Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-12
URGE FISH TRUST
HEARING HERE

work, but they will loose their grip
on New Jersey fish just as soon as
the commonwealth or government
takes hold of the situation.
Predict Success.
That there is a strong feeling
| throughout the State the The Star
will be successful goes without say
| ing. as thase who get around can tes-
! tity, and that The Star will make
| a decided stand at Washington on
behalf of the people is another as
sured fact.
The representatives of this paper
have been requested to appear before
the congressional committee at the
Capitol and repeat there the charges
made through these columns, and
they will DO so. The New Jersey
members of Congress are taking an
active interest in the matter, and
they have declared their intention OF
being at the hearings to listen to the
arguments advanced by the repre-
sentatives If this paper, who, how
ever, will not be alone in presenting
their views to the representatives, as
delegations from all parts of the coun-
try where the fishing business is car
ried on have signified their intention
to be present.
AS a rule, the net fishermen favor
the action that has been taken BY
this paper, as they can readily see
that they are getting the small end
of the business while doing the greater
part of the work, which at times
carries with It considerable risk, as
far as their lives are concerned, to
say nothing Of the exposure that &C
companies such wet work. They also
bo% ezaffinor liff 10
for their labor, and il it wasn't for
the amount Of the business and the
volume that falls to each net-owner
he would not be able to continue
business, as the best he gets Is about
6 per cent. on his investment.
On the other hand, the fish trust Is
taking down 60 per cent, and they
don't even see the fish they handle,
and run no risk of losing their lives.
AS one man put 1t at Trenton yester-
day. the trust has the milk and
honey, while the people are only stung
by the bee.
He might have added that the net
fishermen, as q rule, are getting
stung by the same bee, unless they
have an interest In the trust, but
very few Of them have that associa-
ton. AS a rule, the net owner is
glad that he Is alive and can enter
the sanctum of the men who have
gained control of them and their
businesses, and when he does he
must remove his hat and then beg
of the car to buy his catch.
That m ght seem funny to some of
our readers who have watched the
net business in this State, but we
have a letter before us from a pound
net owner, III which he states that he
must first call up the combination in
New York when he has a catch of
fish, and ask them IL they will buy,
what they will pay and how much
they want, and If the answer is two
cents a pound, and he will only take
half of the catch, the net man must
be content, for II he telephones to
any other dealer he will get the same
answer, as that price, two cents a
pound, was set by the combination
the day before.
Throw Catch Away.
Finding a big catch on mis- hands.
with the Fulton market open only
to one-half OF the amount he offers,
there is nothing left to do but to
throw the balance of the catch back
in the sea. where they sink out OF
sight and furnish food for sharks,
dogfish and other destructive deep
sea fish.
We do not need the word Of one
pound net man to show us that such
things exist, as we have reports from
the federal government showing the
same thing, and that should be
pretty conclusive proof to offer the
congress onal committee. These are
undisputed facts that should be
taken UP by the New Jersey legisla-
tors, as it is within their province
10 act In the matter. Some years
ago, when there appeared to be need
of q change in the fish commission,
this paper stated some few facts as
to conditions, and for a time they
were tabooed, but later. when they
were invest gated and proved, they
caused some changes that have since
been appreciated by the people. Then
it was a matter of sport. but this
campaign is a matter of food, and 1t
concerns everybody, and before it is
finished there will be change for
the better, just as has been the case
before.