Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-12
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MORE LIGHT ON THIS BILL.

bill No. 20, introduced by Mr.. latter
sail entitled IAN act to regulate the
taking, sale and possession of Holsters,
to require a license for such taking,
and providing penalties for violations
of it's provisions"
In the statement accompanying the
provides for a license for the taking
of Holsters, and those engaged in the
bill 1t is set forth that this bill
business in this state are in favor OF
such q measure to limit the taking OF
Holsters to residents Of the state. The
measure was prepared at the request
of the lobster fishermen"
Who are the lobster fishermen who
favor such q bill as Mr.. Tattersall has
introduced. Judging from O COM
m%unication which the EVENING
NEWS publishers today there is at
least one lobster fisherman who is not
in favor of such a bill, and it is appar-
emit that he speaks for many others.
Is this another attempt on the part
Of some fish trust to crowd the in
dividual fisherman out of business,
Just as the oyster trust did in regard
to the natural oyster beds? The great
wrong lone the oystermen by the
passage of such legislation as per-
mitted the leasing of the lands under
- - ~xsyn+o n1rDopo4fo1c n nd for
bidding anyone else longing oysters In
such beds as are so leased is In process
Of undoing through a bill fathered
by Senator Brown repeating the OBJ
noxious and unfair law. Now it Is the
lobster fishermen who are compelled
to fight for the right to carry on their
business.
The bill that Mr.. Tattersall has In
troduced is most severe and, as our
correspondent points out, makes the
ordinary fisherman liable to lose his
entire equipment including the for
fixture of all boats, lobster pots and
other appliances used. In addition,
he is liable to a fine of $50 and his
license is to be revoked.
The matter Of licenses. too, is out
rageous. In the first place, 1t costs
$40 and every man engaged in taking
Holsters would have to have such
license on his person. This
that a fisherman who employs a help
err would have to have a license for
himself and helper, too, meaning an
expense of $40 II as the license Is
not transferable, every time tho EN-
ploye quits or goes into the employ of
another, O. new license for the new
at the outlay of another $40. One
can readily sec that only the large
concerns can stand such an expense.
Having to carry the license with him
all the time and being compelled to
have the license number flying from
the lobster pot is utterly impractic-
able, as our correspondent shows
1t seems very strange that the
honest fisherman who is trying to eke
out an Independent e~xistance for him-
self and family must continually fight
for his rights on the waters that
nature has provided and stocked with
all kinds of living creatures. 1t used
to be argued that by permitting the
large concerns to sweep the waters in
q wholesale manner, gathering in
large quantities at one time, it would
be more economical and would make
possible the selling of sea food more
cheaply. Experience has shown that
the very opposite is the result. AS
soon as the trusts can drive the in
dividual fisherman out of business
they have control of the market and
they proceed to manipulate it to keep
UP prices. The individual fisherman
sells so low that he can barely exist
and the people get the benefit. 1t
is decidedly unfair to make him fight
through every session of the legisla-
ture, at more or less expense. to up
hold his rights.
This assembly bill No. % needs Il
whole lot more light thrown upon it
before 1t reaches final vote. if it yer
does. 1t looks extremely vicious and,
on the face of it, ought to be killed.