Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-10-10
Return to Competency

Recent discussion has proved the in.
competency and inefncieucy OF the
state Fish and Game department under
Ben Il Gray and at this time under
frank NJ. Kendall 1t has been shown
hat the department for two yearc has
been nothing more nor less than a po-
itical machine ana heavy expense
account to the state. Two or three
ines the number Of wardens are en-
)loyed as existed under the admins
ration Of The former warden, w. n
stephens.
II is further interesting to note that
With extravaganza and incompetency
50 pronounced, the present depart
ncnt has collected to date ISL, 342. 7G
md has expended all but about $2,400
With many outstanding warrants to be
edeemed. Furthermore payment
If $4,000 is due and unpaid on the
purchase price of Hepburn park. The
department. has been receiving revenue
from this park but has made no pay
nent thereon. Had it done so, it
would be in the hole financially at the
present time and the administration
las several months to run. II all
:omes through extravaganza and the
ncompetency OF Inexperienced and
iisinterested individuals who were ap-
pointed more from the standpoint OF
politics than for their ability to take
are OF the fish and game interests OF
IDAHO.
In marked contrast to this is the
record OF Mr.. Stephens, the previous
warden. When he left the office he
turned over to the democratic ar
pointee, Ben Gray, a balance of So
i45.67 besides s26, 391 % in outstanding
licenses which could not be collected
until March 81, 1911. In addition, dur
ing his tenure of office, Mr. Stephens
quilt three hatcheries, bought / ,2SO
tcres in Fremont county for state
purposes, fought several very import
ant game cases through the supreme
court, was sued for damages, and made
some notable confiscations, particularly
1 Binltley and Purdy instance wherein
rty-eight elk scalps had been shipped
% Los Angeles as household goods.
Those men got twelve months in Jail.
AT the close of his first term, Steph-
ems had credit to the department OF
$4,000. He planted nine million trout
Try and purchased over a thousand
Chinese pheasants, and because of the
circumstance that wealthy men in this
and other states were getting posses
sion Of the land along fishing streams
and our citizens had no place to 90 for
an outing, he negotiated the purchase
Of Hepburn park and the Fremont
county land that the public can be left
unmolested; and at the end of his term
left splendid record and comfortable
cash balance.
Here, at the close OF a democratic
administration, we find Gray and
Kendall working hard as usual for
democratic success and the game de-
partment has been neglected and there
IS perceptible deficit right now and
nothing to show in the way of compe-
tency or efficiency in this important
part of the states business. The money
has gone to pay large squad of politi-
cal emissaries and the department is in
bad shape and the fish end of the bust
ness was recently turned over to a
competent fish culturist that the indus
try might be saved to the people of
this state.
There is marked difference between
IN experienced game warden and
political appointee and results make
this very apparent.