20 Thirtieth Annual Meeting 



idea comes down to us from the classics in the old adage, "There 

 is Dotliing like leatlier/' The story is told that when an ancient 

 €itv was threatened with attack from the enem}', they called a 

 counsel of all the people of the city to consider how they would 

 hest fortify it. The stone masons said with a sneer that of 

 course they must use stone ; the briekraakers said that by laying 

 brick walls thick enough they would better stand the battering 

 ram than stone ; the lumberman insisted that a strong system of 

 stockades would be built tlie quickest and would liest withstand 

 attack. They called up the old tanner and he said, "Gentlemen, 

 there is nothing like leatlier; you just peg down sole leather 

 walls around tliis city and all the l)attering rams on earth can- 

 not batter them down." Every man exalts his owai vocation, but 

 we who are engaged in fish culture are in no danger of overdoing. 

 The work that we are doing is so beneficial to mankind, its possi- 

 bilities so great, its power of usefulness to mankind so unlimited, 

 that we may well exercise this failing of human nature and give 

 to our pursuit due honor. It has been said that the man who 

 makes two blades of grass to grow where one had grown before, 

 is a benefactor of mankind. If that be so how much more is it 

 so where one makes an linndred food-fisli to grow where nature 

 makes only one to grow. 



You recollect our old friend Sam Weller. one of the most 

 delightful characters that Dickens ever drew, having assisted a 

 young couple to elope, who wen' very enxious to marry but met 

 "with domestic opposition, said, when he was complimented on 

 till' part lie had taken in the matter, "Well, I only assisted 

 nater." ( I^aughter). Now we are assisting nature in this work 

 in one of her weak spots. We are taking up her work and pro- 

 ducing vastly greater results than she cotild produce herself. 

 That is our function in this great work, to assist nature and to 

 enable her to produce blessings for numkind an hundred fold or 

 a thousand fold, where left to herself she could give perhaps but 

 five or ten fold. Is not that so, Brotlier Titcomb? 



Mr. Titcomb: Tliat is right. 



General Bryant: Jjct us go on then witli this work, let us 

 maintain tliis society. This society may not ])resent such a 

 showing in nunil)ers at its conventions as tlu' Klks, the Modern 

 AVoodmen, or otlier fraternal societies, but I can liken it best to 



