Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-03-22
GAME PROTECTION.
SHALL WE, GIVE TO POsTERlrY
"A GAMEkE66 COUNTRY
WILLIAM T. HSkNADAY SOUNDS An
ALARA Against IMPENDING DO0M
or AMEnlcA,s WILD LIFE.
twiniam T. Hsrn.day in Boston Hs~sid, j

Recent occur1enees have led me to make
. new analysis of the conditions to-day
, Affecting the Wild creatures OF this CONT
nent and its e1sot on the future. It is not
in the hope Of materially affecting the
final result that am led to write down
certain premises and conclusions The
deadly apathy of the great majority Of
Americans is 80 all-pervading and inn
penetrable that no power on earth seems
likely ever to accuse our people to the ae-
tivity that is necessary for the adequate
preservation of their own birds, qnadru
peds and fishes. lam lsboring mechanic
ally, like man pumping on q sinking
ship, to DO my own duty toward our wild
neighbors, to induce my friends to do
theirs, and at the same time to school
myself not to care too much about the
ultimate humiliation when it comes.
Gentlemen may sit in their comfortabl BILE
oAces and cry: "Exaggeration!" just as
gentlemen may cry: .sPeacs! Peace!" when
there is no peace, but that does not change
grandchildren OF the boys and girls who
marry in the year 1911 will find the United
States rs barren OF wild life as italy is to-
day everywhe save in the IRON bound
game preserves and in a very few forest
areas of wide extent.
Although the end seenas inexorably fixed,
there is . certain academic interest attach
annihilation will be attained. First let rs
catalogue the chief agencies OF destruction.
The first and greatest asency for the de-
struction Of wild Life is the devilish spirit
Of hwless "freedom" and s.personal lib
srty" that animates about rs per cent. of
the men and boys of the United States.
The curse Of this country is the ''do-as-I-
please" feeling that is inbocn in the aver
ago native American, and acquired by
every male immigrant the moment his
loot touches the dock ct Ellis island. A
large and picturesque volume might be
written on that subject, If there were
time.
When aimed at wild game, it prompts
the market hunter to kill contrary to law,
TIE gams-deaier to sell contrary to law,
the restaurants to serve under false names,
aad the stabilized epicure to order and to
at contrary to law. In most Rural COM
nunities the killing and marketing Of
game in spite Of the game warden is, by
many persons, winked at as q smart thing
to do. so long as the sale of wild game is
pernitted, just 90 long Cor until annihiia- !
tion) will quantities of game be killed,
sold sad eaten contrary to law every year. |
Tor this reason New York, Boston, Phila- !.
dslphia and Baltimore are plague spots for |
game. The sale OF game constantly offers |
. reward for game determination, and |
steadily promotes that end. but number
o. pivotal states resolutely permit it to
continue.
It 10 to be noted that at this date the |
game laws covering the United States are |
in many respects excellent. What used to |
b. the outlying piague-spots Of slaughter
nre disappearing, and aside from the awful |
duck killing for the market at Currituck
Dsund and adjacent waters conditions on !
Do the law books are not nearly 90 bad Is
hey might be. Not only are the state
|sme laws in general very good, hut they
~ also, as rule reasonably well enforced,
all the difficulties and draw
acks In such work. And it is right here
hat the situation gals rs.
II it were CASE Of q few plague-spots
nly, we could 60 on attacking them until