Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-01-25
Mass Meeting Of
Local SpOrtSmen

A mass meeting of the sportsmen
of Ashland and vicinity, together
with the local Rod and Gun Club,
was held in the Commercial Club
rooms on last Thursday evening.
Louis Dodge acted as temporary
chairman. The purpose of the meet
ing was to protest against the pro-
posed changes in the state game and
fish laws which the commercial fish
ermen and others are trying to get
through the legislature now in ses-
sion at Salem. The following reso-
lutions were passed:
Whereas, legislative effort is un-
der way to abolish the non-partisan
fish and game commission and divert
license money into general and coun-
ty funds, thereby jisorganizing and
crippling game and fish protection
and propagation work, and
Whereas, the fish and game licenses
are paid by the anglers and hunters
of Oregon for the specific purpose of
fish and game protection and propa-
cation, a tax for specific and not
a general purpose, and
Whereas, game and fish constitute
a commercial asset to the state as a
tourist attraction, proper develop
ment OF which can be made as much
a resource to Oregon as it is today
to Maine;
Therefore be it resolved, that we,
the hunters and anglers of southern
Oregon, representing the 6,12S
license owners and the general pub
lie, hereby request the members of
the Jackson county delegation to op-
pose such inimical legislation and
work for the continued expenditure
of the game and anglers license
money by the Fish and Game Com
mission, and against diversion of any
portion of it to general or county
funds, and for the program adopted
by the State League of Sportsmen's
Clubs.
Whereas, the anglers of the upper
Willamette Valley face a similar sit
uation to thosse of the Rogue River
Valley in that commercial fishing
threatens the obstruction OF angling
at the Oregon City Falls,
Therefore be it resolved, that the
hunters and anglers of the Rogue
River Valley hereby request the
members of the Jackson county dele
cation in the state legislature to
work and vote for house bill Is re-
stricting net fishing in the William
cite river. .
Whereas, a bill has been intro
duced to open the upper Rogue river
to commercial fishing, thereby bene-
fitting only few fishermen with no
investment at stake, and i@
Whereas, the upper Rogue river is
a swift, shallow, narrow stream, un-
suitable for commercial fishing, and
such law means within a few years
the practical determination of the
fish and the complete destruction of
angling, and ...., ,.....
Whereas, the upper Rogue river is
one of the finest angling streams in
the world and thereby a COMMERCIAL
asset as a tourist attraction as we'll
as source Of pleasure and profit to
the people of Jackson county, and
Whereas, the entire Rogue river
was closed to commercial fishing by
an overwhelming vote of the people
by an initiative measure in 1910 and
only open for commercial fishing in
the upper waters for a ten-mile strip
for two months in the year through
legislative jobbery over the govern
or's veto; .''.
Therefore be it resolved, that the
anglers of Jackson county, represent
ing SIPS license holders, and the
general public OF southern Oregon,
request the members of the legisla-
ture to work against the re-opening
of the upper river and for its closing
above the mouth of the Illinois,
which will leave the lower river, the
only portion suitable for commercial
fishing, open.
LOUIS DODGE, Chairman.