NON-LEGISLATIVE REMEDIES. 219 



even now to be attempted in this department, to bring 

 nearer to a demand which has so rapidly increased a 

 supply which is drawn from a free and almost limitless 

 source. 



As to the fresh waters, matters have been stiU worse, 

 and with less excuse ; for, besides having only now begun 

 to think of aiding or supplementing the operations of 

 Nature, we have been carelessly and wantonly counter- 

 acting her. The rivers and lakes are more within our 

 vision and within our power than the sea. Yet there, 

 where should lie the advantage, has lain the evil. The 

 comparative power we possess over the inhabitants of 

 our fresh waters, has been used to their destruction and 

 our own loss. We have neglected the seas, but happily to 

 a large extent we have not been able to abuse or desolate 

 them. But in the rivers and lakes, filled by Nature with 

 valuable food, requiring neither cultivation, nor manure, 

 nor feeding — requiring nothing, in fact, but to be spared 

 during the season when they are multiplying their spe- 

 cies, and when they are worthless anywrhere but in the 

 water, — we have, partly from greed, partly from ignor- 

 ance, partly from the operation of certain popular preju- 

 dices, been willing, as we have been able, grossly to abuse 

 our bounties. One reason why the public has been so 

 neglectful of its interest in this matter is, that what is 

 reaUy the main question regarding our rivers and lakes — 

 the obtaining from them of a supply of food — has been 

 almost lost sight of amid the frequent controversies be- 

 tween interests conflicting with one another on matters 

 which, to a superficial view, did not much concern the 

 public. People concluded that a matter about which 



