[161] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 251 



such packages as he chooses, with the quality and quantity branded on 

 each package. Won't this come nearer what we want than ' no law' or 

 too much law?" 



A seizure of Gloucester pickled mackerel occurred in Boston in the 

 fall of 1875. The Advertiser of September 17, 1875, in discussing this 

 seizure, says : 



" Washing off the salt which may adhere to recent packed small mack- 

 erel, and the draining of the pickle therefrom, would, as we are informed 

 by practical inspectors, cause the confiscation of nearly if not every 

 barrel examined, that is, if the very letter of the law requiring 200 

 pounds of fish was executed. Some might not fall short but a few 

 ounces, others as many pounds ; still, whatever the shrinkage, however 

 small, the mackerel, under the present law, could be confiscated, and 

 thereby come into the hands of the official. * * * 



"It is full time that this law was removed from the statute books. 

 So long as it is there and administered, it will prove, in the hands of un- 

 principled men, a drawback upon any place engaged in the fisheries. 

 It affords a weapon which can be used against fish packers at any time 

 by parties who may wish to do them an injury. Not only does the in- 

 spector-general and his allies have a chance to seize mackerel, but pur- 

 chasers anywhere and everywhere, in case of a sudden decline in prices, 

 have only to write to those of whom they purchased : 



" 'Your mackerel are short weight; make me so much allowance on a 

 barrel, or back they will come to you.' What protection has the fish 

 dealer at headquarters, under such a law ? None at all. Fish with his 

 brand upon the barrels may come back at any time unless he will con- 

 sent to settle any trumped-up claims. There would not be the least 

 objection, if mackerel were examined on the wharves at the time of pack- 

 ing or shipping. That is the time to make such examination, if any. 

 But this getting them away first is perfectly ridiculous, and altogether 

 too one-sided to be long borne. 



" Let each packer have his own brand or trade-mark. Allow them 

 to put up such sized packages as their customers require, branding the 

 weight in a conspicuous place, so that it cannot easily be erased. Then 

 each man would stand or fall on his o^vn merits. If there are any wash- 

 ing off the salt and draining the pickle — not because the purchaser had 

 made complaint or had any suspicion that he was to be defrauded; but 

 the law gives the officials liberty to seize, open, confiscate! And the 

 latter put money in their pockets. We are not sorry that this case has 

 occurred, for it needed something of the kind to wake up our people. 

 They begin to see this blue law now in a light which never before 

 dawned upon them. They begin to realize that at the instance of any 

 jealous fish dealers out of the city — and there are such — their frauds in 

 the business, they would soon be discovered and honest dealers bene- 

 fitted, as the trade would soon learn of them and give their brands the 

 preference. Then again, let all sales be made from the wharf or store- 



