The evening times., 1895-08-24
EXPECT HIM TO RETIRE
Fish Commissioner Mcdonald in
III Health for Some Time.
CHAOS IN THE COMMISSION
In Anticipation of the Long Expected
Change the Employees Are Striving
and Flaming to Make Themselves
Solid-wOrk Has Been Greatly
Crippled AS Consequence.

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A fundamental change in the position of
the Fish Commission in his relations to the
government will probably be made by the
approaching session OF Congress Hon.
Marshall Macdonald, w0b has for eight
years been at the head of the commission
and who is regarded as one of the leading
authorities in the world upon the subject OF
fish culture, has been in ill-health for
some time and will probably retire.
Whether Congress will place the work in
charge OF the Department OF Agriculture
or reorganize it and put il upon more
generous appropriation is an open question.
1t is certain that complete revolution
in its operations and its work will be made.
For one thing, much more attention WILDE
given 10 the propagation and protection
of the species of fish that furnish n living
to thousands of the common people on the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts, around the Co
lumbia river in the Northwest, and on the
great fishing fleet that makes its head
quarters at San Francisco; much less viii
be spent upon the cultivation of gold fish,
trout and salmon, for the pleasure lakes and
fishing streams of the wealthy and in
fluential
HONEYCOMBED WITH RIVALRIEs.
In view of this probable change the COM
mission is now in somewhat chaotic
condition. Itishoneycombed with rivalries.
Men who have long been in the service are
striving and planning to make themselves
secure in the upheaval a nd not few OF them
are fighting ambitiously to better thei:
condition.
There is an effort being made to direct
the appointment of Mr.. MacdOnald's sue
cessor, and to accomplish this through
him. The plan is to have him withhold
his resignation till the President has been
brought to the point of naming the sue
cessor that is desired. TWO men are slated
for the place, either of whom VIII be
satisfactory TO these managers. One is
now in the National Museum; the other
is a citizen of New York.
Under these conditions the work OF the
commission has been greatly crippled.
The animosiiies engendered have inter
fered with the execution of plans, and the
uncertainty of what lies in the future has
prevented the preparation OF general
outline for work, such as would be of the
highest public benefit.
CLERK WROTE THE REPORT
Since the investigation of the commits
sion five years ago, when Mr.. Macdonald
had his clerk write the report OF the COM
mittee, the superintendent has left much
of his work 10 other officials
As a result there has been little oppor-
tunity for independent progressive action
in the line of developing the commercial
fisheries of the country, upon which several
millions of persons depend for livelihood.
1t became know in the Commission a year
ago that Mr.. Macdonald would probably re-
tire and as consequence contentious
arose which made 1t difficult to obtain ap-
propriations for salaries, etc.
To pull through the amounts finally OBJ
tanned 1t was necessary to keep influential
Cong ressmen in good hunor and even then
the amount granted was SO small that
several of the field agents were called in
to do office W ork last March.
Three of the Congressman whose good Will
was much deserved were Senators Cock
rell and Hale and Representative Sayers,
chairman of the House appropriations COM
mittee. Though such a thing was futile
three hatcheries were planned and located
inland in the States from which these
gentlemen came.
WAYS OF INFLUENCING THEM.
Missouri has no commercial fisheries at
all, yet a station in that State, it was
believed would please Senator Cockrcll and
1t was located there. For a similar reason
stations were built in Texas and Maine.
The latter is devoted principally to the
propa CATION of land -loc ked salmon. a
splendid specimen for anglers. 1t is at
Green Lake. A few days ago President
Cleveland received pressing invitation to
visit that region for q fishing trip.
He did not go, but some of his intimate
friends were there. They met with poor
success, and 1T is said the result was dis
appointment to those who planned the invita-
ton 1t was hoped President Cleveland
might be reached at the time with a sugges-
ton as to Mr Ma cdonald's successor.
While all this is going on, the legitimate
work of the commission is impaired.
H