The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-13

interesting will be developed. A mem
Der said to me today, It's a shame to
make that old man a scapegoat do
not think that the race track men were
too good to buy votes If they could get
them, but I'll tell you they couldn't
get them. People may talk f1ippantly
about purchasing legislators, but it
isn't such an easy matter as some
people may imagine. To sacrifice an
old mans reputation OF life time in
any such manner as this merely to
gain victory is a thing that a good
many members do not approve of and
1t is possible that this thing isn't end
ed yet"
MANY INSURANCE BILLS.
In the course of debate a few days
ago over one of the numerous insur-
ance bills that have been introduced
during the present session, Senator
Dayton remarked that there were more
insurance bills to be considered than
of any other class except fish bills.
This was likely a haphazard shot at
what appears to be the true condition.
The fish bills and oyster bills are very
numerous, and so they are at every
session. It is not to be wondered at
that a state with q coast line of more
than twelve hundred miles should
have bills seeking to protect the fish
cries, but 1t is to be wondered at,
rather, that with this magnificent field
for the cultivation of the food fisheries
that so little has been done of actual
the waters whose abundance is being
depleted from year to year.
Hon. John Y. Detwiler has for sew
eral years held the position of honor
airy fish commissioner. The office is
strictly honorary without an honor
arium attached. In the case of the
honorary fish commissioner we find
exemplff1ed an idea which obtains
with some that the most commendable
traits in public and private life are
discoverable rather among the obscure
than among the rich and powerful.
The honorary fish commissioner has
been working for the conservation OF
the food fisheries of the state for
many years; he attends every session
Of the legislature and while his daily
regimen may not consist of fish, the
fact Is that he thinks fish and talks
fish the entire time, and If his work
has been of little avail he must yet be
given the credit of taking more in
terest in this very important matter
than any other man in the state
which is intended to convey, that the
interest he takes is the right sort OF
interest for he has no private interest
to protect by his work.
His energies are now employed in
having certain waters set aside for
reservations for the establishment OF
fish hatcheries to be conducted by the
state and federal authorities. IT is the
purpose to stock these reservations
with shad, mullet and other food fish
as well as to supply the shad pro-
ducing streams of all other states bor-
dering on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts
with shad fry, as these streams are
now, as well as the st. Johns river
being depleted.
The position of the honorary fish
commissioner is that these waters and
their fruitage are the possession of tbs
people and should not be farmed tC
death by private interests without
some benefits accruing to the state
from them. II the legislature viii
pass bill creating such reservations
and there is measure to this end nov
before the legislature. there is no doubf
| that the cooperation of the fedora
government can be had. The appro-
priation by the federal congress O
$4,000 to erect a biological station a
some point on the gulf coast indicates
| this willingness. provided the stats
will furnish the land and water rights
The bureau of fisheries is willing t.
cooperate in the establishment of {
shad Matching station on the St