FIFTIETH CONGRESS, 1887-1889. 1055 
cestors went to King James for a charter to go across seas and colonize 
Massachusetts, the King asked the Puritans— 
‘* What is your object? What do you intend?” 
Their answer was: ‘‘To worship God and catch fish!” 
Then the king rejoined: ‘‘I give you the charter. ’ Fore Gad! it is 
the Apostle’s own calling!” 
Why, sir, even in the early churches of New England the early and 
pious Puritans used to sing: 
Ye monsters of the bubbling deep, 
Your Maker’s name upraise; 
Up from the sands ye codlings peep, 
And wag your tails always. 
So that in early New England the cure and care of fish was concom- 
itant with commerce, liberty, and sanctity. In later times New Eng- 
land has obtained Congressional enactments giving free salt for her 
fish, while the miserable man in Chicago can not get free salt for his 
pork. Congress has always had a kindly word for the fishermen. For 
many decades it gave bounties at so much per cod. These fishermen 
have not become less tenacious of their rights since the bounty ceased. 
They are a power in numbers and influence. They number a million 
or more of men constantly engaged in their hardy and hazardous occu- 
pation. Their calling is associated at the present time with some curi- 
ous wriggling in diplomacy. But wherever they are, and wherever 
they adventure, they should be cared for by the fostering arm of the 
Government. 
The main object of this bill, sir, is not to assist the fishermen so much 
as the consumers of fish. It would send out the seed broadcast, that 
food harvests may grow in all the waters of this land. I trust there 
will be nothing done here to impair the usefulness of this Bureau. I 
trust, as this bill takes no money out of the Treasury, that no further 
objection will be made to its passage; that the President may be able 
to select a good, practical man of science and energy, whether he be a 
Democrat or not, to occupy and honor the position. Iam not sure but 
that there may be found some good scientific Democrat in the country 
to administer this office. All the sciences can not be monopolized by 
the Republican party. There may be a Democrat discovered with the 
qualities of a good scientific fisherman. The President will find him. 
The President himself is somewhat of an expert in that line. At all 
events let us by this enactment enable him to select the right man for 
the position. So far as I am individually concerned I am not over 
eager whether he selects a Democrat or a Republican to carry out the 
humane and beneficent provisions proposed by this bill reported by 
my honored friend from Arkansas [Mr. Dunn], to whom I tender 
my thanks for the privilege of these desultory remarks. 
