Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-18

this report too seriously, in regard to
the opposition to- the acceptance Of
this particular report. Every one of
you had upon your desk, but perhaps
1t has reached the wastebasket some
time ago. the second biennial report
of the commission on sea and shore
fisheries, one OF the greatest depart
ments of the. State. expending a very
connected with one Of the greatest in
dustrios of the State of Maine, and
yet l. defy you in reading that report
to get one word of intimation as to
the expense, or anything pertaining
to the question of sea and shore fish
cries, the only department that runs
wild in the State of Maine, and 1t
seems to me that this department is
wen worthy the attention OF this Leg
islature without passing it over with
as much as a. single consideration
when the matter comes here before
ue. although T think perhaps this bin
may be extreme in its claims. and al
though none of us would perhaps vote
for the bill as it stands, and yet be-
lieve there should be something done
to curb these large expenditures.
something that the people of the
State should have by which they may
know what is being done by that de-
partment. ="
This department has it's Office in
/ Rockland, and it is not connected
with the State House, and yet your
sea and shore fisheries commission
ers are around here all winter, /
don't know what for, it may be that
they are here on their own private
matters, and 1t may be that they are
here on State matters, it may be that
they are here lobbying; it may be that
they are here watching you and me,
for all know, thinking perhaps we
may put something over on them.
and think it might be we'll for us to
watch lest they put something over
on, us. t,,--
| Now, gentlemen. haven't any par
ticular interest in this measure ex-
cepting that I live on the seashore
and I know something of the sea and
shore fisheries commissions work,
/ and know that it is commission
that is busy with a great many dif-
ferent things and that it has a large
! responsibility I presume if had
been a member Of that committee
myself. should have voted Ought
not to pass" on this particular bill,
because it is, too broad; but it does
seem to me that it is unwise to pass
over a department of this kind with
out giving to it any consideration
whatever and simply saying that the
thing is not worth considering. 1t is
the responsibility of the Legislature,
and the gentleman from Portland (Mr
/ Rounds), had something In his sys-
tenn that he wanted to get out, and
he has evidently gotten 1t out, and
simply wanted to give him the OPP
porunity by letting him collect few
more facts and figures and letting
him collect few more yachts in his
other hand, because he only had is
of them in one hand. Now, if this Lee
gislature is satisfied, am perfectly
satisfied with the acceptance of The
report.
: Mr.. BAKER of Steuben Mr.. Speak
er and gentlemen, 1 have those ris-
ures. and I want to call attention to
cries Commission had appropriated
for their use last year the sum of
$4,000 for the purchase of seed lob
sters and other things that they
deemed necessary for the interest If
the large industry which they repre-
sont They overdrew that amount
5000 last year. ! wish that all the
departments in this State had been
as easy about the overdraft as this
commission has been. The Commits
sion has at the present time Is patrol
owned and loaned by the United
! States Government to them for their
use. .'tit
I am willing to admit the business
of the remarks of the gentleman pre-
ceding me. in some measur but IN
justice to the fisheren whom I have
the pleasure to represent here, I
want to say that the commission and
that the directors stand we'll with
| them. There has never been to my
! knowledge in the whole State such
unanimity, such coordination and
such cooperation of interest as has
been shown by the fishermen of this
State with the present director and
all the members of the commission
1t has been limited and said that the
Commission are high salaried men.
and the facts in regard to this could
be determined from the statement of
facts which was presented to us at
that time. On my own behalf, have
looked. up the expenses of one Of the
members of that commission, and he
received $343 last year for his expen-
ses and salary. at the rate of $500
per diem L wish to say that hop !,
that all the commissioners in this
State will render as much service 20
! the people of the State for so small
an amount Of money as has Commits
sioner Wilbur. I believe this, that we
represent about one-eighth Of the
/ people of the State of Maine. and
this department received $4,000 last
year, while the department of Agri-
culture received $4,000. If one
eighth of. the people of this State
received practically one-sixth as
much as we say all the rest received,
it is evident that they have not re-
ceiveG their just amount. L know
that the fishermen along the coast of
Maine are prospecting. and / am glad
that they are. They have received
some benefit from. the increased pro-
duction and increased prices by rea-
son; of the United States pounds and
the p, opogation of Holsters. l. be-