St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-11-08


tiers:
To HIS ExCELLENCY,
Gov. Woodbury., DEAR SIR:
/ hereby tender my resignation as fish
and game commissioner to take effect
when my successor is appointed. AS you
are aware this action has been contem-
plated, owing to the fact that my time is
so fully occupied at the St. Johnsbury
station of the United States fish commits
sion, that l cannot give the state work
the attention it deserves.
shall continue to have the best inter
ests Of the state at heart, and particu-
Jarly so with reference to the develop
ment of its department of fisheries and
game. In my position as superintend-
ent of the station at this place l shall be
ready to cooperate with the state COM
mission in furthering the interests of
their department, and in making this
statement l am pleased to say that the
offer is made with the advice and con-
sent of the United States Fish Commits
sion.
trust that the increased interest
throughout the state in matters pertain
ing to fish and game legislation will not
receive any set back, owing to past err
rors, but that it's development will con-
time as its Importance becomes more
obtained.
trust you will pardon me if 1 take
this opportunity to make some recon-
mendations which could not be placed in
the recent biennial report to you without
feeling that personal motives mis- ht be
ascribed. 1t is fact that at the present
time the work being done by the two
commissioners is frequently enough to
keep one man thoroughly occupied.
Still there are many bodies of water
which have never been examined by any
one who is competent to judge as to
their needs. Under the present system
the appropriation is too small to war
rant its being expended i'll such work.
1t has for long time been demonstrated
that almost any given acreage OF water
can be made to yield more productivity
than the same acreage of farm land.
Under our present system many such
bodies OF water are unproduct1ve, SIM
ply because 1t is necessary to have strict
legislation covering all waters alike. If
a commissioner could give his undivided
attention to the department of fisheries
and game, more liberal laws could be
made, a license system could be inaugu-
rated whereby white fish, biscoes, suck
ers, mullet and pan fish, not cared for by
the spOrtsmen, mis- ht be of commercial
value to the state, and at the same time
better enforcement of the laws protect
ing both fish and game, would ensue.
To sum up the whole matter, will say
that the predominating interests in Yer
mont are those of the sportsman and far
mer, because it is their interests which
attract most money to the state. If we
can have but meagre appropriation,
let 1t all go to that interest to obtain the
best returns for money invested. If,
however, the legislature should at some
future time feel like making a more 1iber-
al appropriation, 1 would make the fol-
lowing suggestions, based upon previous
remarks:
Employ one commissioner, at salary
OF not less than $500 per annum. Have
him reside at the State Hatchery, and be
its superintendent. All time not occu-
pied there could be devoted to inveSti-
eating the needs of our forests and
streams, and supervising the work of re-
stocking them; investigating and pre-
sentIng for prosecution cases in violation
of the game laws; educating the people
to a proper respect for the laws in rural
communities where they are now disre-
garded. The enforcement of the game
laws is not difficult in communities
where the necessity for them is under
stood; licensing commercial fishing in
waters where game fishing would not be
injured, etc. There should be one or two
more commissioners to act in an advi-
sorry capacity, and render services for
nominal expenses and actual time expen-
ded by them.
For such system l estimate that,
aside from the expenses of constructions,
an annual appropriation of $500 would
be adequate to do the work This is not
a large sum, when the returns from such
an investment are considered. The state
pays in bounties on obnoxious animals
an average of over $4,000 per year. The
returns from commercial fishing, under
proper restrictions, can be estimated at
$25, 900 per annum to citizens of the
state. The returns from the develop
ment of the farmers and sportsman's
side of this question have been fully dis
eussed, and are beyond power of fair es-
timat1on. They are to be considered
first, however.
do not say this because am a sports
man and the pleasures of hunting and
fishing are as dear to me as to all my
brotherhood, but entirely from a practi-
cal, business standpoint. The money
brought into the state is very thorough
" distributed among all classes and
trades.
These suggestions are supplementary
to the recommendations for legislation
contained in the 10Th biennial report of
the Fish and Game Commissioners, and
no more liberal laws than are now exist
ing will be beneficial to the greatest num-
Der unless more liberal appropriations
accompany such legislation.
Very respectfully yours,
]. w. TITCoMB.
St. Johnsbury, VT, Nov. 3, 1894.
JOHN W. TITCoMB, Esq,
My DEAR SIR