Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-02

teresting wild animal that God has
ever created, the beaver. can now only
be found on the American continent,
in Canada, in some paris of Maine. a
handful of them in the Lake Superior
region and a few of them in the wild
regions of the Southern Alleghenies
and the borders of Mexico. In Europe
none remain except the few under
royal protection in Norway unless
there are scattering colonies in Sibe-
ria. And yet the beaver once bravely
built their homes and executed their
marvellous engineering feats all over
northern Asia, every part of Europe
and the British Isles, and on the Anne
rcan continent from the Arctic Circle
down to Central Mexico.
Every one familiar with the colonial
history of Maine knows that our ma
jestic rivers once teemed with salmon
and shad. Today there is a standing
reward of fifteen hundred dollars by
some of the societies for the protec-
ton of birds. that will be paid to any
one who will discover the passenger
pigeon in the wild state anywhere in
this country And yet even SO late
as 1857 an Ohio Senate Committee
law protecting game birds used this
language:
THE passenger pigeon needs no
protection: wonderfully prolific, hav-
ing vast forests in the North as its
breeding grounds. travelling hundreds
of miles in search of food, 1t is here
today and elsewhere tomorrow, and
ordinary destruction cannot lessen
them or cause them to be missed from
the myriads that are yearly pro-
duced." Such argument as that sounds
familiar to the ears of us who have
been in the struggle to preserve the
game of Maine during the past quar-
ter of a century.
At our annual meeting one year ago
in Auburn, this association was
unanimous and emphatic in its sup
port of a resident license law. The
reasons for this are not so much to
derive revenue, for no one suggests
more than a mere nominal sum, but II
is urged largely for the purpose OF
securing an accurate record of all the
game killed and to enable the game
commissioners and their wardens 10
keep in close touch with all who hunt
our big game whether resident or non
residents.
would also once more call the at
tention of this association to the I'M
portance of making more efforts 10
secure from the Legislature some en-
actment that will have an effect TO
prevent careless shooting in the game
season and its resultant terrible loss
of human life which annually recurs.
The conservation of human beings
ought to appeal to all true sportsmen
as we'll as the conservation of wild
animals.
1t is we'll known that bill is now
pending before Congress for the es-
adjustment of a National Park and
acquiring National forests in the
Mount Katahdin region of the State of
Maine That this would be of in
estimable value to the people of Maine
is undeniable and this association
should do all in it's power to promote
il.
The good work which this assocla~
ton has accomplished in the past III
aiding the cause of game protection Is
worthy of praise, but yet much more
remains to be done. Our membership
extends into every county in our state
and in other parts of the country, but
with proper effort it could and should
be greatly increased. | believe plan
to employ some active agents TO can
vass every county in Maine for new
members should be undertaken.
Gentlemen, / can say with an SIN
cerity that ! have never performed
any public duty that has afforded me
more pleasure and been more satis-
factory than my pleasant experiences
and association with you as your
president during the past three years
and | desire to thank you all Tor the
courtesies which have been extended
me in so many ways and upon numer-
ous occasions. And personally as Wen
as in behalf of the association, con-
eeive it to be duty and esteem II
privilege to extend to the press OF our
State gracious Acknowledgement OF
fayors received which are number
less.
During the entire period OF the "
wears of our existence as an organized
body. the newspapers of Maine nave
without any exception been among IN"
stannchest of our friends, and have
high standing among the ablest adVo-
Gates and supporters of Names hsh
and game protective laws.
Some of Those Present.