The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1867-01-19
Tho Source and Strength Of Ken
tuckY Rndichllsm.

tucky tadicalism.
Strange MS it may seem, there Is a local
part Of Kentucky, In which Voices are
cultivated and protected for revenue pur-
poses. II Is not strange, however. that
from that locality springs nearly all the
Black Republican Radicallsm, which has
been and Is now disturbing the peace Of
her people. so much, by way of PREDATORY,
to the following, from the Frankfort cores
pondent OF the Louisville CoUter.
WOLF soALp LAW.
had the curiosity to inquire into the
operation Of the curious premiums which
the State offers for the destruction of q
species Of game, which in England and OF
the continent of Europe Is preserved by
the most stringent penallaws My invcsti-
CATION has revealed some exceedingly in
tercsting facts, which propose to embody
IN this letter. "Skuips," as the scalps OF
foxes aud wolves, are called In the moun-
tains, Is the chief circulating medium Of
some counties, aud are really better than
lgreenbacks, for SO long as the present laws
remain in force there Is no depreciation in
their value. Tho State estimates them at
50 much, and they are paid for out of its
treasury rs punctually as any other demand
against u. Some counties pay no money
into the Treasury but liquldate all their
revenue with "skulps.' Others again
have an excess of"skulps" aud draw money
on them. These "skulpsn are the chief ar
ticle Of produce IN some counties. and he
who Kills a bitch wolf or female fox Is
regarded rs public enemy. A friend tells
me he narrowly escaped with his life out
of one Of those ''skulp' counties for iunO-
Gently killing, while on hunting eXcur-
sion, terocious bitch wolf which he
thought must be n terror to the neighbor-
hood in which IL had a den. He was pur-
sued by q party of infurlated men and
threatened with due vengeance for killing
what one of them called "his wolf" This
man said she was worth ever so much a
year to him, and my friend had 10 pay "a
considerable sum for doing what this fool
ish scalp law offers bonus for doing. My
friend says these men could hardly have
been more eNaSperated if he had killed one
of their children.
1t is estimated, from returns made since
October, that the present "skulp" law will
cost the State $4,000 annually, or more
than six times as much us has ever been
appropriated for the encouragement of ag-
riculturc. Wolves are almost eXtermna-
ted now, and this money goes to pay for
fox ''skulps." Foxes rob hen-roOsts and
break up turkey nests, and may attack very
young pigs and lambs. but are easily
frightened OH by dogs. This large sum is
paid out by the State as protection to
heu-roosts, when. by a little care, the own
ers could be amply protected without il.
For every turkey raised in the "skulpr
counties in the State pays about IS, which
is tolerably dear price TO pay for a COB"
bier for Thanksgiving dinner. | propose
that the State also furnished the cranbcr-
rics, for turkeys Is q poor dish without such
a relish. This ''skulp" law had its origin
in a miserable demagoguism, but, rs those
who are principally benefited by it, are
now the bitterest Radicals in the State, it Is
probable it will be repealed.