Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-11-19

The following sensible editorial from
the Springfield Republican will be read
with interest by all who believe in the
enforcement of the wise laws enacted
for the protection Of the valuable
game interests of our State.
Game laws are VIGOROUSLY difficult
to enforce. and where they are for the
mere protection of private owners OF
lands there is not unnatural feeling
of resentment, having its legitimate
origin in the remote times when the
wild creatures. whether of the air or
the earth. were the common quarry OF
the hunter. wherever he might find
them and no man stopped him. There
fore no pOacher of Austria or England
but never questions his right against
the law which cuts off the freedom of
the wandering days Of man by a
special protection for the landed pro-
prietor. The practice of preserving.
whether of large tracts of country. as
in the Adirondacks, the White noun
tains, the Maine woods or the Canada
soltudes for large game. or of the
trout brooks of the Berkshire hills, is
growing in this country and the prohi-
bition is met with the same resent
ment. 1t is certainly exasperating to
the old fishermen of our Alpine regions
or our rolling plateaus. to find the
streams he has fished over for AL his
life now placarded with the warnings
of some club which has acquired ex-
elusive privileges that he will be prose-
cuted for trespass il ne be caught fish
ing in them. But the question OF vio-
lating state game laws made for the
protection of deer or grouse or other
creatures in the close season is quite
different. and here il is not the fisher
man who wants a string of trout for
his superior the pot-hunter who hunts
for money that is the worst offender
This matter is brought up by the
requisition made upon Gov. Wolcott by
the governor of Maine for the extradi-
ton Of Boston citizen who is charged
with killing a moose out of season.
The honora BILE. law-abiding sportsman
can hardly fail to understand why this
step has been taken. 1t is said to be
common practice for summer sojourn-
ers in Maine woods from Boston. New
York and elsewhere to slaughter moose
and caribou in violation Of the game
laws of the State, and then on sum-
mons to appear before a justice and
pay the fine imposed for each animal
so shot and to repeat the offense and
pay the fine again, if the charge is
again made. A few hundred dollars
are nothing to these wealthy pleas
urers. in comparison with the sport
they have. and they seem to think the
disobedience of law of no consequence.
or rather, perhaps, that the law is fully
satisfied by the payment Of the pen
atty. If the despised pothunter should
do the same and be caught he could
not pay the fine. Perhaps the gov
ernor of Maine thinks it well that this
custom of the invaders should be en-
phasized by bringing to book one of
them, thereby at least making it known
that the fine must be paid. 1t is really
not clear why lawlessness should be
condoned because the offender is
prominent socially" and "a business
man of standing" If the case of the
Boston engineers extradition is the
only one on record. that fact does not
show any injustice: if he be guilty of
breaking the law his case is not bet
tered because a score of others have
broken the law and evaded the penalty.