Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-28
SHEEPMEN TO PAY
COYOTE BOUNTY
-.
Senators SeeIy and CIegg Want
q Present State Law Re-
pealed.
is TOO HARD TO OPERATE.
In It's stead IL is Proposed 10 Enact
A Measure Calling for Special
Tax on EloclSmastcrs,

That the present bounty law, which
is so excellent from the standpoint of
those who would make sure that no
combination can he made to beat II, is
not to survive the present legislature
I. without a fight, IS now a certainty
Senator Seely of Mt Pleasant. one
or the biggest sheep owners in the
state. has joined forces with Senator
Clegg OF Toocc also a big sheep man,
and the pair arc now engaged in draw
ing up a new bounty law.
II is TO be novelty in the line Of
bounty measures, for 1t has q unique
method Of securing the support Of the
city senators. Heretofore these city
solons have looked upon n bounty law
as an alfalfa steS,r much in the same
spirit as they have regarded the roads
and bridges appropriations. Both OF
these measures have always been OPP
posed by tho stock arguments that
they took good state money, collected
IN the centers Of population, and dis
sipatcd II in remote sections often
whore roads were not important. aud
where II mattered not whether the
coyote roamed in freedom ~ was poi
spned to get bounty.
SHEEPMEN WANT TO PAY.
Scnatory seely however sees a way
10 corner the city vote, and he proposes
that his new bounty law shall carry a
provision making special tax on sheep
owners Tor funds. He wants the boun-
~ placed at q good figure, something
that will pay the hunter for his trouble.
and then he wants the fockmasters
10 pay the bill so that no city legislator
.s,.a al..ls 20. Ia Nal
wasted from the general tax funds.
In addition TO this he wants the
means of collection SO slrnplified that
tho sheep man can easily get his money
on showing his pelt. At present the
way is so hedged with red tape that the
bounty is not worth the trouble of col
lecting il. according to many who have
tried within the past two years.
sEELY's VIEW.
When interviewed this morning in
regard 10 his proposed bounty law Sena-
tor Seely said that he did not know
when II would be introduced, as IL was
not quite ready.
II have talked II over with many
sheepmen." he declared, and | am con-
fldent that the fiocknesterx will be Will
ing to stand a special tax 70 be expend-
ed In bounties. We need protection
from the coyotes, just as much as we
Viftu pIbttNllOU lIttU snffD ulStdStS.
We sheepnen already stand heavy
tax 10 pay for state inspection, and for
dipping. and | guess we are ready to
stand n little more FOR killing coyotes.
FOR BIGGER BOUNTY.
II don't caro- about n bounty on bears.
or wolves. but do want one on coyotes
and wildcats. and II ought to be at least
$3.50 per peIt instead of only ST. Per-
sonaIly I should like 10 have the state
take over the pelt, and dispose of II.
turning the proceeds back into the
burden, and guarantee the state against
any duplication by bounty sharps."
DINNER is DUE.
Senator Seely tells u good story of his
experience In connection with the pres
ent bounty law. At his Mt, Pleasant
homo several years ago, he thought 1t
would be Il good thing to have coyote
hunt, and he invited a crowd OF young
people up to his home for a dance, TO be
followed by coyote hunt. The youths
went hunting all right and came to
tho dance, but when the .skins were
counted, there were just enough to cali
for Sc. 80 In bounty money. This reduce
tho cost of the dance and hunt to Sena-
tor Seely from $50 TO s43.50, but when
the senator tried TO- collect he found
that the mighty Salt Lake county hunt
er, John Ward, had got In ahead of him,
and exhausted all the appropriation.
Ever since then Seely has kent his war
rants. and has handed them In for con-
slderation by the committee on de-
ficits. along with the others which were
not paid when the old law was repealed.
He has now invited one or two of his
friends IN the senate to join him In "A
dinner party on the day the bounty is
paid. The dinner Is 10 cost Sc bO---no
more and no less-and as the item is
listed In the bounty deficit now under
consideration. the date of the commit
tees report II being watched.
senator seely says he has resisted
many chances to sell his claim hi n
discount in order TO collect Il himself
from the state.