The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-04-08
FOR A new
FOOD SUPPLY
Importation and Breeding
Of Selected Game.
Bill in Congress Reclamation Of
the Arid and Semiarid
Regions.

Representative Broussards bill, pro-
viding a small appropriation for the
importation and breeding Of selected
domestic and game animals will have
an immediate hearing before the Ag-
ricultural Committee of the House.
The information that will he sub
mitted to the committee, IL he hearing
are extended for a week or two, will
insure, in all probability. favorable
report. Col Roosevelt's hunting trip
has called special attention within
the past six months to the cerain
adaptation of a number of valuable
African game animals to conditions
existing in our Southern ard South
western States. Maj. Frederic Russell
Burnham, an American hunter and
naturalist OF the foremost authority
who served as chief of scouts with
the army of Lord Roberts in South
Africa, has lately presented this
subject with convincing effect, and
Capt. Fritz Duquesne, an Afrikander
OF distinction, has been urging the
same proposition before leading mem
bers of Congress and in the course
of his lectures.
The conclusions recalled by these
leading advocates are fully supported
by all naturalists who have given
special study to the question, and We
may assume with confidence that this
undertaking will have the enthusias-
tic support of Col. Roosevelt upon his
return to this country. The remarka-
BILE similarity of the arid and semiard
regions of some of the Western and
Southwestern States to the African
veldt and desert lands has been par
ticularly marked. 1t is maintained
by detailed comparisons that there
can be no doubt of the successful de-
velopment of vast numbers of the
most useful and harmless game ami
mails of Africa on the lands which
are now lying waste in America.
These importations would replace
in great measure the loss suffered
by the needless and ruthless extinc-
ton of the American bison and ante
lopes. An important food supply may
be obtained in this way to offset the
noted shrinkage with the opening of
the century in our meat supply
relative to population. The prairie and
farm lands upon which our domestic
animals live would not be encroached
upon by this imported game, as
their range is over a country which
will not support cattle and sheep.
furthermore, there are vast stretches
of swamp and marsh lands in the
gulf states which may be reclaimed
by the introduction of animals like
the hippopotamus, waterbuck and var
thog, which feed upon aquatic plants
and are greatly serviceable in Africa
AZ tlN1i iAS lllt hdNtl COuiCtS lOI
drainage and transportation. A re-
cent report in the New Orleans Times
Democrat details the destruction of
the river fishing industry and the
pollution of the waters by the con-
gestion Of part growth, and there is
no possible measure of relief so GER
tain and cheap as the breeding of
animals whose nature food Is this
vegetation. In spite of his enormous
bulk and formidable appearance, the
hippopotamus is shy and harmless,
and his range is confined to the wa
ter courses The value of the hide as
we'll as the flesh of this and other
adaptable animals can be learned by
anv serious inquiry. Proposals which
at first sight may look odd and Chin
erical TO the mass of our readers
will be seen to be matter-of-fact
propositions when they become fami-
ar.-Washington Post.