34 
common cause for the general good. Otherwise the 
enthusiasm of men is repressed, the halting and inefficient 
find their way into places for which they are unfitted, 
_ selfish motives prevail, progress is retarded, and the pub- 
lic mind becomes suspicious and uncertain. On this 
account the removal of men engaged in fishcultural 
work, for political reasons, should be unequivocally and 
unanimously condemned and rebuked by this society. 
It willonly be by the vigorous, unselfish and consistent 
action of those engaged in the work, that the bulwarks 
of safety for all will finally be established. 
It is unfortunately the case also that among fishcultur- 
ists, as among men engaged in other pursuits, a true 
scientific spirit does not always prevail. They are too 
easily satisfied and sometimes get into ruts from which 
they are not willing to emerge. When a man starts out 
with a preconceived theory, and spends his life in seek- 
ing for arguments to sustain his position, instead of 
searching for the truth alone, he makes but little pro- 
gress. Truth alone should be the goal, and whatever 
suggestion there might be from any source should be 
seized upon and examined with unprejudiced mind. 
‘“What is the truth in the matter?” might well be the 
scientific worker’s: creed. A little broadening of our 
views and the inculcation of an ardent scientific spirit 
might result in a much more rapid progress in fish- 
cultural development, now that there is no longer uncer- 
tainty as to its economic value. The urgent insistance 
of fishculturists. in favor of their particular. methods, 
while decrying those of others without thorough experi- 
ment and observation, though it may show a confidence 
calculated to be .assuring, is not so strong as an argu- ° 
ment, as:a more patient and painstaking investigation 
would be. .. Moreover, where conflict of opinion reaches. 
such a pitch that each side denounces the’ work of the 
other as impracticable, or-of doubtful utility; unless it is 
a very clear case, the public mind is apt to decide that 
