The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-24

than his own, or rents. or who hunts outside of the voting precinct or ms residence, must pay si for such prtvl- lege: that every person who hunts out side of his County of residenoe. wno does not hunt or lands owned or rent- ed by him, must pay q license fso ot @; that every person who is q non. resident of this state, who hunts n Aiabams, must pay SIS.
 Tt may surprise you to know that with our agricultural class of people, the game law is exceedingly popular. The farmers have recognized the fact that some protection must be extend ed to the game. or the time would soon come when thera would not be ves- tige left in Alabama.
 The Idea that game laws are stat ues made for the benefit of the rich Is an exploded theory. The money-king, desiring sport. has hut to step aboard his palace car and be whtrled In few hours to a veritable sportsman's para disc, where he can find in pristine abundance in the primeval forests ev- cry species of game that could delight the hunters heart. The ordinary cttl- zen is prevented. on account of his lim- ited means, from making these excur- sions. and If he Is to partake of game and enjoy the sport found In hhnting lL. Hence the game laws are directly ben- eficiai to the common masses.
 "A few people fin Alabama have ob- jected to the statute prohibiting the sale of game, but practically ail have been pacified and but few infractfons of this statute now occur. Despite the fact that there wers many local laws, prohibiting the sale of game. until the establishment of the Department of -l. -tI .E.. cry County in the State in direct viola ton of law. The pot-hnnter cannot be checked in the pursuit of his murder ouc vocation in a surer way than to deprive him of market for his wares
 Formerly the fronts or many mar kets were strung with hundreds of game birds and animals. which stood out as a naaseating sight to those who knew of the practices resorted to to extinguish so much wild lifey The price of game was so high that the ordinary citizen could not afford to purchase 1t as an article of food. hence only the rich were enabled to partake of such delicaeies. The law prohibits the sale of game. whether taken with in or without the State. This makes our law effective. for were the sale of game. imported to Alabama, to be per- mitted. 1t would only be an inwitation to the pot-hunters, within our borders. to continue to slaughter the game within the State and to smuggle 1t in to hotels and restaurants where 1t would be sold under the guise of hav- ing been secured from neighboring States.
 aThe last Legislature passed resoIu- tions mefnoriaiizng Congress to estab- fish a fish hatchery in Alabama. This biiT fsas already passed the Senate and will probably pass the House before Congress adjourns.
 Operating Expensea.
 "The sportsmen of Tennessee would enthusiastically support q model and modern game law system. The state Game and Fish Commissioner should be placed on a salary, payable out of the game and hsh protection fund which ahowad be created. and into which all moneys derived from the sale of hunt CTS licenses should be paid. The State of Tennessee under the Alabama sys- tenn goald collect not less than s60,000 annually. and the Department of Game, Fish and Forestry could be conducted with great beneHt to the rnasses at an expenditure of not exceeding sio,ooo per year. The surplus should be ex- pended in the importation of foreign game birds, such as pheasants and Hungarian quail. and in the construc- ton and operation of fish culture sta- tions.
 We have strong laws h this state against dynaSnitlng, and we have se- cured a number of convictions under Athaae statutes. The naurderouS dyna- hitter. prior to the establishment of tue -proSesst aoSssas- seB,vssS. for staneilAg the fish law. was In his glory Con scious of the enorn1ity of his crime, this creature steaithily approached the body of water he had marked as a