American Fisheries Society 401 



this assembly to whom the angling fraternity owe the 

 deepest debt of gratitude for much work nobly and effi- 

 ciently performed. Men whose names have found lodgment 

 in the hearts of those who have learned to honor and esteem 

 their owners for their splendid achievements. 



As is true, T presume, of almost all progressive move- 

 ments, great difficulties and complications confront every 

 effort for the continued upbuilding and betterment of 

 angling conditions. But the fact remains that day by day 

 better things are being brought about, and it seems to me 

 that this is being accomplished by "keeping everlastingly at 

 it," if you will pardon the platitude. 



Apparently the greatest difficulty that confronts us in 

 establishing ideal conditions from the standpoint of an 

 angler, is, to a certain degree, a lack of cohesion on the part 

 of the various interests. Our country is so large that it 

 seems ahiiost impossible to bring into one unit of action all 

 those who at heart desire exactly the same results. Efforts 

 are being made here and there in localities remote from each 

 other. Different states have differing laws and there ap- 

 pears to be no settled line of action. In many instances 

 there seems almost a conflict of opposing forces. 



Right here I wish to state as emphatically as I know how 

 to put it that, in my opinion, the one, most radical, un- 

 American, unnecessary and unseemly factor that brings 

 about this lack of unity is the non-resident license law wher- 

 ever it exists. It is a hand raised against a brother, and its 

 operations should be abhorrent to every man who loves the 

 Stars and Stripes. 



A rod license in itself is a most estimable provision, but 

 oh! the inhospitality, the selfishness and altogether con- 

 temptible spirit of a non-resident distinction. Who can hope 

 for the achievements that unity of action can accomplish, 

 when one factor in the entirety says to another, "you shall 

 not enjoy what I have," and the other responds, "keep off 

 of my preserve." 



If I am rightly informed, every state in the Union is a 



