The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-07-21
AS1RONG LETTER
Secretary Rice Makes Appeal for
Aaauhon Society.
DOING GOOD WORK.


DOING GOOD WORK.
lie Points Out the Valuable Results
That Have Been Accomplished in
South Carolina in Spite of Lack
of Eunds and Under Great Difficult.
ties.
The following letter written by
Mr.. James Henry Rice, secretary OF
the South Carolina Audubon Society
was published in The News and
Courier one day last week:
Spartanburg, S. c., July II, 1908.
To the Editor of The News and
Courier: Sir-Saturday's copy of
The News and Courier was delayed,
reaching Spartanburg Saturday night.
Hence 1 did not see your editorial on
the Alabama game law until to-day.
You have been imposed on by the
featuring regulations out of nothing.
common an cheap method of manu-
Alabama has a good law-it ought
to be a good law, for it was written
by the Audubon Society, and passed
principally through the efforts of
Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, national sec
rotary, whose home is at Greensboro,
N. G. SouthCa rolina contributed
generously with suggestion and
otherwise.
Mr.. John III. Wallace possibly also
contributed, and he may have writ
ten, that is to say, copied, the law
from. the original Audubon draft,
and may have had it presented to
the Legislature.
Just prior to the passage Of the
Act I received Letter from promin-
ent member of the Alabama Legisla-
ture ridiculing the game law, espe-
cially the effort of the Audubon So
ciety to secure better laws.
: The Audubon Society made certain
revelations before the Legislature of
of the State to action a. q caused
widespread comment throughout the
Union. It was shwn among other
things that sixty thousand (60,o00)
live parridges had been shipped the
previous season from three small
4owns in Alabama, and that the
pall,i6ge was about to become eS-
tinct in many portions of the State
"a fact not known at all in the State
of Alabama.
To credit Mr.. Wallace, or anybody
else in the State of Alabama with
!. having written a good game law is
simply to misstate the facts OF re-
cord. The Alabama law is simply a
copy of the same law in South Caro-
lima, and the South Coralina law
was passed first. Alabama has a
meagre fish law, just as South Caro-
lima has. When Mr.. Taylor and my
self write a good fish law they will
probably have good fish law in
Alabama shortly afterward, and
somebody else will credit Mr.. Wallace
with provisions and all the other
qualities. :,
There is difference in Alabama S
favor, for which they deserve credit.
They began by electing a State game
and fish commissioner, with a salary
of $4,000, who is elected by the peo-
I ple and holds Office for four years,
the Act being passed at the session
of 1907. The State pays all the ex-
penses of his Office, except the COM
missioner's travelling expenses.
Printing and all other expenses are
paid by the State.
The same Act makes all sherlf1s,
constables, deputy sheriffs, narshais
and other peace officers ex-omcio
game wardens, and provides for the
appointment of county game Wardens
on commission.
This placed, ready-made, IN the
hands Of the State fish and game
commissioner, a machinery for en-
forcing the laws, and money WIN
which to make the machine go.
Alabama has nonresident licen-
Sc law. the fee being SIS, and they
make a hunters license for citizens
of one dollar, good only for the
county in which. they live; outside
their own county they must pay an
other license of S.. 1t is from these
sources that $4,000 was realized
and the sum is only one-1ttn What
it ought to be.
Before leaving his branch or the
subject do not forget that the power
that forced action and that gives
stability to the whole scheme Is the
Audubon society, which mas accom-
n,ished a great deal more IN South
Carolina than it has in any other
Southern State, in fact, in the same
length of time.
Let us pass now to the conditions
oo,frontius us in South Carolina ana
colhne discussion to statement oI
the facts to date.
The Audubon Act, granting d
cnar,er to lAe Audubon Society ot
so,tn Carolina, and making certain
rornl.tlons as to the sale, t:"r&p Dr.
tation and killing of game, and pro-
, yiding for a nonresident license Oh
ten dollars, was entitled into Id" a'