Middletown transcript., 1916-12-16
MILLER WINS FIGHT
DeIaware's Congressman Secures
Fish Cultural Station For State
S5O,OOO WILL BE APPROPRIATED

In the House of Representatives yes
terday the amendment of Representa-
tive Thomas w. Miller, of Delaware, to
the bill providing fish cultural stations
in certain States was adopted after
spirited debate and after the House was
called upon to divide by teller's vote.
Representative ]. Hampton Moore, Of
Philadelphia, opposed the Miller amend
ment and spoke against it.
On a viva voce vote the chairman de-
clared Mr.. Miller's amendment carried,
whereupon Mr. Moore demanded a
standing division, and Mr.. Miller won
by vote of Sc to so. Mr.. Moore again
appealed to the House and upon a
teller's vote Mr. Miller's amendment
was written into the bill by to l
vote of the House, where it remained,
as there were no further parliamentary
moves that Mr. Moore could make.
The bill in question appropriates
money for eighteen fish hatchery or cul-
tural stations in as many States and
embodies in part Mr.. Niller's bill intro
duced in the last session of Congress for
a fish-hatchery at the headwaters OF
the Delaware bay. There was consider
able agitation last year by the fishing
interests along the Delaware river and
bay in Delaware, and the Board Of
Trade of Delaware City adopted resolu-
tiOns urging Delaware's Senators a d
Representative to push this matter. The
bill as reported from the committee On
merchant marine and fisheries, however,
provided that the fsh-hatchery should
BE- in either Pennsylvania, Delaware or
New jersey, but limited its location to
the Delaware river only, which would
prevent it being located in the vicinity
of Delaware City or along the shores Of
Delaw are bay and discI minated in favor
of Pennsylvania. The bill was reported
in this form because Pennsylvania had
some members on the committee and
they, being interested in having the sta
ton located in Pennsylvania, had Mr..
Miller's original bill changed in this
manner.
Mr.. Moore appealed to the House to
vote down the Miller amendment, claim
ing that Pennsylvania and New jersey
with its large membership, should be
given cOnsiderat ton ahea of Delaware,
which only had one member on the floor
He clrimed that it would be practic lily
mandatory upon the Commission Of
Fisheries to place this fish hatchery
within the confines Of the State Of Del
aware and accused Representative Miller
of endeavoring to deprive both New
Jersey and Pennsylvania, and particu-
larly the latter, of their rights.
Minority Leader Mann took the floor
and supported the Miller amendment in
a strong speech and substantiated Mir.
Miller's original argument which showed
that if the amendment was not adopted
the Commissioner of Fisheries would
practically be required to locate this
hatchery in New jersey or Pennsyl-
vania, because the wording of the bill
as originally presented did not give him
the wide discretion il selecting a site as
provided in the Miller amendment.
The debate was the liveliest of the
afternoon and Mr.. Moore being force
ful speaker and a resourceful parlia-
rnentarian, used all his powers against
the Delaware member and his amend
ment, but upon each vote the House
members sustained (Ir. Miller and the
bill as it goes to the Senate will contain
the amendment. AS the bill now reads
Delaware has an excellent chance Of OBJ.
t lining this fish hatchery station. There
i; every argument for its location along
the shores of Delaware bay where there
is an ample supply of salt water as vel
as fresh water and the stream is no
polluted by factory refuse and chemica
as it is further up the river.
The Miller amendment in full as fol
lows:
Page 2, line %, Estate of Pennsyl
vania, Delaware or New Jersey, on tht
lower Delaware river, or at the head
waters of the Delaware bay, $50, 900.
Mr. Miller advocates It.
Congressman Miller, in advocating hi
amendment, said:
''Mr Chairman, this amendment i!
unique as compared with every othel
amendment offered here today, because
it does not increase the appropriation il
this bill. The language in the bill con
corning this particular item reads a:
follows. Estate of Pennsylvania, Della
ware or New Jersey, on the lower Della
ware river, $50, The amendment
l have proposed, if adopted, will cause
the language to read as follows: state
of Pennsylvania, Delaware or New Jer.
sey, on the lower Delaware river or al
the headwaters of the Delaware Bay
$4,000 l propose this amendment be-
cause | think that if this bill should be
come law the Secretary of Commerce
should be given more jurisdiction anC
wide power in deciding upon a site t
establish this station.
''At the headwaters of the Delaware
Bay. which is a salt water body, ther,
is an ample supply of fresh water il
various streams emptying into the bay
and the Delaware river, which, as every
one knows, empties into the bay at it
headwaters and is a fresh water stream
1t is a well known fact that in spawn
ing, the shad which come up the Della