Douglas Island news., 1920-09-03
mo Fsheues Biu

HNNH n H"|NHHHH"
 Now. introduced a bll down there chat is very interesting Co you peonle-tbc bl turning over Co Che Territory Che control of Che fisheries. As you an know Che fisheries .af Che present time. just at th.s stage of Che Tcrrliory's development cone aiu.e our principal source Of rev- orue The Territory pays about fhr.e-ouartcrs oi Che expenses of conducting your city schools. and rba1t two-th.rls or thrco-Quar,or
 of our total revenue Is derived from Che fisheries and everyone concedo
 eyeryoue Interested in Che busi- ness. both independent fishermen and elnnorymer. capitalist and Io- borc- and thr Bureau of Fisheries and everyone ciae conCcdc chat Che fisheries Of Aaska are threatened with exhaustion and depletion. and that if something ia not done in a worry few years we won't have any fisheries and it Is a vital issue lus, rt th. umc. hayc been asked since , have come Co town. by gene ncmm who is on Che Territorial Fishing Commission. to clearly state my position iu regard Co tho fisher Ics of Alaska. and am going to siatc it just as clearly as ] c1u and when my opponent comes Co town J want him Co state his position publicly.
 N0w. one of Che drst questions that has boon asked me was asked me at Kc,chIkan. and has been asked me an Che way mp. am ! m
 favor Of Che abolition of 1sh trap.
 Now. answered tbat "N0. ] am nat am not In favor of Che aboI- ton ot any particular kind of dsh- ing gear chat ! know of ot the pres .rt umo There may come % t.me when au fishing win have Go be prohibited. and if Che present cone .ro. ol Che fisheries remains where It Is. think chat time is near nc nuI Now. my position on Che lsh- cries s fut turn Che whole bus.- mes. over to Che Territorial iogIsIu- urc. and h1yc several reasons for thnt aud Che first one is chat there has bcon no fisheries Legislation in Congress since l9n6. and Che Bureau of Fsbo.Ies reports chat tbey have not been abe Co rot any. Che various Interests in Ilc business won't let thcm agree ou any thcy cannot ce. anything through. and they re- port that Che fisheries win bc de- u.oted .f there int any legislation
 -that they harc tried Go get some -or eight years and cannot get it and .harctore ] soy Chat their ad- muisauon being a seif-couicssed failure they cannot do any worse chan Co turn it over to us or any- body else. because they admit thot Che Industry is dyug Now. of course if it is Co bc taken away from Che Bureau of Fisheries it should be placed I'm che hands of Che leg.sla- urc bc.1usc there is mo one else to control It Now. why should Che legislature control lt2 In Che first place. because Che Territory of Alas Ea is more Interested iu it than any- one clsc we depend upon it for our revenue We have to have money Co run our schools and for other pur- noscsaud It Is to Che interest of eye cry laborcr every family to preserve thcec fisheries from depletion. and whenever it Us to Che interest of a community uch as we have In Alas ka to preserve an industry Of thIs kInd l, should be under Che con- trol Of Che people Of that community. We have @ ero3tor interest in it than anybody else. and Che history of other communities and Of other states and territories shows that we can safely bo entrusted with it The only people who claim that we cane not bc entrusted witch it are lot Of old relies down there in thc Bureau Of Fisheries who do not want Co lose their jobs and a few of Che can- ncrymcn who think we win elect a BoHbevid legislature and put thom out of business Now there is not Hnn eIfrhfnaf Hrnrnr Or anything or