Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-02-01
APPEAL AGAINST REPEAL.
W. W. Barrett Gives Reasons why His
Office Should Not BE Abolished.

express my regret that the condition Of
things makes it necessary to ask for a
hearing once more in your journal.
I have harbored the hope that the sue
cess attending the prosecution of the
work of my Office during the last two
years has been such that no one would
feel disposed to seek the repeal of the
law pertaining thereto.
| deem it unnecessary to offer any
reason why it would be wise to keep the
matter of irrigation and forestry promi-
nently before the people. 1t Is sufficient
to say their full development in North
Dakota, as is true of the entire west,
will add materially to the best welfare
of the state and the people, and it can
not but be the part of wisdom to en-
courage the same, especially as they are
the surest and probably the only means
for providing against drouths and hot
winds, and for producing the best and
highest status Of agricultural and hort1-
cultural pursuits.
And here allow me to say: It will be
remembered the writer assisted in maxi
ing a collection of our state exhibit at
the Worlds Columbian fair, and for our
forestry exhibit, North Dakota secured
two OF the highest awards, while numer-
our states received none, and some but
one award. Our forest seeds and wild
fruit exhibit 1--WE have car loads of the
same each year in North Dakota), was
by far the best at that great exhibition,
except France had a superb exhibit of
that Kind, and according to the best light
o%btainable upon the subject, our state
was the only state or nation of the globe
to secure an award on that class of speci-
mems, a matter of no ordinary credit to
our prairie state.
1t will be remembered that the last
legislative assembly added a new de-.
partment to this office, that of fish and
game, and that, from the nature of
things, has demanded and received
much of my attention during the last
two seasons. And although the laws re-
lating to fish and game were found to be
very defective in some important parts,
nevertheless the showing has been most
encouraging. Protectors were secured
in many parts Of the state aud much
good work done, and the result has been
this: The illegal destruction of game
creased, according to my best judy
cent, and the illegal shipments of
game and birds within and without the
state have been reduced to a minimum.
In1oo1 ~ vrDy,11 coop, that fou tho looA
SIX months practically no illegal ship
over the leading transportation lines,
except it may be possible some birds
have left in a few cars operated by
hunters.
This most gratifying result has been
reached through proper correspondence
with the transportation companies, who
have given the strongest assurance these
laws of our state will be strictly obeyed.
Fish have been added to various
waters Of our state and arrangements
made for future supplies.
The taking Of fish by ean of nets.
crates, ETC., has been materially abated,
and through my earnest efforts fish-ways
or sluices have been put IN over dams,
by which the fish are enabled to pass up
the streams.
Other states of the Union pay out
from $4,000 to $4,000 a year in behalf of
fish and game, but North Dakota has
made no direct appropriation for the
same. In order to put the fish and game
business in running order during the
last two years, I have paid out from my
own private purse the sum of 5000 for
travelling expenses and the printing of
circulars.
I cannot but conclude the work be-
slowed and the favorable results achieved
in the department of the fish and game
alone is worth more than the cost to the
state for running this department, and
for the maintenance of this branch of
state service alone, which provides for
cheap and nutritious food for the people,
the law of this office should not be re-.
pealed. This, too, I believe, is the con-
viction of the majority of the people of
our state.
I commend my thee reports, under
one cover, TO the unbiased consideration
of our Intelligent Legislators.
Let us see what it costs to run in
other states the three departments such
as are embodies in this one in North
Dakota. Colorado pays it commissioner
of forestry $500 a year, South Dakota
pays it's superintendent or engineer of
irrigation $500 a year, and Minnesota
pays $4,000 per year for it's fish and game
business. Here is $1,000. Under the
law for the management of these three
departments of state service North Da-
kota pays Sl,500 a year. But / have never
received any money for travelling expenses
but $1,000 a year for salary. My travel
ing expenses in the prosecution of my
official duties amounts to $3.50 per an
mum, leaving a net of but $3.50 per year.
And in 1893, I paid for freight on woods
from Chicago, and for expenses when
handling the same, the sum of $50, leav-
ing me $500 that year. I give my Off
cial duties my entire time and attention,
and but few, If any one has found fault
| with the amount or the quality of the
work done by this department..
I will here add, the amount earned is
not excessively high in view of the fact
that for many years, when a business
man, my net income was from five to six
dollars per day, while at other times as a
bookkesper my salary was $4,000 per
year.
Actuated by but one motive-that f
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