American Fisheries Society 119 



kill all the wild life that was to be found there. The rest of 

 the commissioners turned over to this comparatively kind 

 and humane man the task of drafting the bill, while they went 

 home to overhaul their hshing- tackle and guns. While they 

 were thus engaged, oiling up their deadly firearms and whet- 

 ting their fish hooks, the man in charge went subtly to work 

 and drafted a law which has about put an end to the hunting 

 and fishing in the state, and which will cause the sportsmen 

 to trade their rilles for cameras, and their fishing tackle for 

 sketch books. 



A law has been enacted prohibiting the sale of game and 

 fish; no man may hunt and fish on the lands of another with- 

 out a written permit ; no hotel may serve game or fish to its 

 guests ; bachelor deer only may be killed ; subjects of foreign 

 potentates and powers are barred from their Sunday avoca- 

 tion ; all persons must take out a hunter's license ; game war- 

 dens are made fire wardens and can impress men to fight 

 fires; railroads must not set the woods on fire and must keep 

 the right of \\a\- clear; land owners may arrest any tres- 

 ])assers on their lands and l)ring them into court ; the size and 

 number of fish one may take is regulated, and the proud 

 motto of the state, "jMountaineers are ever free," has a hol- 

 low and mocking sound. 1lie valued right to fish on Sunday 

 has been taken from man)-. On the whole the great majority 

 of us sportsmen are like Othello — our occupation gone. 



In conclusion I would ask this body of scientists to accord 

 us a place in your scheme of life. We are not so lilack as we 

 lia\'e been painted. So far as our infiuence and help goes, we 

 are yours to command. We do not often intrude upon your 

 deliberations and if we are often silent in recognizing the 

 \'alue of vour great work, belie\e me, we do not fail to ap])re- 

 ciate it. Go on with it. making two fishes grow where one 

 grew before, and the nati(^ns of the earth will rise up and 

 call you blessed. 



Give fools their gold, and knaves tlieir power, 



Let fortune's bubbles rise and fall; 

 Who plants a tree, or trains a flower, 



Or stocks a stream is more than all. 



