argument is needed to convince him of the necessity for much more 

 stringent laws. We believe that the use of the seine should not be 

 restricted simply to certain portions of the year, but that it should 

 be prohibited entirely, at least for a number of years. And so com- 

 pletely should it ])e abolished as to make even the possession of 

 such seine unlawful. The existing law does not admit of sufficient 

 scope in determining what shall Ije considered evidence of a viola- 

 tion. As it is difficult to catch them in the act, it would seem that 

 the poirsession of fish in large qtiantities should be considered at 

 lenst questionalde enough to make it necessary for the possessor 1o 

 piove the manner of their taking. 



The argument used before the committee last session was. to the 

 effect that an abolition of the seine meant a complete paralysis of 

 a large and important business; that a large amount of money was 

 invested and a large number of men employed in this industry, Hud 

 to abolish ihe use of the seine meant ruin to many. We know that 

 to some extent this is true. Yet, as in all great questions of politi- 

 cal economy, tbe benefit to the majority may be the detriment of 

 the few, and the number who actually depend for a subsistence 

 upon this business is but very small in cominirison with those who 

 suffer either directly or indirectly from the t-ffect of the work. We 

 do not believe that the State can aff jrd to lose the benefit of mill- 

 ions of pounds of g iiid, ch'np food siQi})ly that a ew may be enabled 

 to continue, for a while longer, their present mode of business. For, 

 after all, that is wlirit it amounts to m the end. This business 

 could, ill the nature of things, exist but a comparatively short time,' 

 at best, as it now is Hoi- any reasonable person can readily fore- 

 see the natuial rt-^iil s of tlie present wholesale destruction. It 

 means ullimatM extiiictun. 



We sincerely liope that the matter will be thoroughly caiivassed 

 before the Fish and (jame Committee next session, and opportunity 

 afforded to those financially interested to show, t)y such statistics 

 as they may be able to procure, in what way the people are made 

 the gainers by the continuance of present methods. Milhons of 

 pounds of butfalo and other "rough" fish, with a proportionate 

 amount of the liner vaiieties, are tiken from our waters annually, 

 and the statist cs show that two-thirds of this amount finds its way 

 oat of tJic State to foreij;n markets. 



We g ve herewith h clipping; from a daily paper, which will give 

 an ideii not only of tlie methods useil and the character of the 

 catches, but also what tlie ])ublic think of it: 



WHOLESALE El^^H SLAUtiHTEli. 



Siitunl.iv al'lciiM'dii Joliiis Rrus.tlir (isiionnon, oaptuird ]2,iiik> |n>uiuls of lish in Goose 

 lakc.live mill's soiilli t>f this city.— /'p/'i'h Times, 



Brother Bartli-tt, inM-e is .i case tliat des(>rves your attention. Goose lake is a lieautiful 

 V>ody of sprint? water about one mile long l>y on<>-third of a mile \vide. It outlets into the 

 Illinois river tliroutfii adecp and sAvift runninR stream called Gis Sloueli. It is a pn'-at re- 

 sort for anslers.and hundreds of pounds of tcanie tish are cautiht there with hook and lino. 



T\w iiioi/iis (iiH'mndi of tliese professional lisli killers is to blockade the outlet with a 

 seine, and then with another seine long enoufxh to nNich clear across the lake dra*; it froai 

 end to enil.thus sco. .pine: every lish in the lake th;it is ni^t small enoutrh to slip through the 

 meshes of the seine. 



Tlie same thing is done in many ofthe line lisliing grounds in that i-(>gion.and the result 

 is that the game (ish an- raiiidly tliinning out. If our game lish w<'re half way protecttvl 

 there would ))e no liner llshing grounds in tlit> country than thosealongthe Illinois. If these 

 wholesale slaught(>rers are allowed to have tluur way for a few years liuiger, Juiwevcr, it 

 will be good-bye gauK- iisli in Illinois, • 



