NATIONAL FISHERY CONGRESS. 
155 
Friday, January 21. 
On tlie assembling of tlie Congress the cbair asked Hon. L. T. Carleton, of Maine, 
to speak in connection with the discussion of Mr. Meehan’s paper of the previous day, 
especially the matter of the money expended in Maine each season by anglers. Mr. 
Carleton said: 
I did not expect to take any active part in these proceedings. The printed program as distributed 
does not call for any paper or speech from any of the Maine delegates, and, sir, I am taken very much 
by surprise to be called upon this morning to make an address upon any subject connected with the 
deliberations of this Congress. I have been more than content to be a silent listener to the exceed- 
ingly interesting papers that have been read and the timely and lively discussions thereon. I count 
myself indeed fortunate that I was privileged yesterday to listen to the stirring address of welcome of 
his honor the mayor of this metropolitan city of south Florida, and that I was permitted to sit here 
as a delegate and hear the wonderfully eloquent speech of his excellency Governor Bloxham, the 
chief magistrate of this great and powerful and prosperous Commonwealth. To a person coming as I 
do from the frozen North to this sunny Southland, the voices of these eloquent and distinguished 
citizens were sweet music to my ears, more charming, I assure you, than “the voices of many waters.” 
And, sir, I feel that I express the sentiments, the feelings, of delegates from the North, from the 
West, and, in fact, of all the representatives here assembled, when I declare that we are charmed 
with the cordiality of the people of this State, greatly pleased with your city and State, and are 
enjoying ourselves to the fullest extent. 
Coming as I do to Florida for the second time only — my first visit was in 1861-62— the patriotic 
words of Governor Bloxham, when, pointing to the Star-Spangled Banner, the emblem of our national 
unity and liberty, he declared “ that for all time we are one and indivisible, and that we have one 
flag and one country and one destiny,” thrilled me through and through. We are indeed, sir, gathered 
here from every State in the American Union with unity of purpose, unity of interest to do as best we 
may to advance the great and important fish and game interests of the nation, as citizens of the best 
country on God’s green earth, under the best government ever yet devised by mortal man. Maine 
sends geeting to the earnest, patriotic, and brave people of the South, and rejoices in your marvelous 
prosperity, the evidences of which are seen on every hand. 
But I am reminded, Mr. President, that I am expected to say something about the fish and game 
of the old Pine Tree State — the State of Maine. You will pardon me, sir, when I declare to you that 
Maine in this respect, as in many others, leads the world. In her limitless forests roam countless 
numbers of the monarch of the forest, the gigantic moose, the bounding caribou, and the graceful, 
beautiful Virginia deer. In her more than 2,000 inland seas and lakes are found in greater abundance 
than elsewhere the square tailed trout and the landlocked salmon. The great dailies and sporting 
papers of the American continent are in the habit of referring to Maine as the “ Paradise of the sports- 
man,” and this is a very appropriate title, as nowhere else is there such sport to be had for either rod 
or rifle. We have an area of about 30,000 square miles in extent, and from the nature of the soil and 
climate, affording food and cover for numberless herds of deer, caribou, and moose, not to speak of the 
countless flocks of birds, both resident and migratory, including the ruffed grouse, woodcock, snipe, 
wild geese, black duck and wood duck, and an endless variety of sea birds — and the whole world is 
fast learning of our advantages in this respect. In her majestic rivers, those great highways from the 
mountains to the sea, is found in increasing numbers the best fish that swims the ocean blue, the 
Atlantic salmon. Wise, well-considered laws we have and an enlightened public sentiment. 
Ten thousand citizens of other States during the open season last year, now just closed, came to 
Maine to fish and hunt, employed our 1,300 registered guides, skilled guides, and spent $1,000,000 
among our people and killed 10,000 deer, 250 moose, 230 caribou, and 160 bears, while $6,000,000 more 
were spent there by non-residents last year, by visitors to our seashore and inland summer resorts, 
making $10,000,000 expended in Maine last year by non-residents for pleasure. 
Do you wonder that the people of Maine are marvelously interested in fish and fisheries? We 
follow the example of the great Apostle Peter, we go a fishing, and invite everybody to come and do 
likewise. We have a health-giving, invigorating climate, wondrously charming and enchanting 
scenery. There is not a poisonous reptile, nor ravenous beast, nor poisonous insect in all her borders; 
and in her mountain streams, numerous as the sands of the seashore, are the protected nurseries of our 
lakes, wherein are millions of speckled beauties, the brook trout, and these feeders are so numerous, 
