Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-15
DEAIERI|||!IuPIIhIARMS,
PROPOSED GAs1Ez Law, rHErssAr,
IS a FARCE ]
.OTHER.sTATEs. HAv E5TRIED. III.
In Spite OF such Il sweeping Provi-s
ssions, seventy-F,ive Per Cent. OF.
the Birds Sold In This Market
Comes from North Carolina md
Il Tennessee, In tie Close season,

Fl The proposed uniform game law for
Virginia has raised a stir: among the bird
and game dealers. some of whom call the
new law absurd; while others attribute
its rise to purely selfish motives on the
part of sportsmen and game hunters.
These large dealers claim that the gene
raj sentiment Of the people is in favor
of no such radical change. and, therefore,
tits doubtful whether such law. would
be enforced to the, letter.
Both North Carolina and Tennessee
have laws patterned after the proposed
type for Virginia; the laws in: both States,
however, are farces, it Is said. as about
seventy-five per cent. Of the game, such
as birds and rabbits sold on this market
come from those two States. notwith-
standing the fact that the law is. prohibi-
tory. Such law in Virginia, it Is said,
north, because the dealers would adopt
the methods of bordering States. and
smuggle the game both into the State and
out again.
THE. PRESENT TACTICS.
AT the present time birds are so plentl-
full In Tennessee and the Carolinas that
the markets cannot take care of those
killed, SO. the game dealers pack them
securely and ship them out Of the State
as butter, eggs: or poultry In some. cases
birds and rabbits are consigned in iron
boxes to fictitious people who know how
to get hem upon arrival. This is done as
a protection. Gs*ff -
AS! 81 rule, however such care is. not
necessary. because smuggling Is winked
at BY the officials. Shippers, however. are
$1r1 F1, y, ~,
the employees Of ;. express companies, or
others handling the boxes. steal the con-
tents. no claim can be made for fear of
discriminating the; consignors. The, prof
its. it. is. said. more than cover sthe. risk
and Losses, so the shipments continue.
WOULD RUIN3TF4E MARKETS.
Should the proposed new. Virginia law
be. put, into active operation the; imme-
! date effect, the dealers say, would be
to- ruin the. market for birds. On good
authority tt Is said that ninety per cent
of the deer and birds handled on the
! Virginia markets areyreshipped. out Of the
State. mostly Washington, Baltimore,
Philad elphia,: and New Y ork.e i this were
stopped by law, then would the loca
| markets have to care for the ninety pei
cent: which heretofore went north. a nc
the effect would be an immediate glut
The price Of birds would drop from SIS
or 81 dozen to about so cents, which
would curtail the profits Of the farmers
who ship birds to the nsrket
The hunting Of birds for profit would
soon be stopped with the result that those
parties who enjoy a bird and a bottle
would have to- change their diet. These
people who eat game but do not hunt. i
is said, should be taken into considera'
| ton. t5's
PLENTY. OF. GAME.
Were there any occasion for protecting
game in this State from -annitilation thy
proposed law would. meet with the ap
prevail even of those who: i now, condemn
it. But, according. to dealers. who have
reports from all SECTIONS, game this sea
son is more plentiful than In years. Their
| is. mo danger. they say, OF. killing Off tn,
birds because it cannot be done by hunt
ers, alone. The wholesale destruction o
birds is due partly to hawks, but largel.
| to winter SHOWS. There are times whel
SHOWS last for weeks, and whole COVE
are found frozen or starved, but latel.
| there has been no such devastating sea
/ SON. So. long as hunters gun in the oil
legitimate way, game dealers say tina
birds and other game will continue plen