Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-29

BILL IN THE HOUSE FOR THEIR
PROTECTION.
AIMED AT POT-HUNTERS
And IS Expected TO Supplement the
Laws of the Several States-Inter-
state Traffic in Game Lawlessiy
Killed TO Be Absolutely For
hidden

Washington, March 25.-The bill in
PRODUCED early in the session by Judge
Lacey of Iowa, providing for an en-
largement Of the scope Of the depart
ment of agriculture, has been favor
ably recommended from the commit
tee on interstate and foreign COM
merce, and its chances for becoming a
law, either this spring or during the
short session next winter, are excel
lent. The bill will be of direct inter
est to every sportsman in the country,
and more especially TO those Of the
western and northwestern states, where
the wild game of the country is now
principally confined The bill has d
three-fOld purpose: First, it is intend
ed to authorize the secretary of agri-
culture to provide for the introduction
and restoration of game, song and in
sectivorous birds in such parts of the
country as may be desirable, in his
judgment; second, it gives the secre-
tary the power to prevent the unWise
introduction Of foreign birds and ami
mails; and third, the most important,
the bill is to supplement the various
state laws for the protection of game
and birds.
Nearly every state has its game laws,
but they are evaded by the pot-hunter,
and deer, antelope, prairie chickens,
grouse, quail, and all other kinds of
game, are shipped concealed to other
states, where they are sold in the open
market. Judge Lacey's bill is intended
to begin where the state law leaves off,
The state laws can have no extra-terri-
torial force, and the national laws can
not operate within single state; but
each can supplement the other, and SO
make an endless chain of law enforce
ment, which will insure the protection
of wild game in all parts of thecountry.
Judge Lacey proposes to absolutely
prohibit interstate commerce in wild
game killed in violation of the game
laws. Speaking of the measure he has
this to say:
The pot-hunters are rapidly eXter-
minating wild game in all of the north
western states. Something must be
done to reach them. State laws have
proven Intellectual, because they cannot
reach outside state lines. For instance,
Iowa cannot enact game law which
Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska or Mis-
souri,, her immediate neighbors, would
be bound to respect. The time has
come now for the government, in the
interest of the preservation of the wild
game, to step in an carry to it's logical
conclusion the work done by the sever
al states. The pot-hunters of Iowa,
Minnesota, Kansas, Wisconsin, the Da-
kOtas and Michigan kill all kinds of
game out of season. They not only kill
for their own use, but for the purpose of
sending them for sale in the public
markets. They avoid the state laws
by secretly shipping their wares outside
of the state in which they were secured.
When the game reaches its destination
it is openly offered for sale, and since it
was not killed within the state, the
state laws do not touch it. Interstate
commerce cannot be regulated by the
state; but the states have exclusive
control over the killing and shipping
of game within their borders. When
the fruits Of the violation of state law
are carried beyond the state, the ma
tional government only has the right
to interfere. My bill will give the
game Wardens of the northwest just
the authority which they so long have
stood in need Of l confidently believe
that should the bill become law the
problem of the preservation Of wild
game would forever be solved"
The first of the three-fold purposes
this bill has in mind, as outlined in the
Introduction, is also important. In
many states the native birds have been
well-nigh exterminated. Agriculture
suffers a pecuniary loss by their de-
struction, for they are the best friends
of the farmer and the planter in the
destruction of noxious insects. There
IS sentiment involved in the ques-
ton which makes the preservation and
restoration of these birds matter of
public concern. The prairie chicken
has almost disappeared from many of
the states of the northwest. Should
some of these birds be turned loose in
North Carolina and Virginia, through
national aid public sentiment would
protect them and in time they would
become plentiful again. The grouse of
the northwest Pacific coast could sim
ilarly be made at home in Pennsylva-
MIA and the states of the south. Att
least, the committee thinks the exper-
iment is worth making At moderate
expense it is held that the department
of agriculture could not only introduce |
new species, but could introduce species |
which have become locally extinct, and
at the same time disseminate such in
formation as would create a healthy |
public sentiment for their preservation. |