The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-10-07
GAME COMMISSION
Repeal of the Law Being Urged
Throughout the State.

Much has been said recently about
what is styled the one-man power of
government, but the action of the State
Game Commission, according to the
Lake Charles American, passeth all I'M
derstanding This paper says, and we
have not seen the statement denied, that
the game commission suspended the Cal
casieu parish warden because he diff
fered with Attorney Ponder as to his
recollection of the latter being invited
to address the Lake Charles Gun Club.
1t seems that Mr. Ponder went to Lake
Charles to address the gun club, and the
parish warden, Mr. East, stated that he
had no recollection of Mr.. Ponder hav-
ing been invited to address the club,
whereupon Mr. Ponder said he had been
invited The commission decided to
punish Warden East for daring to diff
fer with his royal highness on a point
Of propriety, that is, of speaking with
out an invitation SO it suspended the
functionary who was a creature of the
commissions creation, for full month
without pay.
The royal commission is making much
progress towards the goal of the one
man power and government by commits
sion. There is nothing that the COM
mission could do that would more speed
lily terminate its reign than such acts as
this It is clear case of abuse of au-
thority and bears the eartnarks of regal
vanity The people have been opposed
to this blue-blooded law from the in
slant of its PRONUNCIATION, and the op-
preSsive conduct of the commission has
intensified the opposition.
Mr. Miller, the president, and the at
torney, Mr.. Ponder, have the appearance
of men of good sense and character, and
yet their actions all the time have been
antagonistic to the people. As soon as
they found that the people were opposed
to this law and looked upon it as high
handed method of, encroaching upon the
natural rights of man, they should have
pursued policy of conciliation and rea-
son. Mr.. Ponder, as a lawyer, should
know that when the whole people con-
scientiously believe certain law is op-
pressive and wrong, the best method is
to reason and explain the operation Of
the law i'll a civil way, and not to adopt
| the policy of aggressive retaliation. His
method has tended to widen the breach
all along, and yet he has succeeded II
convicting bue very few who violate tht
law The people will never believe it i.
consistent with free government anC
civil liberty, to look upon salaried of
flcials riding around in palace cars, ot
/ exploring our water courses in moto
| boats, with Gordon of sleuth hound
ready to run down and jail some inof
fensive, ignorant boy or superstition
huntsman for having an old fox squir
rel or a ring-tail coon in his possession
without being able to prove the taker 0
the ferare naturae had invested a col
of the realm prior to committing III
overt act.
| There is not SO much objection, if any
to practical law regulating the huntin
season, but it is the spectacle of hire
officials compelling the citizens to pa
for the right to shoot on natures pre-
serves, or on the citizens private land
the fowls of the air or the beasts of II
: fields.
We regret the commission has p,n
sued the course, as indicated, and "
hope to see a denial of the charge (
} suspending the game warden for his a
legged disagreement with the attorne
hut as it has not been denied, we take
! that the charge as made stated the fact
! There is but littls doubt that the ne,
I Legislature viii repeal the law.