The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-20
FIR INK &. COVE. Editor and Publishe
THE FISH AND GAME LEAGUE.

| THE FISH AND GAME LEAGUE,
The biennial outing of the fish ano
game league is. ordinarily, sneered al
by those who don't know, as a purely
political and log-roEing function.
Such a Characterization of it is how
ever untrue and SHOWS lack of ability
to look beneath the surface.
The league is made up of mer-
chants. manufacturers, doctors, law
yers, state, county and town officials,
and other business and professional
men. AS a rule they are pretty ac-
tive and progressive crowd who take
an interest in business, sport and pol
itics and who can be found in the
front rank in both work and play.
If anybody is inclined to make light
of the Vermont fish and game league
let him glance over the list of speak
ers at the biennial meetings. This
year Vice President Sherman and
Justice Brewer of the supreme court
of the United States. Two years ago
Governor Hughes, Speaker Cannon
and Congressman Sibley. And so on
back for a term of years, to say moth
ing of the prominent citizens of our
own state who have spoken at these
gatherings.
People who stay at home perhaps
imagine that these gentlemen speak
on political or partisan topics but they
do not. The great men who have
honored the Vermont fish and game
league with their presence at these
outings have spoken on the great top
les of American craftsmanship. No
body could have told from Vice Pres
ident Sherman's remarks the otner
day whether he was Republican or
a Democrat. When Governor Hughes
spoke two years ago, men of all par
ties were carried to the highest pitch
of enthusiasm by his wonderful plea
for higher ideals of citizenship. The
fish and game league has done and is
doing great service for Vermont in
bringing here speakers for these meet
ings that we might never hear other
wise.
Some people may not yet realize
it, but Vermont has been making real
progress these past few years and one
of the educating influences has been
these meetings. The talk hasn't been
all politics or all fish and game. Men
have met and talked over topics OF
many kinds. The movement for sci
entific forestry, now at least bearing
fruit, received it's first powerful i'm.
petus in Vermont, we believe, at a
meeting of the fish and game league
The good roads movement has been
helped along. Sanitation, better pub
lie service, conservation of state re-
sources and development of state oh-
portunities are among the subjects
that have received a forward push.
At the meeting last Friday Presi-
dent Maxwell Evarts of the league
sounded a powerful note against the
DETACHMENT of natural attractions,
the pillage public rights and the pollu.
ton of public waters by private in
dividuals and corporations. Justice
Brewer also spoke strongly of the
need of saving our waters from con-
tamipation.
Largely through the efforts of the
fish and game league and through tne
dissemination of practical information
through the league and its members,
Vermont now has probably the best
fish and game laws of any state in the
union.
The fsn and game league cannot
and does not do all it would like to
do. Reforms come slowly in con-
servative old state like Vermont, but
it is a live organization, made up of
real men who are doing mems work.
Gubernatorial booms may wax or
wane at the outings of the league but
they are merely the dessert, not the
meat of the occasion.