210 THE FACE OF THE FIELDS 



and his neighbor's clams — this last item being a 

 most important change in the clam-farm outlook. 



With so much done, the next work — framing 

 new laws to take the place of the old fishing laws 

 — should be a simple matter. Such a procedure 

 will be slow, yet it is still the only logical and 

 effective one. Let the clam-digger know that he 

 can raise clams; let New England know that 

 the forests on her mountains must be saved, and 

 within a twelvemonth the necessary bills would 

 be passed. So with the birds, the fish, the coal 

 of Alaska, and every other asset of our national 

 wealth. The nation-wide work of this saving 

 movement will first be educative, even by way 

 of scandals in the Cabinet. We shall hasten very 

 slowly to Congress and the legislatures with our 

 laws. The clam-flat is typical of all our multitu- 

 dinous wealth ; the clam-digger is typical of all of 

 us who cut, or mine, or reap, or take our livings, 

 in any way, directly from the hands of Nature ; 

 and the lesson of the clam farm will apply the 

 country over. 



We have been a nation of wasters, spoiled and 

 made prodigal by over-easy riches ; we have de- 

 manded our inheritance all at once, spent it, and 



