22, BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
government control was strongly advocated. A few years later, when these 
fish lovers had banded themselves together in a society, they continued their 
agitation and exerted a decided influence in inducing Congress to establish 
the national bureau of fisheries. A little later, when it was seen that the law 
incorporating the bureau contained no provision for the artificial propagation 
of food fishes, this same society on whose behalf I have the honor to speak 
persuaded Congress to authorize and make special appropriation for fish culture, 
which has since been conducted on a yearly increasing scale and has become 
the most important branch of the fishery work of the government. 
This society was thus intimately concerned in inaugurating and shaping 
the course of the public fishery service of the United States, and it has continued 
to exert a potent influence in federal and state fishery affairs. It is the repre- 
sentative ‘fishery organization of the Western Hemisphere, and has just held 
its thirty-seventh annual meeting. Its 4oo active members include nearly all 
national and state fishery officials, as well as men engaged in private fish culture 
for pleasure or pecuniary profit; hardy fishermen of our seas, lakes, and rivers; 
managers and employees of fishing and fish-preserving companies; university 
professors whose biological studies deal with the inhabitants of the water; 
enthusiastic disciples of Izaak Walton; ultra-fastidious scientific anglers who 
would rather tie an artificial fly properly and cast a line gracefully than catch 
the largest trout—in short, all sorts and conditions of that widely distributed 
variety of the human species which we may call pzscatorius. 
The society has been pleased to include in its honorary and corresponding 
membership many who have attained prominence in various branches of fishery 
work in Europe, Asia, and America. A number of these members are here 
to-day with our other colleagues; and perhaps the greatest benefit that will 
accrue to our people from this congress will come not from the formal papers 
and discussions, important as they may be, but from the opportunity thus 
afforded to meet personally and informally exchange experiences with our 
colaborers from other lands. 
Therefore, the American Fisheries Society wishes to express its great 
pleasure that you have come among us, and to extend to you a cordial greeting 
from every state and territory of this vast country; but we prefer to regard 
you not as representatives of great sovereign powers and influential foreign 
societies and organizations, but as fellow-citizens of that cosmopolitan domain 
where fish is king and where, as loyal subjects, we labor together for the good 
of the royal family and all of its aquatic relatives. 
The CuarrMAN. I have to announce that in pursuance of the established 
custom, those extending the invitation to meet in Washington have selected 
as president of the Fourth International Fishery Congress Dr. Hermon C. 
Bumpus, Director of the American Museum of Natural History, in New York. 
A motion to ratify this selection is now in order. 
