Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-04

~. and think it will come as 1 sur
prise to those towns L" knew that the
loss of population was occasioned by
the ravageS of deer.
III may be claimed that the planta-
lions ard townships near the border
line, where there are but few settlers
are the places affected by the unjust
Jaws Pr Otectirg game. Let us see rhir-
ty-one plantations and townships made
gain Of 211% in population, and 10
such places loss Of g.. 4 net gain in
the plantations and townships Of 1871.
! took occasion to -efer to the valua
ton of AroostoOk county. and find thar
iii 1884. the county had State valua-
tion of $lG,931. 43l and in 1904 the yalu-
alton is fixed at 81, $685. 500. !. gain in II
years Of S6,6G7,1.l. The number Of polls
increased during the same time. $50.
Aroostook county, the great north
ern county has. it must be admitted
made a grave stand against the i'll ef-
fects of SO unjust game laws. But how
about other counties? 1t may be a sur
prise to know that every border coun-
~ made gain in population. and the
only counties which did not make 4
gain are Hancock, which lost only \
i'll population, and Knox and Lincoln
counties. Some e-perhapS-will ex-
plain Just how those unjust and arbi-
traIy laws got i'm their work i'm reduc-
ing the population of those two coun-
ties"
The statement of the legislative COM
mttee of the Grange, that it should
be for the farmers. and not the sports
men. to say what kind of game laws
the Incorporated towns at least. should
have. is commented upon to some
length. as is the resolution which WAS
reported by the Lewiston Journal as
adopted by the Grange: The members
of this order believe that wild animals
and civilization in its highest forms
cannot exist side by side. We, there
fore. demand that such animals shall
receive protection only on the wild
lands, which comprise more than two
fifths Of The total area Of the State"
Secretary Harrington concludes his
report as follows:
IF this be true as outlined in the res
olution. one must almost shudder at
the thought of the danger which hava
beset the people of Maine since the first
settlers planted foot upon it's soil. For
one, l do not believe in this declara-
ton of principles, nor shall / believe it
represents the opinion of the farmers of
Maine until we have further evidence
of it. If it be true as stated. should not
the state at once set on foot q cam
paign which would remove from the
State the last vestige Of animal or bird
life?
The mere knowledge of thousands of
deer. moose and o:hcr wild animals in
two rifths of the area Of Maine. and the
further tact that many must come in
close contact with them in the numbering
and settling sections. empha sizes the ne
cesSity nf taking no chances against 1
condition that threa tens the advancement.
of civilization of our people.
The savage only killed sufficient game
for his necessities. and this demand for
the. right to kill all game within or upon
ones own land goes even beyond thu
savage instinct. May i: not be hoped
thai the time, rather. may come when
mankind will not desire TO slaughter any
wild bird or animal except such as il be
comes necessary to kill as safety and ne
cesSty demand: May We not hope to live
to see the day when ii is NOT regarded
necessary to protect any game, that 9th
erS may indulge in the slaughter y: it?"