Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-29


then when we grant the York county
fishermen their prayer.
NOW the York county fishermen
are not asking for anything that
VIII be any exper Sc to the State of
Maine. Rather they are going to
make 1t less, expense. Each and
every member of this York County
county Fishermens' Association of
l4o members pledged themselves to
become wardens. sworn in as war;
dens. without any expense to the
state whatever for the enforcement
OF this law. They also pledged
themselves that after the establish
ment of this line between York and
Cumberland counties. they will not
cncioach upon the waters of Cum
berland ccurty and do any fishing.
rms does not prevent any other
fishermen from any other part of the
state of Maine from coming into
York county and catching all the
Holsters he wants. or that lie can
catch. rather under the law of York
County and selling them in York
county
Now ! am ret going to bother you
much further. but l simply want TO
make this statement in closing.
There has been circulated within q
few days. and sent to the members
u thu Legislature. letters from one
or the lt aiding wholesale dealers of
cumberland County in opposition to
TINS lii. and those letters l think
are very misleading. Their repre-
sentative who signed these letters
at two separate hearings before the
Sea and Shnro ficb
stated to me that he was not opposed
TO the nine inch law. so to speak; he
wanted to see it universal all over
the State of Maine. But now he
comes out opposed to it. Why? For
the simple reason that they are
afraid that the fishermen from Cum
bertrand county, near the line ,of
York county. if it is established.
will go over into York County and
sell their Holsters and get more
money for them. Now l will ask you
members of the Legislature, do we
want to go on record as legislating
against any producer in the tSate of
Maine from going and selling his
products wherever he may at the
best price obtainable? / thank you.
Mr.. BAKER Of Steuben: Mr.
Speaker
Mr.. GOLDTHWAITE: Mr.. Speaker.
excuse me. move the acceptance of
the minority report.
Mr.. BAKER: Mr.. Speaker. 1 think
my good friend from York county
should have made his motion first and
then talked to it afterward 1 wish
to move. Mr. Speaker. that the ma
1"rity report OF the Sea and Shore
Fisheries be accepted. and confine
my self to that motion.
The SPEAKER: The motion before
the House Is the acceptance of the
minority report.
Mr.. BAKER: For many years the
matter of the nine inch lobster has
been before this Legislature. Not
wlthStanding the remarks of my good
friend from York county (Mr. Goldth-
Waite), they have tried for a number
OF years and in various Legislatures
TO pass nine inch law. and until this
Legislature it is the first time that
they have not made it Statewide.
Two years ago bill was introduced
to make it, Statewide. and in the
committee a new draft was made
making it applicable only to York
county. | wish to make a little re-
sumo of the situation. AS you know,
there are about 1000 lobster fisher
men licensed in the State of Maine.
One hundred and forty-eight of these
come from York county. York county
had on our committee three members.
and naturally we would expect that
they would be in favor Of York
county measures. OF the other seven
one man from my county supported
them in their desire to have a nine
inch law for York county One hun
dred and forty-eight fishermen had
representation on Sur committee Of
three members. and the other $500.
we VIII Say. had a representa- ton of
seven. | do not question this / think
1t is perfectly all right; only it seems
to mo that the number on that COM
mlttee who vote ought to be con-
sldercd by YOU when you register
your vote in this matter.
Lobstels are becoming scare along
the coast of Maine. Fishermen are
doing better in some localities Why
because the price has gone up alb
normally. because of the scarcity.
Last week Holsters were selling at
Sl.1O pound f. 0. b., Wholesale,
Portland. You can well understand.
temporarily, that fishermen will
benefit by this: but 1 assure you gem
tlemen and this comes from the re-
suit of my years of experience in
this business, that it is not good
business to lower the measure for
any part of the State.
Were it not for the fact that it
would affect the} industry in other
parts of the State I would not say a
word against York county making
this dangerous experiment. but it
does effect us. The Attorney General
has ruled recently that scallops can
be sold in hotels in this State even
though we have a close time here
and while he has not ruled yet that
Holsters caught legally in York
county cannot be sold in the State,
he has said to me that it will be a
matter for the law court to determine
whether they can be sold in other
parts of the State having been leg
ally caught in York county, if this
measure goes through.
This is country of ma jority rule
II a majority of the members of this
House pass measure. it goes unless
the Governor vetoes it and the Senate
rejects it. Now why not apply the
majority rule to this matter? If, for
instance, $500 lobster fishermen in
this State do not want this law-and
the total number is less than four
thousand or about four thousand
why should not their voice in the
matter be heard? If nine-tenths of
the potato growers in this State want
certain law. why would you not say
that it would be a good thing for
them to have the right to decide that,
and their almost unanimous decision
one certain way ought to and would
establish in your minds the right and
justice of that law. The same thing
would apply to the BURBERRY industry
in my good old county of Washington.
the numbering industry the textile
industry, or any other Now if $500,