The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-02-07


spires high pressure resentment
against industrially minded citi
zens who, aided and abetted by III,
government, built great dams ovel
which the poor fish have to clint
to reach their accustomed nesting
places. These good friends OF the
fish, IL turns out, are like the mar
who worried about what was going
TO happen tomorrow and IL didn',
happen.
First it was climbing the Bonnie
vile dam to reach the accustomed
haunts up to Columbia-the poor
fish certainly never could do it.
But the United States fisheries de-
partment came along and said the
fish were having fine sport climb
ing the Bonneville ladder. Some
of them even Topped back over
the dam so they could do 1t again.
Still to others the word fish"
has another meaning, and 1t still
smells. There are those who still
think of the real or fancied influ-
ence which that word once had in
the state legislature. Back 25 or
80 years. great part of the time
of the insurgents and progress
sives" 1--WE call them left wing
ers" now in the legislature was
devoted TO circumventing the
Machiavellian Vaccinations of the
fish ring"
That was no small job, for
the fish ring" meaning repre-
sentatiyes of those interests
which were literally making
millions out of salmon from
the Columbia river TO Alaska,
were powerful and well III
nanced. They offered combat
worthy Of any opponents steel,
and found plenty of worthy
opponents.
In that connection there is a
tradition that an emissary of the
fish ring threatened TO throw
the late c. B. kegley, crusading
master of the Washington State
Grange. out Of the state capitol
building If he did not quit his at
tack on certain measures bearing
the fish. o. X. Kegley. who was a
diplomat as we'll as a fighter. told
the fish man he thought they
ought to talk things over and in
vited him to come up to his room.
The representative of the fish in
terests agreed. thinking that he
had kegley on the run and he
could be easily bought off.
When they arrived at the hotel
room kegley is said to have opened
his grip and asked the fish man
TO take a look. What he saw was
a pair of six guns"
II just wanted 10 let you
know" said keglcy. "that I
know how to use these guns
and arm going to put them
where I can reach them handy.
II you still think you want
to throw me out, go ahead"
The rest of the story is that
Kegley was not thrown out. And
powerful as IL was those many
years ago, the fish ring" like
other rings" which left fostering
spots on certain sessions of the
legislature. died. but the bad odor
remained for quite some time.
In spite Of the smell. fish con-
tinues to be. and has been from
the beginning of time. a source
Of mans wealth. Among the first.
II not the first. TO recognize the
value of the fishing industry in this
country was that advcnturer.
soldier of fortune and writer. Capt.
John Smith.
After having survived various
nesr-fatal experiences. including
the time Chief Powhattsn's dsugh-
ter. Pocahontes. saved him from
the Ratchet. he established a
colony in New England and at
tempted TO start fishing in
dustry. When some OF his follow
ers objected on account Of the
smell. Capt. Smith replied:
Let not the meanness of
the word fish distaste you.
for IL viii afford as good gold
rs the mines of Guiana and
with less hazard and charge
and more certainty and facil-
lily. Forsooth. fishing always
was an honest trade. for twas
the Apostles own calling"
The colonists still didn't like the
smell until Capt. Smith in one
month caught SO. 600 Goldfish and