180 Tzvciity-uinth Annual Meeting 



RESPONDING TO "THE PRESS."* 



BY FRED J. ADAMS GRAND RAPIDS MICH. 



Gentlemen of the American Fisheries Association— When I 

 was asked by your secretary, Seymour Bower, to prepare some- 

 thing for your annual meeting, I threw up my hands. I do pre- 

 tend to know something about brook trout and rainbow ti'out, 

 but for me to pretend to tell or write anything interesting for 

 members of your Association, seemed beyond my ability. I 

 could write fish stories until the cows come home, and I could 

 descrii^e the delights of Michigan streams until you all grew 

 weary of listening, but I don't know that I could give you a 

 single new thought or idea upon the great subject with which 

 you are all so well fanuliar. Mr. Bower spoke of the benefits of 

 artificial propagation and planting in public waters, but it would 

 be a dry subject. It is a conceded subject to begin with. Every- 

 body who knows anything at all about fish or fisheries knows that 

 no question mark can be put after any of our hatcheries or their 

 work, and the man who would attempt to deliver himself upon 

 the benefits of artificial propagation or subsequent planting, 

 would be like a man who attempted to descant upon the benefits- 

 of the joyous hereafter. 



There is one feature of the subject, however, which wie can 

 all of us consider. It refers to The Press. This sentiment has 

 been responded to so often and so completely in all the varied 

 forms that ingenuity can devise, that it is with some little fear 

 and trepidation that I attempt to give you anything new upon 

 the subject. And yet, there is a very decidedly new feature so far 

 as fish and fishermen are concerned. 



The newspaper of to-day is admitted to be the great educa- 

 tor of the masses. It creates sentiment favorable and unfavor- 

 able. It educates the people upon all topics of interest upon 

 which the writers themselves are posted. And yet how few of 



*Re.ceived after meeting adjourned. 



