The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-05
To the Editor Of the Press:
The Guides License Law.

Ahc ALICeHSo La W.
AS the opposers of the guides license
law seem to be misunderstood or rather
understood by many to be in sympathy
with poaehars of both fish and game,
wish to explain my grounds for not BE-
lieving In the license bill.
About twenty-five years ago my prinoi-
pal occupation was guiding and Wen
remem Der little incident that happened
when I was still young in the business
and hundred round weight woulo
down me on the scales. had been sent
for one spring morning ny the then
prince of landlords, Eben Gregg OF An
dover, to come to his house as he mad
job for me. l was soon there and found
the yard full Of sportsmen, and some OF
the Oldest and best guides of the town, al
getting ready for start to the lakes,
fine looking gentleman was just coming
from the house and MIR. Gregg presented
me as his guide and l well remember the
lcok of disgust on his pleasant face Is he
turned to Mr.. Gregg and said what,
you don't pretend to sny sou are going. to
send me into the woods with that shaver
to look after me do you? You don
pretend to tell me that he is an expert
enoed guide do your" Mr.. Gregg gave
good natured chuckle, slapped him on
the back and said, ''Don't you have any
fears of your safety in the woods or un
the lake with that chap. The guide Is
all there If he doesn't look it and you can
come, back on me if you don't find it 30. -
Then gentleman stepped from out the
crowd and said, "Lf that is the Barker
boy l can speak gold word for him, for
my friends had him and they told me he
was A No. II So whether the gentle
man wanted me or not he took ME, and
in the eleven mile row across the lake to
the Upper Dam Landing which ended
the day S work We did not bring up in
the rear, notwithstanding the gentleman
preached to me about over exertion and
assured ma he WAS in no hurry. and had
as soon be behind as ahead.
When the ten days trip WAS ended the
gentleman paid me more than my wages
came to and left, thanking me for the
goUd tins he had had, and with my name
and address in his pocket aud my prom
Use to guide him the following year and
in the meantime he said he would take
pleasure In recommending me to his
friends who came this way.
Now what more desirable badge could
guide have than that and what other
should he work forf Reputation is the
only badge guide should be known hy
and he needs no tin plate 10 advertise
Elm. 1t will do very well for the poor
guide to exhibit around railroad stations
and hotels. The recording business of his
own and other parties doings will do for
the guide troubled with the big head aud
give him a good opportunity to ventilate
his I'm portance but what sensible, modest
guide, who realizes he is the servant of
his employer and who is blest with that
priceless gift of minding his own
business. wants itf ! will wager big
in the State of Maine; and does the read-
er believe there is n sportsman in any
state but what would look with disgust
OH such law, and when talking over
his prospective fishing or hunting trip in
New York or other cities would say,
'sWhat, go tn a state where, after hiring
q guide, paying him 50 30 or So. 90 day
the state says part Of his work shall be
to make record of his doipgsP'
No matter how fair and honorable a
man may be will not this naturally look
like an outrage toJhim, and be very likely
to turn his stems in another direction?
The railroad switch is a small. simple
thing but there is no limit to the result
gifts work.
That the guides license will in any
way remedy the evil of the illegal kill
ing of gnme l think a mistake for the
poacher without the badge will bs a
goacher with the badge. Would the
badge Of a policeman or a thief make
him any less thief at heart? When
darkness covers his dOings and he thinks
it mare to his profit to steal than to be
honest thes badge.only serves as n shield.
A number of years ago was one
of party that found moose
swimming ACROSS Cupsuptie lake in close
tilue. Instead OF killlin him we put a
rope around his horns and after letting
him swim three miles down the lake we
landed and bitohed him TIC tree. We
then notified the sportsmen at the differ
ent camps and after general exhibition
of two or three hours we laShed a knife
to pole and cut the ropes letting hin
20 free and unframed. Was 1t not more
Of advantage to every guide and camp
keeper in the region for the forty or fifty
Ieople to be entertained in this way than
for one poacher to have the satisfactio
of killing and the trouble of concealing
his outraged u net?
Once when crossing the lake with a
boatload of passengers we found deer
swimming in the middle of the lake. We
tied his legs and took him into the
steamer and the passengers were highly
entertained by Detting him. When we
get to, the first landing V hich was hotel
we'll filled with guests we carried the
deer up on to the lawn and cut the ropes
from his legs, setting him free much to
the delight of the / u idred or more ladies
and gentlemen. Was not this deer worth
more alive than dead?
If the stories Of poacEing in some parts
of the state, told by the commissioners
are true, the services of n missionary OF
Salvation Army are needed. TIE I'M
popular and unobserveh law in the woods
is worse than no law for it opens the
door to the poachers and closes it to the
honest sporJsmen. It is good thing tc
let well enough nlone, and in this part
of tho state tie deer have been increasing
for nun, Der of years and sportsmen and
guides are satisfied with it as it is. Ii