The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-07-21

matter before both branches of the
! General Assembly. The facts were
clearly presented and met with gen.
eral favor. Such amendments to
the game and fish laws as were OBJ.
vlously necessary were embodied In
tt. o.ai CT t@;. ellis. sua fsi;.t Ting
ITO game and che relating u hsn
both were as thorough and well
drawn as any two bills ever presented
on the subject to any legislative body
lin America. These two bills were
simultaneously introduced into the
House and into the Senate. In the
Senate they had action first, since
they were in the charge Of Senator
Christensen, of Beaufort, who made
business of them and pushed them
; through. The, House bills Jagged
through lack of proper attention
and were delayed SO long that it was
only possible for them to get their
third reading on the last day Of the
session, and the announcement OF
Senator Latimer's death prevented
that. Hence no action was taken by
the Legislature and things reverted
to the status quo ante bellum.
The Audubon Society has created
a healthy public sentiment through
out the State on the subject, had sue
ceeded in .convicting a number OF
violators of the laws and lacked
only funds to make the work
thorough and effective in every part
Of the state.
The legislature having failed to
take action there were only two
courses open. One was to take the
usual course and express regret that
nothing could be done further, the
Audubon Society having discharged
its full duty to the State and to the
cause. The responsibility would
rest on the legislature; they could
face the people and explain them
non-action.
The course actually adopted was
the alternative of keeping up the
work in the field by might an main.
Conviction has followed conviction.
The game laws Of South Carolina
are better enforced today than are
the laws of Alabama or of North
Carolina. This enforcement has not
only been self-sustaining, but it has
not cost the State of South Carolina
la red cent.
Please remember that this work
has now been going on for nearly
a year and half. The only income
the Audubon Society has had have
been membership dues and the frac-
ton of nonresident license that was
collected. There is nothing wonder
full about collecting nonresident
and resident hunters license with
the whole machinery of State back
of you and plenty of money to set it
in motion.
The work Of the Audubon Society
of South Carolina has been a latter
day miracle, and any thinking man
is bound to admit it. If there is
any lingering doubt in any mans
mind let him go out into the field
and try to enforce law, collecting
money as he goes from individuals
for publishing laws and other no.
tices, paying lawyers fees and ex-
penses incident to trials, paying
travelling expenses, paying wardens
and so on. Such a man will get eX-
perience very fast and be wiser in
his generation.
The fact cannot be disputed that
the Audubon Society of South Caro-
lima has handled every case reported
to it, and justice has never miscar-
ried through lack of proper effort
being made by the Society.
The Society had bill introduced
at the last session providing for a
one dollar gun tax, and this would
place all necessary revenue in its
hands.
The point to emphasize is that
Mr.. B. F Taylor has given freely
fully half of his time to the cause of
protecting the birds, game and fish
of South Carolina. He is large
business man, as is well known, and
he has never received any kind of
compensation for his services. More
than that, he has given stenogra-
'pher to the cause. Mr.. Taylor S
efforts, which are in line with the
most advanced patriotism known. to
civilization, should be appreciated,
and they will be. This, fact of his
assiduous care, coupled with the
further fact that l know more peo-
pie personally. than any man in South
Carolina. and have the good will Of
most of them, has made possible
the work. of the Audubon Society.
But all my work would have failed
at the start and dozen times since
without Mr.. Taylor's assistance and
friendly confidence in me.
The News and Courier has been
a valued friends to the cause, and
would be among the first to hail
such an achievement as has actually
been accomplished by the Society
against the heavy odds described.
From three different kinds Of license
the State of Alabama collected S2O,-
900. and, of course. the most Of this
came from resident hunters. We
can take similar license law with
our present organization and collect
five times as much