The Wrangell sentinel., 1923-04-05
Sutherland
 Speaks on Fish Reserves

DeleSaIe Dan Sutherland arrived arrived in Wrangell yesterday after noon on the Queen and addressed large and representative gathering last night at Redmen hall on the much discussed fish reservation pol icy of the Federal Government in Alaska.
 The Delegate was introduced by Mayor Grant who explained briefly that Mir. Sutherland was in Wran- gell in response to an invitation from the Wrangell Commercial Club. extended a short time ago in order that the local people might hear at first hand the Delegates side of the important question.
 In opening his address, Delegate Sutherland stated that he realized that many of the people of the towns of Southeastern Alaska are better acquainted with fishing problems than he and that if he errs 'r his statements, they know. He invited anyone who wished to interrogate him on any point to do so without fear of disturbing the thread of his discourse.
 The Delegate reiterated hls de- nunciation of the Fisheries Rcserva- tion system which he said had been foisted upon the Alaskan people. He said it had been created at the in- stigation of the fish trust and term ed it an abrogation of public and constitutional rights. He discussed at some length the inherent rights of individuals to fish when and where they liked and the laws gov erning fishing in Alaska during the past 40 years and cited European laws and fisheries regulations. He also read extracts from Virginia fishing laws. He held that a fish trust exists which is affiliated with the meat trust; that it controls the Bureau of Fisheries; that it dictated the terms of the present reserve pol icy, and abrogated rights of Ameri can citizens which are as sacred as the rights of habeas corpus and oth- CT constitutional rights.
 Delegate Sutherland described the present situation at Bristol Bay. Chignik and at Karluk River and zoning which he designated as a scheme of the big companies. He cited specific cases where individ- uals were denied their just rights in the Karluk district and charged the Bureau of Fisheries with knowingly permitting the big packers to per form acts that would be termed sa- botage if done by individuals, pro- ducing photographs to prove his charge. He stated that the recent modification of the reserve policy meant nothing to him.
 The Delegate absolved Congress from blame and asserted that the White bill which is merely re- enactment of section 33 of Magma Charta would have been acted upon if legislation had not been blocked. The permits issued the big compa- nies limiting the pack to 10000 is not conservation, eh said, inasmuch as this pack is in most cases much larger than the average pack of the canneries during the past five years and he quoted figures to show this
 Throughout the evening, the Dele gate referred to letters and records for information to substantiate his arguments. He spoke of the notice which the press of the country is giving the Reserve policy and his opposition to 1t. The matter has be- come a national issue, he said, and will result in legal action for the AL aska fisheries. He has received many letters from people with whom he is little or not at all acquainted, endorsing his stand, and he read some of these.
 In closing, Delegate Sutherland read the Grant Memorial and declar- ed it was not unreasonable.
 "Wrangell may we'll be proud of her representative in the legisla- ture," he said in conclusion. "He never side-steps, never equivocates. "a strong man who goes right through. Nothing can change him." The Delegate received the closest attention while speaking and was the recipient of hearty applause at tho c1oao Ha will romaip ir yVrap-