Evening journal., 1913-04-18
ASKS
FISHERMEN TO
OBSERVE LAW
Cannot Aid Them Again Un-
til Jersey and Delaware
Agree on Questions
ATTORNEY GENERAL
ISSUES STATEMENT

Following the conference late this
afternoon. between Governor Charles
r. Miller and Attorney General Josiah
o. Wolcott. relative to the turn the
New Jersey Delaware fisheries dispute
has taken. as announced elsewhere IN
THE EVENING JOURNAL today. Mr..
Wolcott issued the following state
menL which is a general warning to
Delaware fishermen TO observe the
Delaware law:
In compliance with the Joint rcsolu-
tion Of the General Assembly of this
State the Governor and the Attorney
General have duly taken up the mat
ter of James j. keenan, and Samuel
Cole, Delaware fishermen, who were
arrested Saturday, March 29th, in
Salem Cove for violation of the New
Jersey statute regulating shad hshing
and who were fined, and whose nets
and boat were conhscated. After COR
respondence with the Governor and
Attorney General of the State of New
Jersey the nets and boat of the fsher-
men In question have been ordered re-
| leased by the New Jersey authorities.
The particular matter that called
forth the joint resolution of the State
of Delaware has therefore been satis-
factorily disposed of by the action of
the New Jersey authorities
For the information of citizens of
Delaware interested, the Governor
and Attorney-General announce that
they cannot expect in the future the
same courteous consideration from
the New Jersey authorities that was
granted in the present instance. On
/ the contrary. the Governor of New
Jersey, as well as the Attorney-Gen-
eral of that State, have assumed the
/ iposition that they would in the future
enforce the New Jersey statutes re-
lating to fishing in the Delaware Riv-
err The position they take is that
under the formal compact entered in
/ to by the two States. certain con-
current legislation was agreed upon
and the faith of the two States sol
emnly pledged to It's enactment; un-
der the terms of the same compact
it was likewise formally agreed be-
tween the two States that until the
concurrent legislation was enacted by
both States the particular laws of the
two States should remain in force
New Jersey performed her part
lof the compact by enacting the leg.
islation agreed upon by the two
States. Delaware repudiated her obli.
cations under the compact by refus
ing to pass the Legislation which sh,
had agreed TO pass In that she in
sisted on making certain amend
ments thereto which vary the term
of the legislation mutually agree
Iupon.
e This being the state OF the matter
under the agreement made by Della
} ware. the respective laws OF the tw
States are in force.
J This very brief statement OF tn
: history of the present trouble Is mad
! for the purpose of letting citizens o
, Delaware who are interested in tn
matter know that New Jersey, unde
, the agreement entered into will
Delaware. has the right TO enforc,
her local laws until such time as tn
State of Delaware should complete
her agreement under the compact b,
passing the legislation mutuall
agreed upon.
The Governor and Attorney Gen
eral of Delaware desire, therefore. 4
notify citizens of Delaware that unit
the statute agreed upon by the twi
States is passed, it will be impossl
4 bic to come 10 the relief of Della
e ware citizens who violate the stat
S utes of New Jersey enacted I'm regu
lation of rights of fishermen in tn
( Delaware River"