The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-12
Wednesday September t2, 1917
VERMONT WEALTH UNUSED

posts millions of dollars a year; from !
sood and lumber more than from
stone; from hay and grass several
times as much as from stone and
lumber combined So it goes along
down the line. 1t is even estimated
that around 100000 per year is re-
ceiyed by Nermonters from the sale
CT skunk skins, but the fisheries Of |
Vermont have been considered merely |
as supplying enjoyment for a few idle /
men who most folks thought ought =
to be better employed.
1t used to be hard work to get a
measly little appropriation OF $4,000
year for the fish and game depart
ment. A few years ago the fishermen
themselves took hold and taxed
themselves by way OF license charge
in order to raise money to make the
department Of real service to the
state. Promptly came forward some
good men. who meant well, but lack
ed vision, and tried to get this money
away from the fish and game depart
ment to use for other purposes
These gentlemen failed to recog.
nize that Vermont is failing to uti-
lie properly one OF its greatest re.
sources. The fish of Vermont ought
to he bringing an income to Vernon.
tiers of a million or two dollars year
and will ii the fishing resources Of
the state are properly worked
At the present time fully half of
these resources are giving nothing
and the other half only a fraction Of
what they ought to produce. 1t ought
to be possible during the open season
to buy trout, pike, horned pouts,
perch, landlocked salmon musk
dalonge. and other choice Vermont
fish at any market in the state at
prices no higher than are now paid
for inferior salt water fish, brought a
long distance and often not in the
best Of condition
1t is one OF the great things that
will be done in Vermont in the years.
to come and under the fish license law
to furnish revenue there is now the
money to make a real start.
The Banner is glad to note others
coming around to advocate what we
have so long held to be one of the
greatest of Vermont opportunities
The following is from the Waterbury
| Record;
Fish and Game Commissioner Linus
Leavens has just returned from St
Paul where he attended the National
meeting of the fish and game commits
sioners We have no doubt, but this
conference OF the commissioners viii
result in much good 1t seems to the
average layman that there never was
a better opportunity for fish and
game commissioner to make good
than at the present time What Yer
mont wants is not only to have
mountain brooks good fishing ground,
but every river and la,e should be
stocked as to make them profitable
fer fishing When one considers that
n third OF the food consumed Is fish
there is no reason in the world why
Vermont should not produce her
share.
} The Winoosh river running through
Waterbury, the Mad river of Mad riy-
er valley. Little river which starts in
Stowe, should, and could be made TO
produce hundreds of pounds OF fish
II these rivers were good fishing
ground, think how it would help out
in our local food supply and not only
this, we believe these rivers could
be stocked so as to make lshing
profitable.
Native fish should be on sale in ey-
cry fish market in Vermont Thous
ands of dollars worth Ct fish is ship
ped into Vermont every week and we
venture to say that less than 500
worth of native fish is placed on sale
The time is at hand when the fish
and game department of Vermont is
going to be worthy Of its name II
must produce results. Nature has
done its part, The fact is no longer
doubted, fish will thrive in the rivers
lakes and brooks of Vermont Fish
culture is no longer an uncertainty
II is known Just what kind of fish
are suited for the rivers, Just what
stock will thrive in the brooks and
those best suited for our lakes
Many q new shovel and hoe has
been put into commission this year TO
good practical purposes, Cellars will
contain vegetables for winter use that
have never had them before All this
means something
We hope, In the near future, to see
ou lakes, rivers and brooks make the
fishing rod as popular as has been the
shovel and hoe this year We want
to see FISH so plentiful In TINS state
that all we want for the table can be
secured and that surplus can be
secured to be sailed down for the