The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-03

happens that game birds are especially
valuable assets 10 the farmer.
But while birds are useful in them
selves beyond all calculation as de
stroycrs Of harmful insects many de-
srable results flow from adequate pro
lection laws. such as proposed in the
Moncurc- Rutherford game bill This
bill, II will be recalled. passed the Sen
ate OF 1871 only 10 die upon the House
calendar In spite of the fact that
scventy-six delegates had pledged their
support. a vote of eighty was required
to bring it up out Of order. and various
adverse interests. principally the duck
ing interests OF the State. which either
openly opposed further protection, or
worked against the bill on III. quiet
prevented the enactment OF its pro-
visions into law. Since that time how
ever, the United States Congress has
provided for US protection FOR our
ducks. which We ourselves could not Sc
cure, and the pot-huuter's revcl Will lie
largely thing Of the past The prob
lem is now TO protect our turkeys.
grouse. quail. and deer from the ruth
less Migrants who shield themselves
under the name Of sportsmen. The pro-
posed bill If enacted into law viii do
that, and without one cent of expense
To the state. Its provisions require
that all who hunt shall purchase either
county or State license. No one
is required to take out a liccnsc TO
hunt on his own land. \ county license
AT cost OF 81 permits the owner TO
hunt in his own and any adjacent
county. and a State license at Il cost of
50 permits hunting anywhere within
the state. Nonresidents OF the State
are required to secure a nonresidcnts
license at cost of $40. The seasons
are Judiciously established and the SUI
pcrvisors of any county may curtail
for better protection to meet local con-
dltons, but may not extend the pre-
scrihed seasons. To enforce the law, a
state game commissioner is provided
for who shall appoint all wardens and
remove them at his discretion. War
dcns receive q portion OF the fines col
locted. and all salaries are payable out
OF license money, the surplus, which
Will be large, going 10 the state treas
ury.
Another great feature Of the bill Is
that wardens may prosecute huntsmen
for trcSnass, thus relieving the owner
of an unpleasant task and one which
has hitherto subjected landowners to
such Inconvenience that few were able
10 prevent poachinG without infinite
trouble and expense.
The results OF such a law arc not
hard to forcsee. We need not enter
upon the field Of conjecture, but look
To other States where game laws mod
elcd after the Wallace law Of Ala
hama are in effect. The three main
benefits are conservation of Il natural
economic resource. the Introduction of
an enormous amount of capital into
the state through visiting sportSmcn,
and the forcing of Il destructive host
OF dlers out of the fields during the
hunting season. AS soon rs game be-
comes bountiful in Il State sportsmcn
I'm la eli
wardens. dog trainers, and many
others to work for them. Whole sec
lions In other States have been built
up and enriched in this way just be-
cause game was abundant and pro-
tected But no one will spend money
for such purposes when maraudcrs
can tramp over the country destroy
ing everything that moves. from COW
to Il sparrow. The hunting season in
the rural districts is usually very
difficult time to secure farm labor, for
the reason that thousands Of hunters
prefer to earn precarious livelihood
in the fields to working on the land.
These idlcrs comprise an army in Vir-
ginia, and would be compelled to fol-
low n Legitimate pursuit il their hunt
ing grounds were taken from them.
one thing is certain--they would never
pay for a hunting license. and even
IL they had one they would be unable
TO secure permission to hunt on other
peoples land. Tho benefits which
would flow to agriculturists If these
hundreds of loafcrs were forced to
work would not be second to the value
of the birds themselves. The law
would disarm not less than 10000 So
called hunters who for months each
year contribute nothing to the State
nor to their own communities. and who
are an actual curse to landowners.
No. The time has come when he