The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-04-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, ID. C.,April %. 1878. |
The Potomac river fishing season |
usually begins the last of March and
ends from the LIST to the 10th of May. |
averaging between S and 6 weeks du.
ration. Many not yet arrived at |
life's meridian remember how zoe, 900 |
herrings and sturgeon, reck-fish, cat
fish, perch, taylors, shad and other
varieties in like proportion, were Of
ten taken at one haul of the nets
along the fishing shores of our river
and Chesapeake Bay. Then herring
could be bought for Is cents per 200
and st cents was thought an extrav-
agant price for pair of the largest
shad. The yield frequently so far
exceeded tho supply for salt curing
purposes that hundreds of cart loads
of fish were left where landed to rot
and aggravate the type OF malarlal
disease prevailing the year through
in the Underwater regions of Mary
land and Virginia, even after the
farmers had drawn away for manure
as many as they would, without
money or price. Many species now
eagerly sought after at high price
in the markets, were then rejected as
wholly unfit for human food even by
the slave population, mot usually over
fistidiOus. Adjoining waters were
equally prolific. But the waste in
creased relatively with the impro owed
appearances and methods taken for
an abundant catch. With the sys-
tenn now in vogue only small pro-
portion of the schools of fish that
annually strive to reach the spawn
ing grounds of the upper Potomac,
escape the traps set for their capture
every few rods for a hundred miles.
The result is has long been anticipa-
ted, viz: a growing scarcity, more
marked each year until the present.
1t is said hardly a lessee Of any of
the shores will come out even this
season unless the catch for the re-
manning few days proves exception
ally 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 wholly extinct.
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 s 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 ma.
rine, we have been reduced within
the two decades from the foremost
rank we occupied in 1857 to the con-
dition of an inland nation, without
sea coast or navigable rivers. At the
date first mentioned, American built
bottoms transported $500, ZOO, 900
worth OF our products to foreign mar
kets, while the remaining 5000, 900, 900
was carried in foreign bottoms. Now
it is almost completely reversed, the
tendencies all being towards a fur
Their decadence at our expense. He
dates its beginning with the panic of
1857 !; and we had only begun to re.
cover when the war and British pi-
rates did the rest. No change in our
favor since has been possible because
of the rapid substitution of The sail
ing vessel by the steamship, which
could be much more cheaply pro-
duced in foreign than American
yards, and which has a further adj
vantage in the subsidy policies of
nearly all maratime governments.
The Senate has voted to adjourn
May 10th, but the House refuses /; and
it is predicted that If Mr.. Wood can
majority of the latter to
his tariff readjustment scheme, no
is likely before August.
any of the large Appropria-
ton bills have yet been reported to
the House. Among them are the
Legislative, Executive and Judicial
bill and the Army bill, either of
which may consume a full month in
the struggle over. them between the
House and the Senate. 1t also seems
certain that many Southern and
Western members will insist upon
the enactment Of some sort of an
inconne tar law nanOprats annear