40 Tliirty-Si'coiKl Aiiuval Meeting 



plause) and today that has Ir'cii repeated, with added charms, 

 with added excellence, and upon lis is heaped an added weiglic 

 of gratitude which ^nll be carrii'd all our years. 



Tlierc is something al)Out these lihode Island chims tliat is 

 very remarkable, and it has opened my mind and let into it a 

 great flood of light. After we had dined here tlu'ee years ago 

 and partaken of this nourishing food, there was not a member 

 of our society that did not feel such an expansion of his mental 

 power and his self-confidence, that he looked upon himself as 

 capable of being the governor of a state, member of congress and 

 chainnan of a leading committee, or even a senator in the senate 

 of the United States (great applause and laughter) and after 

 liaving taken a second feast in this beautiful spot, I am free to 

 say that I feel perfectly comjjcti'ut now to be President of the 

 Fiiited States (great applause), and if you would only giv^ 

 inc a congress agreea])le to my way of tliinking I give liond that 

 I would revise the tariti', smash tlie trusts, reguhite labor and 

 (•a|tilal. and i)ut them on a harmonious basis and save the gov- 

 ern men I in tlie expense of administration two hundred and fifty 

 niillion of dollars, and at the same time Ave would doul)le the 

 a])propriation of the Fish Commission (great applause and 

 laughter), and give a special bonus to every state fish commis- 

 sion in the United States. (Great laughter). All of that we 

 could do if you fed us on clams. (Great laughter and ap- 

 plause). We lawyers read in the lighter literature of our pro- 

 fession, tliat a man could get admitted to the bar in England if 

 he eiilercd I lie inns of court and ate so maiiy dinners at the hos- 

 telry of the inn — I think about two dinners here would be equal 

 to a good college education. (Great laughter and applause). 



IWit ph'asantrv aside, \(>ui' lv\cell<'ncy and Gentlemen of tlu> 

 KMiode Ishind Fish Commissjon, again in the name of the Ameri- 

 can r'isheries Society T want to extend to you our heartiest 

 llianks for tliis magnificent banquet you have given us. on this 

 beautiful s])ol., so lovely that W(> are loath to leave it. and to leave 

 you, and as we go away 1 want to voice tlie ])rayer of tliis society, 

 in ])raying liiat the good fisli commission of the state of Ehode 

 Ishmd may h)ng he detained from Ihal mansion of rest ])rovi(k'd 

 for the American l'islieri(>s Society in the realms of glory. 

 (Great langlder and a|)i)hnise). \ liope tliey may h)ng lie de- 



