The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-04-14
The Violation of Game Laws.


ing changes in our fish and game laws,
for the purpose OF making them more
effective for the preservation of the same.
The thought naturally is, when viola
tions of the law are called to ones atten-
ton, that the remedy lies in enacting
more stringent laws. 1t is my intention
in this communication to call public at
tention to the condition of things regard
ing the violation of game laws, the rea-
son therefor, and suggest possible RENE
dy or what may lead up to a better con-
dition of things.
In the first place, | claim that the laws
affecting our fish and game are better en-
forced than is the case with most other
laws upon our statute books, and that
public opinion is improving in sustaining
an enforcement of law and improving our
fish and game preserves. But | also adj
NIT that there is need of a better protec-
ton of our fish and game, (game espec-
laily,) and better appreciation of its
care. While public sentiment is improv
ing, and the State at large appreciates
more and more each year the great adj
yantages derived from these resources,
there will be for many years more or less
violation of law same as the lawless vio-
late any and all law when it seems for
their interest to do so.
How to meet the demands in the direc-
ton of best preserving our game resources
is the one living question that calls for
the best Judgment of every person who
would see the State receive the greatest
benefit from them. What is best for the
State at large, not what is best for this or
that section on interest, should be the
problem to be solved.
To that end let me make the following
suggestions:
First, as | have said to many persons,
the State receives its greatest benefits
from its fish resources. Very much
greater than from its game, for from its
fishing privileges come thousands of
tourists who spend many months at our
inland resorts, by lake and ponds, annual
ly leaving large sums of money. This
feature of the State 5 visiting business may
be increased many fold by tie increase
of our best fish in waters no" stocked and
by stocking many waters we'll adapted for
their breeding. In this direction | would
turn the attention of those desiring to
make the most of these privileges for the
State.
Let the fish and game business be sep
arated. Let the appropriation for the
preservation and culture of fish be at least
S25, 600, which sum would show in ten
years remarkable results in fishing re-
sorts and consequent increase in visiting
tourists and their families. Its benefits
would be felt in almost every hamlet in
Maine, in one way or another. The tax
upon a valuation of 81, 900 for this amount
would be about twenty cents and | do not
believe that the tax payers of the State
would raise the least objection to it.
1t is the big game and its care which has
led up to the most criticism and which
creates the most discomfort.
Do not understand that | would advise
the abandonment of the care of our large
game, or less attention TO its protection
and preservation. On the other hand the
method suggested of dealing with it,
woald to my mind lead up to the best
possible results. | assume that our fishing
interests are general. Also that our game
interests are mainly sectional. In other
words, the benefits coming from our fish
ing resources are general in their scope,
and that the benefits coming from our
large game accrue to certain localities and
to certain individuals OF corporations.
To be more definite, those whose bust
ness it is to care for the sportsmen. hotels,
guides, steamboats, upon inland waters,
and those carrying them by rail, or trans
porting then express, receive largely the
benefits derived from our large game.
These interests are mostly in one part of
the State. or rather a large part Of the
State only Indirectly and remotely receives
any profit from the preservation II large
game. Therefore it is and must be sec
tional in lis benefits. do not wish to be
understood as saying that it is not Of suf-
ficient momentI ard its benefits general
enough to demand the care of the whole
State, il that was The only and best way
SO preserve it. But feel there is a better
way, fairer and mole Just.
Having Appropriated so, GOO for fish and
fish culture, | would compel ever non resi-
dent person who desired to hunt moose.
caribou or deer to pay annually five dol
lars for thai privilege, and each resident
OF the State, one dollar for the same right.
l have always opposed license fee upon
non residents, and would now, if it did
not apply in some measure to the resi-
dent.
Law to be accepted must be just and
fair. It tax the non~ resident alone is
not Just or fair law to my mind. To
tax the resident as much as the non
resident would not be fair or just, because
he is paying his proportion of the
appropriations for the care of fish.
The non resident, who would feel
injured by being alone taxed, would see
that there was in this no attempt to take
unfair advantage of him and the resident,
it would seem, ought to be willing to pay
something for the preservation of kind
of game which he desired to hunt
1t was stated in the report of the fish
and game commissioners that some seven
thousand sportsmen from out of the
State came here to hunt large game last
season. Suppose five thousand should
come. and l see no reason to reduce the
number, tax of five dollars would give
S25, 00O and if five thousand in the State
hunted large game, we would have $780, :
900 TOR the preservation and protection of
large game. These two amounts for fish
and game would make Names fish and
game interests grow marvelously.
[ would then give additional privileges,
the right to ship game lawfully taken to
the homes of those desiring to do so, and
other reasonable privileges. l would go
further, and without hesitation separate
the commission, by making one of them a
game protector, and he should be entrust-
ed with the care of game and the enforce
ment of the game laws.
The other two to be entrusted with the
care and culture of fish and each advisory
raoar6jnO hnt, ficb nd ,ro ana