Buller. — Pennsylvania Fish Commission 149 



ularly ten men. This small force is expected to cover 

 this great Commonwealth of ours with its numberless 

 miles of streams and every warden is obliged to hold 

 himself in readiness to go to any part of the Common- 

 wealth on a moment's notice. This very largely increases 

 the traveling expenses pro rata, because the men have 

 to travel such long distances. It is hoped that the im- 

 portance of this branch of the work of the Department 

 will be realized and enough money appropriated to allow 

 the employment of the 30 men. The wardens also have 

 to look after the pollution of the streams and are now 

 giving this their serious and careful attention. Under 

 the provisions of the Act of May 1, 1909, the Department 

 is given the authority to keep the streams clear of pol- 

 lution, and this is the most serious and stupendous ques- 

 tion which the Department is called upon to face. 



Much time and thought has been devoted by the Legis- 

 lature in the past half century of this Commonwealth 

 and other states in making laws which would restore the 

 streams to their original purity, prevent the wasteful 

 and destructive devices from being used, and at the same 

 time establish plants where fish can be raised artificially 

 and used to restock the depleted streams. Yet the man 

 who is fishing has found himself face to face with the 

 fact that the laws do not enforce themselves, but can 

 only be enforced by the consent and help of every citizen 

 who believes that these laws are justified. 



The common law which is the basis of our laws is 

 merely crystalized common sense, evolved from the ne- 

 cessity and demands of the people for protection in prop- 

 erty and personal rights. Around this there have grown 

 up statutory laws which are enactments of the repre- 

 sentatives of the people called for by the force of cir- 

 cumstances and by new conditions that constantly spring 

 up. In most cases their proper enforcement demands 

 that the public be taught their reason why and the bene- 

 fit to be derived from their enforcement. This is largely 

 true in the case of the laws governing the fishing which 

 involve the protection of the fish and the clarification 



