Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-30
THE ARIEL CLUB
Continued from page ~

Ceptionally good soil in abundance III
Aroostook county alone, we hn1' out
of 400 600 acres less than i00.Vv acreS
are cleared. 1 think the first troupe Is
that our own people do not comprshe'iu
the. possibilities for the state. anu t'iat
IL is high time their attention was
called to them.
1T is all very well for all OF those
who ire fond of fishing and hunt'his 10
content themselves with Things as th'y
exist. but, personally, l am more ann
more disturbed, as time goes on 10
find orr forests feeding ''anadlaa
towns. when they should and could be
made to build up Maine; and am more
and more impressed, too, with the
Knowledge out of the State people, at
Iracted by our fish and game, are ac-
uuiring and seeking, and take advantage
of for the upbuilding of the State IN
dustrially, to some of whom we are
indebted for many hundreds of tnou-
sands of dollars OF industrial invest
ment, with promise that the expendi-
lures may have but begun.
Il suspect nobody can enjoy more
than 7 the Maine woods and nobody
more than / can feel like having their
attra ctions protected and prolonged
Now this was a communication from
one of the greatest business men of the
state and | quote it to you that you
NAV more readily see how business men
look upon our fish and game interests.
Now | want to say broadly that it is,
and has been the policy of the COM
missioners to seek to give the largest
liberty to the individual to fish and
hunt consistent with keeping UP the
supply But, my friends, experience
has demonstrated that some restric-
tons some protection Is absolutely
necessary, and considerable protection
and considera BILE restriction has been
found necessary to keep up the supply.
My attention has been called recently
10 an editorial in one of the news
papers of the State, containing this
statement: That no part of our State
government has been SO befuddled and
fooled with as our fish and game laws
This editorial started out by saying.
THAT the latest move of the fish and
game commission is the proposition to
place tax on every one who comes to
this State for the purpose of either
fishing or hunting" Now wish to say
that no public official Is above criti-
cism. but submit, and think all fair
minded people so look at it, that criti-
cism should be fair. Neither the COM
mission nor any member of 1t, has
ever advocated a license fee to fish. In
my Bangor address / distinctly and
specifically stated that did not advo-
cate license fee to fish; 1 have always
oDposed such a measure, even when
advocated by those high in authority.
and of commanding social, political and
business standing.
Now I wish to notice the charge that
no part of our State government has
been 50 befuddled and fooled with as
the fish and game laws" as 1t is Sc
we're arraignment of the commission
for incompetency. as it seems to me,
and tends directly to greatly discredjt
the Commission of Inland Fisheries
and Game.
| have been a member of this COM
mission nearly six years; in order to
know If this is fair criticism, IL 1t is
true. permit me to call your attention
to what changes have been made in
these laws during that time. Let me
say right here that no law, no change.
mas been made during that time that
all of the commissioners have not been
agreed upon. No changes have been
made in that time that the Fish and
Game Association of the State has not
recommended, and been very generally
agreed to by all those who take
an intelligent interest in our fish
and game matters, and then only
after iull discussion and patient
inyestiga ton. | have. indeed. been
a believer in license fee to hunt
big game for many years. have
never advocated it before the Legisla-
ture. because there has been such
division of sentiment among our peo-
pie in relation to 1t. Now as to the
charge of "befuddling and fooling with
the fish and game laws" so broadly
made. l wish to call your attention
specifically to all the changes of a
general character that have been made
since | have been on the commission,
and then ask you to judge of the mat
ter.
First-Caribou. In 1899 an absolute
close time of six years was put upon
caribou but, before that was done,
they had disappeared from the State
disappeared before the muZZles of Win
chester ritles-though many claim that
for some unknown cause they suddenly
migrated to some unknown and as yet
unfound land. There was no opposition
TO this law-no one has ever asked for
it's repeal.
Second-Moose, The open season on
Csc has been shortened from months
to weeks; a perpetual close time has
been put on COW and calf moose. dc
not believe that bakers dozen could
be found in the whole State who would
favor the repeal of this amendment;
certainly no effort has ever been made
to change it. and only praise has been
heard in relation to it.
= Deer. There has been practically no
change in the deer law. The number
that may be killed remains the same
at two: the open season remains the
same with the exception of taking off
the last half of December to prevent
their slaughter in the deep SHOWS
which usually prevail at that time of
year, and no adverse criticism, so far
as I know. has ever been made on this
change.
Many have advocated going much
farther. and advocate law prohibiting
he kt1iiy,r nf