The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-02-27
FIGHT BEING WAGED ON GAME
LAWS.
Object to Plan Proposed for State
Handling Funds-Present Sys-
tenn Satisfactory.

Object to Plan Proposed for State
Handling Funds-Prcsent Sys-
tenn Satisfactory.
Probably no legislation of recent
years has aroused such storm of
protest from all parts of the state
as that which has been occasioned
by the present new game laws which
are now before the legislature at
Olympia. These bills are officially
known as H. B. Nos. 376. S77 and
S7S, and S. B. Nos. 210, I'll and
PIT.
Meetings have held in practically
every city in the state in the course
OF the last ten days, and in every To-
Ecality where there is a gun club or
hunting organization active steps are
being taken to forward petitions to
Olympia against the proposed bills.
North Yakima has nearly zoo sig
natures to a petition against the bill.
Everett, Bellingham, Walla Walla,
Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma and all the
other places are sending petitions
and representatives 10 Olympia to
enter their protests.
The great storm over the bill
arises from the fact that the state
proposed to handle the funds receiv-
ed from the hunting licenses, same
| to be administered by committee,
which, so the hunters say, will not
be responsible to anyone for the dis
position of the moneys, and there
which it may be expended and it
thus opens up one of the greatest OPP
portunities for political graft.
Under the present system the re-
ceipts from licenses in the various
counties are expended in the district
where they are collected and are used
for the propagation and protection
of game. birds and fish. This has
worked very satisfactorily in the
past.
Another complaint is over the mat
ter of tax for game fishermen. The
sportsmen point out that the state
expends thousands of dollars annual
ly on the propagation of commercial
| fish and the tax on the commercial
| fishermen is very small in proper
| ton to the value of the fish they
take from the waters of the state.
The sportsmen claim that it is not
fair that they should be assessed for
a few hours sport on some Of the
streams, or that woman should be
compelled to pay license for dang
ling fishing hook in the water when
it is well known that woman is too
tender hearted to catch fish.
Provisions of the bills in regard to
open and closed seasons are also un-
satisfactory. Taking the bill as a
whole there are only four or five
sections which meet with general ap-
proval.
| The State Game Wardens' Associ-
alton and the State Fish and Game
Protective Association jointly drafted
a bill which was entrusted to a rep
resentative to introduce in the legis-
lature. This bill has now been
shelved in favor of those which are
now causing SO much unfavorable
comment.
An endeavor will be made this
week by the hunters to have their
bill brought before the committee,
and. II possible. defeat those bills
which are now pending.
A straw vote by the lobbyists Of
the sportsmen at Olympia last week
shows that the present bills have q
majority in their favor and they are
counting upon the Stress Of public
opinion to draw away some Of the
suportersof these bills. cit has been
framed mp" says W. s. Phillips. Of
the Pacific Sportsman, that these
bills will pass. and unless we succeed
mighty. soon In defeating the ends
which are now sought. such . thing
az game protection In this state viii
be . thing Of the past. and the money
which now goes to the propagation
and protection Of game will 80 TO
make up fat salaries for politicians
who have STRINGS on some Of the
] members. II they pass that bin