Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-05-01
Our Washington Letter.
e WASHINGTON. April 23.

ually OeglnS the last OF MaTcn anu
ends from the first to the tenth of
May, averaging between 5 and 6 weeks
duration. Many not yet arrived at
life's meridian remember how 100000
herrings, sturgeon, rock-6sh, catfish,
perch, taylors, shadand other varieties
in like proportion, we're often taken at
one haul of the nets along the fishing
shores Of our river and Chesapeak Bay
Then herring could be bought at 25cts
per 1000 and 6fcts was thought az
extrvagant price for pair OF the larg'
est shad. The yield frequently SO far
exceeded the supply of salt for curing
purposes, that hundreds of cart loads
Of fish were left where landed to rot
and aggravate the type Of malarial dis
ease prevailing the year through In,
tide-water regions Of Maryland and
Virginia, even after the adjacent far
mers had drawn away for manure as
many as they would without money or
price. Many species now sought after
at a high price in the markets, were
then rejected as wholly unfit for human
food, even by the slave population, not
usually over fastidious. Adjoining
waters were equally prolific. But the
waste increased relatively with the
improved appliances and methods
taken for an abundant catch. With
the system now in vogue only small
proportion Of the schools of fish that
annually strive to reach the spawning
grounds on the upper Potomac, escape
the traps set for their capture every
few rods for a hundred miles. The
result is as has long been anticipated,
viz: a growing carcity, more marked
each year until the present. It is said
hardly lessee of any of the shores
will come out even this season unless
the catch for the remaining few days
proves exceptionally abundant. The
same complaint reaches us from rivers
north and south of us, and unless the
two States named promptly interfere
by appropriate Legislation to put a stop
to the waste, the supply Of fish food
from our rivers and bays must, soon
become .,holly extinct. 1iI has oa8
Some statements Of Senator Blaine
at the recent tariff demonstration at
Chester, Pa are significant and of
common interest to every American
citizen. After referring to the strides
We have taken within the past 20 years
in settling new States and Territories,
the resulting increase of agricultural
products, to the line of railroads we
have stretched across the continent and
to the system Of anastomasing tracks
running in every direction and giving
almost every considerable community
railroad facilities; to the extent and
variety of manufactures developed
within that time, he proceeds to show
that in the matter of our merchant
marines, we have been reduced within
the two decades from the foremost
rank we occupied in 1857 to the con-
dition Of an ialand nation, without sea
coast or navigable rivers. AT the date
first named American built bottoms
transported s7,0O,000,O0O worth Of
our products to foreign markets while
the remaining $500, 100000 was car
ried in foreign bottoms. Now it is
almost completely reversed, the ten
denotes all being towards a further
decadence at our expense. He dates
its beginning with the panic of 1857;
and we had only begun to recover
when the war and British pirates did
the rest. No change in our favor
since has been possible because of the
rapid substitution Of the sailing vessel
BY the steamship, which could be
be much more cheaply produced in
foreign than in American yards, and
which had further advantage in the
subsidy policies Of nearly al foreign
maratine governments. a
The Senate has voted to adjourn
May 10th but the House refuses, and
it is predicted that if Mr.. Wood can
commit . majority Of the latter to his
tariff readjustment schemes, no ad-
journment 10 ,;kely before August.