Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-10
PROF. SPENCER F. BAIRD.

With appropriate ceremonies tablet
in honor of Spencer Fullerton Baird,
organizer of the United States bureau
Of fisheries and its first commissioner.
was unveiled and dedicated at the New
National Museum yesterday afternoon.
The day marked the forty-fifth ami
yersary of the founding of the service.
Draped over the platform were the
official flags of the Secretary of Com
MERGE the assistant secretary Of COM
merce and the commissioner of fish
cries. Standing out against a gray
background was a crayon portrait OF
Prof Baird. To the right was a large
easel topped by a shield of the United
States, under which was the bronze
tablet covered with two American flags;
to the left of the speakers was case
containing the original manuscript
draft of the joint resolution of Con-
gress. approved February 3. 1871, au-
thorizing the President to appoint from
civil life a commissioner of fish and
fisheries to prosecute Investigations re-
garding the food fishes of the United
States; original appointment Of Pror
Baird as commissioner of fish and hsh.
cries; a large silver trophy, the special
grand prize awarded by Emperor III
liam l to Commissioner BAR as the
first fish culturist in the world, at the
International fishery exposition held IN
Berlin jim 1880, and a 462-page bios-
raphy of>Prof. Baird
Potomac as an Example.
Right in the Potomac river. said
Charles F. Sweet. assistant secretary,
Department Of Commerce. in taking up
his argument for the federal regulation
nf
what state supervision of this very i'm
pointed to the big shad hatchery at
Bryans point. a few miles down the
river. which the department may have
TO close because of the inability to get
enough shad up the river for spawning
purposes. The failure of Maryland and
Virginia to get together and provide
adequate protection for the fisheries is
wiping out this important fishery. he
said. the only hope on which the
federal government has seized is the
ability to keep the nets out of the
channek which work is done in CO.
operation with the United States Army
authorities. which has control over the
navigable streams. In the surrender of
states rights with regard to the reg
ulation of the fisheries of the country
lies the only chance of the conserva-
ton of that industry for the benefit Of
the whole people, said Secretary Sweet.
Prof. Baird, he said, was the first man
TO think of the conservation of fish
cries. and for that the people should
thank him. In the possession of the
bureau of fisheries. he continued, there
II much data concerning the fisheries
industry and its regulation which the
states may have for the asking. But
many OF the states fail TO get this adj
vice He cited North Carolina as one
OF the few instances where d state had
sought and used prohtably the advice
of the federal bureau of fisheries.
To carry to their fullest extent the
ideals of Prof Baird, he continued
would be for the states to surrender
their rights over the fisheries to the
federal bureau of fisheries. While
some. he said, would regard this as an
invasion of states rights what is
states rights when the whole public
10 vitality concerned?"
Lesson in Preparedness.
More than thirty years ago the gov
eminent OF the United States, through
Prof. Baird, furnished a lesson in pre-
paredness that the civilized world rec
oEnized. applauded and, in large
measure. copied for it's own, according
10 Prof Edwin Linton of Washington
and Jefferson College. Washington
Pa, an associate of Prof. Baird. who
presented the tablet to the government
on behalf of its forty-seven donors
IRON the summer of 1863 said
Prof Linton. when Prof Baird first
visited Woods Hole. he realized the i'm
portance of a thorough investigation
into the causes of the decrease of the
food fishes along the coast. In 1870 he
made a systematic beginning in this
inquiry. 500 having been set apart for
the purpose by the Smithsonian Jnsti-
tuition. and the Treasury Department
granting the use of thirty-foot sloop
yacht.
Seeks Government Support.
''Hav wing thus demonstrated IN HE