Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-17
State Commissioner n. B. Gro
mar Tells of Deficiencies of
Present Statute.
ANNUAL INCOME is LARGE
Service Would Justify Payment of
Adequate Salaries to Preserve
Sporting Streams OF Utah

FiVUl the St2lldppint or the state,
this has been very successful sporting
season" said state Game Commissioner
H. b. Cromar today. up to date the
amount of fishing and hunting licenses
taken out in the state exceeds the fig
uros Of last year at this time by nearly
80 per cent, with considerable por-
ton OF the season yet to hear from.
Up to last evening the income from
licenses amounted to $l4,63O.l9 while
last years figures up to the Sth Of Aug
ust We're $l0,333.03 The total income
last year from licenses exceeded $4,000,
and II the comparison holds good
throughout the season, the income from
the same source this year viii run pref
~ close to $4,000.
And In this connection" continued
Mr.. Cromar. Il wish to make state
ment The matter of preserving the
hsh and game of this state has ar
rived at stage when emphatic means
must he taken to enforce the laws, or
II viii not be many years until the
streams win be denuded Of their fish
and the mountain ravines of their
game
only last week some of our game
wardeus made arrests In several coun-
ties for dynamiting fish streams, and
for the Illegal killing of deer And the
streams are so numerous and hunting
grounds so scattered that the game
wardens. vigilant though they be con-
sidering the small amount OF their re-
Enumeration. cannot keep track and
constant watch over them all. What we
need IL to have new fish and game
law that will provide for a sufficient
number Of deputy wardens for the V;lri-
Gus counties of the state, at an ade-
-
spending their time and giving their
attention to the matter of protecting
the fish and game. There is not enough
pay in the positions at present to war
rant a man spending more than
small fraction of his time in guarding
the hills and streams, and our lawmak-
ers should see to 1t that at the next
session of the legislature n fish and
game statute is placed upon the books
that Will guarantee, as far as the state
| Is concerned, the preservation of the
sporting grounds and waters of the
commonwealth.
SALARIES INADEQUATE
ITO show the inadequacy of the
| present salary paid TO deputy wardens,
! viii state that only six in the larger
counties receive as much as $50 per
month. and each one of these must
keep n horse and buggy to cover his
ground In the other counties, the
remuneration Of deputies goes some
| times as low as SIS per month, and
no man can devote much of his time
| to preserving game at that amount.
NEW LAW NEEDED.
I'm my opinlon-and the present in
come from licenses justifies the pro-
! position-a good, efficient deputy war
| den should be provided in each coun-
| ty. at a salary that would justify him
| in spending all his time In watching
| the streams and game grounds There
should be about half a dozen chief
| deputies, whose duty IL should be TO
| go from county to county, under the
| direction of the state commissioner, to
| see that the other deputies We're at
| tending to their duties. All the dep
| uties should be under the jurisdiction
| of the state commissioner, and APP
! pointed by him, instead of by the
| county commissioners, as at present,
| as then a standard of efficiency could
| be guaranteed in each instance. There
| should be a sliding salary scale, to he
| adopted for the payment of the Vari-
| GUS Wardens, not to exceed Sl25 per
| month for the chief deputies. who
should be at the constant call of the
| service. and when this is done, and
| not until, shall we have adequate pro-
lection for our fish and game.
WANT MORE HATCHERIEs,
"Another need OF the state in re-
gard To the fish industry Is a hatchery
| at Sprngvillc, and one at Fish Lake.
| The fish in the southern part of the
state run much earlier than in the
northern part, and with hatcheries To-
Gated at these central points, we could
double the amount of fry planted in
| the streams Of the state. The hatch
cry at Murray is not large enough to
take care Of all tho streams Of the
state, and at least two others are
needed, These, l hope, viii be author
lied by the coming legislature so that
the men who love the sport of fishing
| and hunting and their number is
| legion in this western cOunry-may
have their opportunities for enjoying
the sport increased every year. rather
| than diminished.