The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-08-31
Copyright, Western Newspaper Union
Xxx.
EXTENSION

line department OF Agriculture is
n instance of how governmental es-
adjustments grow and spread and ex-
tend their activities, once they get
started. The bureau of fisheries, in
the Department Of Commerce, is an
other. 1t had a modest beginning, and
not so very long ago. Prior to 1871
there was no branch of the federal
government especially charged with
the consideration of fishery affairs.
Several of the states had established
fish commissions and these state au-
thorities, supported by private inter-
ests, began to agitate for a national
bureau devoted to fishery interests.
So it came about that by 1871 con-
gress was ready to yield and begin to
make appropriations. The first one
was for $4,000 and provided for a
commissioner Of fish and fisheries to
prosecute Investigations and inquiries
with the view of 'a%scertaining wheth-
er any and what diminution in the
number of food fishes Of the coast
and in the lakes of the United States
has taken place; and also whether
any I'M what protective, prohibitory
or precautionary measures should be
adopted in the premises and shall re-
port upon the same to congress-"
The commissioner was to draw no
pay, for it was provided by congress
in the same joint resolution that he
should be a civil officer of the govern
ment, Of proved scientific and prac-
teal acquaintance with the fishes Of
the coast, who should serve without
additional compensation. The then as
sistant secretary Of the Smithsonian in
stitution, by name Spencer Fullerton
Baird, was chosen as the best man for
the job, and so he proved to be-. He
made the little acorn grow. He was
Industrious and competent and knew
how to get along with congress. He
was diIigent and he stood before kings.
See what happened.
Remember, he started out with
$1,000 to discover whether. there had
been any diminution of the supply of
food fishes along the coasts or In the
lakes. He was at the head Of an in.
dependent investigation and reported
directly to congress. The thing was
kept alive By annual appropriations
as an Independent Institution until
1908, when 1t was incorporated into
the newly formed Department of Com
merce and Labor as the bureau OF
fisheries. Z ,..- .,
BY 1909 the annual appropriation had
grown to 1903 800, and the bureau had
a permanent personnel of 325. AT
that time the land owned and occupied
by the bureau at, its fish cultural and
biological stations had an aggregate
area of over 1900 acres, with a value
of $4,000. The improvements and
equipment at these stations repre-
sented an investment of more than
$1.OO0,OOO. Other property OF the bu-
reau at that time included four sea-
going steam and sail vessels, 20 steam
launches and $50 small sail, power and
roWboats, which with equipment had
d value OF $4,000. Its six dsh-trans-
p~ortation cars were valued at $4,000.
Indeed, the total investment Of the
government in ishery-service property
ran to- about $1,585,OO0.. That was
back In 1909.
Well, Ut hasn't stopped growing;
bigger and buster than ever, as the adj
~vertisements say. The appropriation By
congress for the fiscal year 1919 was
$1.1S3140. and for 1922, $1,207,I10.
Besides what congress gave, the Pres
ident allotted In 1918 and 1918. out Of
his private fund Cor the national NJ
carity and defense, 100000. with the
years Of its growth and increasing
funds the bureau had taken on many
new functions and activitfes.
Unti recently the bureau was I'D
minIsterirg % the bert of its ablIity
the Iaws relating 20 The terrestrial ana
arbOreal I'm bearers 0AlaskA Int
the duty was ~inconeruols to its Ieeih-
nlatd fapetteps. Qenassa anaIlx4 M