AMElilCAX FISHERIES SOCIETY. 75 



fisheries; to our ConjiTessi and to our r(']ti'esentatives in the 

 State lejiishiture, and to everyone who niijilit be interested and 

 willing- to co-ojjerate in brin^inji- iuHuence to bear ujjon ('on- 

 gress. In tliat way I tliink we nnj;li( create (piite a jiood deal of 

 public sentiment in the matter, and directly or Indirectly it 

 might have a good deal of weight with congressmen, and when 

 the matter was brought to their attention by the United States 

 Fish Commissioner it might have a good deal of bearing upon 

 the amount that they would be willing to allow for this i)ur- 

 pose. I make this as a motion. 



Tlie motion was duly seconded, and the (juestion being put 

 by the President, the motion was carried. 



President I'eabody: I would like to ask the Commissioner, 

 if five congressmen on the lakes should ask for an appropria- 

 tion, if it could not be brought about? 



Mr. Bowers: It would be necessary to ask for an appropria- 

 tion for scientific inquiry. If I am not mistaken this Society 

 took some action a year ago on this matter, and on my recom- 

 mendation the appropriation was increased from ten thousand 

 eight hundred to fifteen thousand dollars, and on account of 

 the increase an opportunity was to be given for work on the 

 Great Lakes, and this work is now being carried on under the 

 direction of Professor Reighard. It has been my intention to 

 recommend a still further increase for that division, and I have 

 thought of asking this year for tw'enty-five thousand dollars, 

 and from time to time to increase it as it can be done. 



President Peabody: If that is backed up by the personal 

 work of the congressmen it would be easily carried out, would 

 it not? 



Mr. Bowers: Yes, I think so; but, after all, it devolves upon 

 this Society to bring such influence as it can upon its repre- 

 sentatives both in the Senate and in the House, for if we have 

 good appropriations we can do good w^ork. 



President Peabody: There would be no difficulty in Wis- 

 consin or Michigan getting their influence. Is not that your 

 opinion. Mr. Whitaker? 



Secretary Whitaker: I do not think there would. Did not 

 this Societv a vear ago make some recommendations on this 

 line? 



Mr. Clark: Yes. there was a resolution passed. 



Mr. Bowers: And, as I have just said, on the strength of it 

 in my estimate to Congress I asked for an increase in the ap- 

 proi)riation from ten thousand eight hundred to fifteen thou- 

 sand dollars. But that is a small appropriation. It had been 

 ten thousand eight hundred dollars for fifteen years past, as I 

 understand it. and this is the first year we have had as much as 

 fifteen thousand dollars for this purpose. It is inadequate. It 

 should be twenty-five thousand dollars. In the recommenda- 



