Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-31
(Boothbav Register)

l reaQ In the Marcn 11tn ISSUE OF the
Boothbay Register the praise given to
Monhegan fishermen, how they go
about the lobster business and their
following the Maine laws and swear
ing in fishermen as wardens and the
like. In my idea that is right.
think the fishermen are the proper
persons for that position, if there are
to be wardens. AS for outsiders under
State laws, it is useless. It's money
thrown away by the State as far as
being a benefit to the fishermen. Dur
ing my time in the lobster business.
can't say have seen a benefit derived
benefit. By the outlook this season it
seems to be proving no benefit.
N. ]. Hanna states If other bodies of
fishermen along the coast would work
together like those at Monhegan and
stand by the laws, etc., it would be
benefit to the lobster fishing. And 1t
would. But a body Of fishermen in
those communities are as near alike
in those matters, compared with Mon
hogan, as black is like white.
1t would be about as easy to get the
people in these communities to stand
by the last paragraph of Mr.. Hannas
talk as it would be for a song sparrow
to find Venus in the blizzard of '9S.
They won't hold together. The throw
ing over of those few shorts saved by
each would be impossible in these
waters. For some are going to use
them under any conditions. In this
place a number were kept as the
finances of some were very low. Some
really needed them while there were
others who did not, and had them all
the same.
In talking about bodies Of fishermen
holding together. Here is an instance:
During a part of the union years
about Boothbay Harbor and South
port, the union catchers would be
fishing on those outside shoals, throw
ing their shorts over. while parties
from the opposite side Of the Sheep
scot would be fishing on the same
shoals and saving them. as near as
could be found out. They could not
hold together over there. What did e.
union do for these people? They
didn't have it long enough to find out.
Too many kept saving them and it
wasn't stopped so all began to save.
How would the Monhegan idea hold
here? 1t wouldn't hold. Instead OF
dealing with one crowd. like Monhe-
gan has to deal with, there are several
crowds. And in several crowds there
is always someone on the opposite
side. Practically the same thing hap
pened up river near Barriers Island.
Isle of Springs, where non-union men
were fishing with union men. we
don't have to say what a mans idea
is in those cases. One can tell pretty
near by keeping an eye open from day
to day.
The license in my idea is more hurt
than good to the people for which 1t Is
to be benefit. Some need that dollar
more than the State does. Most fish
ermen are the class of people. who,
thinking they have got to pay a dollar
for the sake of going clustering are
going to get that dollar back in some
other way than selling counts. 1t
brings a different feeling to them than
it does to those who thought out the
idea. 1t hairs them all up" as the
SAYING is. And as for having names
and license number on each trap, that
| is a nuisance. And l don't see why a
warden should have the privilege OF
hauling a trap to see if the name or
the license number is on it, any more
than some other persons. LOBSTER
would leave the trap as quick When
hauled by them as by some one else
In nv idea a warden should pay the
penalty for so doing. as any other
person caught doing so would, unless
they got permit from the fisherman
himself 1t looks like robbery. II
takes a dollar from a man and ne
can't see any benefit from 1t. When III
the union we did get the benent OF
what we paid in. I wonder II the
wardens remember about the lopstei
unions which were organized at Spruce
Point and Southport a few years ago
What did it amount to? 1t amounted
to considerable to the fishermen ana &c
the communities as well "hlle the'
were going. Because there were less
shorts saved, that made more counts
in the shedding season. More looster'
r,oar more money in circulation. Bu'
NV, these unions are down and OUT
what is the cause Of it? why, II 1t
iust like this: While we had the unlof
tho fishermen, with very few excep'
lions. would work for their own inter
oct hut the wardens would not WORE
With them. During the summer sea.
con when the wardens were neeoe.
Most there wasn't one to be seen AM
Won couldn't get one if you though1
case Of short Holsters was going On
since the union broke up, after tht
summer season is over and there a''
on,y the fishermen to deal with, all you
oon SEQ is launches coming IN all III
rections. with umbrellas USED as sun.
shades and these are wardens laAAAe
@mn haths. The summer is the seaso,
~ ,ook after the shorts as well as 1a,l
More so if anything. There are uouo,,
~ nnmber Of shorts sold In sufn1ne'
than at any other time OF year. ?.
,,hw do wardens neglect their ou'ie.
:. those months? Last year there wa
- sion of wardens in search UNI
yearly the first of October to tne pso o,
n,e.s knowledge. After the sumll ,
1 pie had gone. with their tank'
rrnninp over with those gooo' s"e =,
shorts then the wardens began :,
show appearance to see "na' n po,
sau~ could be put under arres
for saving short iops.e ,.r.d