American Fisheries Society 307 



solid with the manufacturing interests; if he signed the bill he would 

 be going against his friends. But he stood right up and said: "Now 

 this is to the interest of all the people, and although I am losing votes 

 and prestige with the manufacturing interests, I am going to sign this 

 bill," and he signed it. I believe this marks a very great advance in 

 the center of a community where the streams are probably more 

 polluted than in any state in the Union. 



Mr. R. E. Follett: I am sure we all understand that the condition 

 of our state today is due to an indifferent public. I am glad to hear 

 some of our commissioners say that they have done something. It 

 is encouraging. I am especially interested in what Mr. Meehan has 

 said today. I am not sure that our courts will sustain the commission- 

 ers, but they can at least keep the sawdust out. I understand it is 

 another proposition to tackle a million dollar corporation. But our 

 large rivers must ultimately be dealt with by the Federal Government. 

 Take, for instance, the Connecticut River ; it is polluted by Vermont and 

 New 'Hampshire before it reaches Massachusetts, and it is in a hopeless 

 condition when it reaches Connecticut. 



Mr. Daniel B. Fearing, Newport, R, I. : In the little state from 

 which I come, of which I have the honor of being one of the fish com- 

 missioners, we are called the commissioners of inland fisheries, and our 

 chief interest is apparently lobsters. We have nothing whatever to do 

 with the shellfish— oysters, etc.— but the shellfish commissioners of 

 Rhode Island are now doing something in line with the present subject, 

 and I think we are the only state that has now got a commission 

 with power. Oysters are forbidden to be sold or taken out for purposes 

 of sale in prohibited areas in Narragansett Bay; and the map which the 

 shellfish keepers have is remarkable. It is all marked out in the way 

 shown There is prohibition of law against selling any oysters taken 

 from these areas. I think this ought to be copied in all states that 

 raise oysters. An oyster that comes from Rhode Island has got a trade 

 mark on it, and you can eat it without getting typhoid fever. 



