The Alaska daily empire., 1923-04-26
TWO FISH BILLS DISCUSSED IN
 JOINT SESSION; LIVELY T|LTS
 FEATURE NIGHT FISH HEARING

Four speakers. other than members of the Legislature, spoke on Alaskan | fisheries problems last night at the joint session of The Legislature, three of them urging action by the Legis- lature. the fourth merely describing the means used by the state of Wash lngton handle it's fisheries. Dele gate Sutherland spoke for the pass age of the Grant resolution and &C., companying bill; J. A. .Hellenthal for the passage of House Bill No. 49, and J. R. Heckman for scne law which would restrict canning opera tions equitably and at the same time permit more fish to get to the spawn irg grounds. A. F. ZiiF, at the re- quest of MT. Heckman. described the operations of the Washington Fish Commission
 Proceedings Enlivened
 The proceedings were enlivened by two or three incidents. The first came when Delegate Suth erland, quot ing from The Empire of April last, and reading an editorial utterance therein under the caption Condition and Not Theory declared this is bid to you to sell out and was put up to you for that purpose by the Organ that always stands for the h. terests" second was in good natured but slightly heated sally be- tween Mr. Heckman and MT. Helen thal when the latter described sug- gestion of AIr Heckman's as being probably acceptable to Canada or suitable to a monarchy but would not be tolerated by Americans. That is all bunk" shouted MT. Hickman, in response. The third was similar exchange between MT. Hellenthal and MT Zipf after the latter had de- scribed the work of the Washington State Fish Commission. You live too close to Canada" said Hr. Hell lenthal. q have been in this country as long as yoa have" retorted MT. zipf
 HeIIenthaI First Speaker
 MT. Hellenthll was first speaker of the evening. He devoted his attention almost entirely to House Bill No 49, which has for it's aim the division of the Territory into three fishing districts and limiting the op- erations of canneries in each to de- finite periods of 20, 30 and 40 days respectively for Bristol Bay, Central Alaska, and Southeastern Alaska This bill, or any other that does not amend, alter or modify the Acts or Congress on Alaskan fisheries, he argued, is within the power CT the Legislature to pass. It IS well enough to memorialize Congress to pass laws, he said. but it is the duty of the Legislature to do itself what it has the power to do.
 He disclaimed any expert know ledge of catching and canning fish and said he was speaking only rom the governmental angle. The fishing problem is on,y one part Of the Al askan problem. The Territory was the most prosperous section Of the entire country, he said. when he came to it and for several years thereafter and that prosperity was destroyed overnight when the government put on the wet blanket of reservations which denied the residents and citi- zens of the country the right to own private property. The only thing that made it possible for Alaska to sur vive at all wassthe fact that the fish cries were not included in the sys- tenn then established. Now, he as serted, it is being extended to the fisheries. This condition is intoler- able, he continued. The government has no right to make fisheries reser- ,vations. no legal right CT otherwise to set aside the common right of fisher ies possessed by the people or the Territory.
 Against Bureau Government
 He assailed bureaucratic govern ment which he declared put arbitrary power in the hands of individuals re- e.ardless of law It makes not so much difference as what has hap nened under this, whether there have Theen abuses of this power. but it is what can and may happen under the system. He said he did not know much about the Grant resolution and accompanying measure for the regu- Iation of fisheries. but urged the members in whipping it into shape not to ask for arbitrary power to be bestowed on commission, but to keen all power of that nature in the hands of the Legislature. He divert
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