifles once or
twice a year for salmon trout
Tht decrease Of trout in Rogue Riy-
er Is not due to the salmon-dshing
business as much as it IS due to the
class ot dams obstrucung this stream
and the constant shifting Of the
gravel bars which destroy the salmon
spawn This shifting Of gravel In the
rifles whore the sanoou eggs are do
posted, Is due TO the placer mining
ON this stream and its tributaries,
Had the promoters OF this angling
act OF injustice been consistent they
would have stopped tho washing OF
gravel into this sacred stream by the
placer mines II Is Tor all Oregon 10
be proud OF such legislation what
would be said OF legislature that
would do such injustice on so slight
pretence? But the people can make
no mistake, they are infallible We