The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-09-19
DOGS AND GAME.
THE VIEWS OF A FARMER.
He Thinks the Dog Law Incomplete
and Severely Critictsss the New
Care a~

Caroline Co., Va Sept La 1909
To The Free Lance
The people OF this State seem to have
become hardened or unconcerned as TO
their rights as citizens. We send men 10
the Legislature 10 make laws aud they
make them, not for the people. but for u
few sports That august body of states
men that represented, or claimed to rep.
resent, Virginia In the last session OF the
Legislature, would make such men as
Webster, Marshall, Blaine or Mckinley
pale into utter insigniicance. Why they
passed that dog law no one knows.
That law is Just intended for the honest
people to give in their dogs to be taxed
il choose can say don't own dog
and the assessor is no wiser and goes on
to the next house. II Il collar WAS in'-
nished by the county and ppmber put
on il by the commissioner aud he kept
record OF that number in q book every
dog seen without collar could be killed ,
etc.
We read and re read about that great
Game Law Every time | think ri
this law think of one line in that old
song, This Land of the Free. lteeems
that nowadays il is for only few Il |
understand these ''great" laws. Talk
about Game Warden" reminds me OF
our county road commissioners All the
funds In the treasury would go to the
commissioners. But what on earth do
we want with game wardens, and who
does that game law benefit but lew
sports that have nothing 10 do or will
not do anything but hunt? The land
owners principally are working farmers,
and some Of them never shoot a gun
Now, suppose MIR. A. aas a large farm
well stocked with game. but he hash {
the time to hunt il Mr. B who lives IN
Washington. will pay him $50 for the
privilege OF hunting on his iarm bui
that honorable body says Mr.. B. shall
pay TO the State $40 license TO hunt on
MIR. A's. farm, and il MIR, AZ neighbor
invites Mr. b. to come over and hunt
with him and he Mr.. b. goes over t.
accept the pleasure and MIR Game War
den can ride up and demand OF Mr.. Il
SO for hunting on Mr.. A's neighbor =
farm-now, is that right? Doesn't II
seem to you that Mr. IS farm is rented
,ut TO the State Why. those
honorable gentlemen say man shall
not shoot game on his own iafm
after hall hour sun set or shall
not hunt game in the snow on bis
own farm. DO you suppose that this
WAS the wishes of their constituents? ]
say no We ali say no. And ! suppose
they will be like good old minister VIII"
said to me once. do "a | say an mot a.
do" am willing To help build a mon
1ment out OF sand in memory oil those
mem ers who introduced and voted Tor
those great laws We had q game law
good enough for us all. which gsveevtri
man. land protection. Just aiew years
ago had a nice flock Of wild turkeys To-
raise on my place and before The SEAS N
opened they were being killed by rome
people who are advocating this game
law. When got ready 70 hunt they
we're about exterminated by just sucb
men who think the game must be pro
tected for their selish sport. | notir
this law, says the Times-Dispatch, a.
partly drafted by q sportsman OF Rich-
mond city dare say he does not own
foot OF land, and Il so. he is not unliks
great many Others who are 50 iayor-
able TO this law
Farmer