The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-17
STATES GAME LAWS
COMMISSIONER WALLACE WRITES
 OF THEM TO "OUTING.o
It h Understood That Editor Caspaf whitney Will Recommend The Alabama Law To Other
 States.

State Game and Fish Commissioner John H. Wallace, Jr.. is in receipt of letter from Caspar Whitney, eoitor or the we'll known journal Of recreatioh and out of door sports outing MT. Whitney has heard of Alabama's game laws and has written MT Wallace TOT some information on the sueJect. ].
 In his letter MT. Whitney suggests that Alabama evidently has the best formulated statutes for the protection of game of < any State in the union, and for the purpose of making intel ligent suggestions to the game depart- mereos of other States he has made this inqcny. ,
 In his letter to MT. Whitney MT. Wallace has set forth the nature of the laws and the great good that has been accomplished through their en- forcement in the State. The letter IS as follows: ,
 "Up to February, 1907. we have had only local laws in Alabama for the preservation and protection or tne game birds and animals of this State. These statutes were signal failures Tor the reason that they were never en- forced and were openly and notorious iy violated by practically everyone.
 Recognizing the fact that speedy and efficient Legislation was imperative in order to preserve the remnant or RamG DlTQS HI LulS oCatS iAoAA4 S>~~~~--s nation, the last Legislature passed general game law, creating the de- partment of game and fish and duly installing a game warden service. NO law Is automatic. Unless there IS specially constituted corps of officers to enforce a law, it will remain dead letter on the statute books.
 "Practicaify every sportsman ana game protectionist in the State have secured hunters license and these are standfng up and standing out strong, in favor of our most excellent aws. I believe that fully ninety per cent Of the violations have been prosecuted. There has been 1s6 prosecutions under the game law and 12S convictions' which demonstrates the fact that there is a most substantial sentiment oack of the enforcement of this statute.
 There has been a most marked trn- provement in the game and bird sit uation of every hand. Even the sym pathies of the women of the State have been enlisted and their cooperation has been extended in restricting the use of birds and feathers for ornamen- tai purposes. Within the last year. bird life in this State has increased not less than twenty per cent and the outlook is most encouraging. The peo- ple seem ready to inform on those who violate the laws and are eager to ex- tend evidence ih the courts that will bring the miscreants to justice.
 we have a game warden constabul- ary for the enforcement of these stat utes consisting of not less than 1000 men and a vast majority of these seem to be taking an active interest Tn their work The new game law has dis banded an average of not less than lO0 hunters each day in each of our sixty seven counties. For five months each year formerly these 6,700 men would invade the fields and forests and would kill on an average of not less than ten ouaiIs each, to say nothing of the squirrels, ducks, wild turkeys, snipe, woodcocks, besides the song and in- sectivorous birds they would destroy. In a years time, this great armed horde would kill not less than S.7l0s- 900 quails. Quafis were shipped ,nv the thousands last season from Ala bama and brought not less than fifty cents each. This baneful practice has been absolutely stopped. The game law, therefore, will save to the people of Alabama in intangible values Tn quail alone of not less than $4.35b.0oO this season.
 while the greatest game destroyers ex- tant These have practically quit hunting and have discarded their ire arms As you can readily see, this adds to the peace and comfort or the people of Alabama in more ways than one.
 s"The people of this State have re- cognized the fact that we have let many of our most valuable assets go to waste not only in matters of game birds but forests as well. Hence real izing the imperative importance of making a strenuous effort to save what we have left, they seem to be very much interested in the enforcement of the laws relating to the preservation of the game. the fish and the forests"