The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-03
NO WORD AGAINST
MONCURE' BILL
Measure to Protect Game Most
Drastic of Any Ever Offered
in Virginia.

II there is opposition TO Senatol'
Moncucc's game bill, It failed to mate
lialize at the public hearing yesterday
morning before the Senate Committee
ON Fish and Game. No bill ever be-
foro the General Assembly proposed
such. drastic reforms in the laws gov
crninG the hunting OF every kind OF
game, making 1t all the more remark
able that not single voice was raised
against II when 1t came before the
committee.
Tie underlying principle of the pro-
posed law is that OF TAXING the sports
nian for the sport he enjoys. Under its
provisions no person in the State OF
Virginia will be permitted TO shoulder
i gun n search Of game without first
paying n tribute 20 tho State game
tund, except the farmer hunting upon
his own land. a resident of a city
hunting IN his own county will be re-
CURED 10 pay license fee of 81. IL
ne hunts in a county other than the
one in which his town is located. the
Tee will be So All persons not resi-
dents OF the State viii be required t.
AXE ont a game license of sic. If a
uon- ident can show $40 worth of tax
receipts FOR property that is taxed in
The State, he will be subject to the
taIac laws as residents of Virginia.
Farmers hunting in any other county
ihan their own are required 10 pay e.
I've OF 81.
Create Gnme Commissioned.
The law creates the Office OF game
commissioner. who is piated in charge
OF the execution of the law and of all
funds coming in from license fees.
mother radical provision permits each
county 10 establish its own season.
Which. however. must fall within. ana
aevar without the general season es-
.ahlishcd by the act. The advocates
ar!nt 10 this elastic season feature as
"Ec OF the great improvements over
the law at present in force. since. they
say, II Will enable each county to adj
just the open hunting season rs its eli
matte conditions 70: ,hHt year make
.,tvisabla
Attorney jennings Wise. who opened
The argument for the bill laid down
the principle that protection of game
j. On par with the conservation oil
other natural resources. Virginia, he
said, with five other States. was thu
only onc in the Union which permit
ted the wanton and reckless slaughter
OF bird life. The measure, he stated,
mad tho Endorsement OF the Audubon
soctetics and the numerous other or
Sanizations for the conservation OF
bird and animal life.
Would Bring III $4,000.
tuch law, said DR. I. s. Palmer,
rhief OF the Biolos ical Survey OF the
Department of Agriculture, at WISH
inSton, would bring into the game
fand annually $4,000. He basel his
estimates on the returns made by other
states, notably Alabama, which has re-
Gently adopted the law He thought
that the income from license fees
should hc more than enough to pay
the expenses OF the game commiss ohti
ana the maintenance OF the office, AMI
Sill leave = substantial surplus every
Year which might be devoted to amy
purpose the state saw fiji
All but fourteen States, said Dr.
J'lmer, have adopted a genera! game
iaw Ike the one proposed. 1t is the
only practicable arrangement, since il
places The tax where it properly be-
longs-upon the hunter himself DR..
Ialmer told Of the rapid exhaustion or
lie States game resources by heavy
shipments ilto The large Eastern cities
y short speech in favor Of the meas
sro was made by DR.. r, l. Blanton OF
Chesterfield, the noted breeder Of wild
tur eys. The committee reserved its
verdict for future NEE ting.