Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-12

Our game, especially our birds.
perform their service in another way, |
and we cannot estimate their value in |
dollars and cents, but We know that
the farmers best friends are those
birds which fight the pests and para /
sites CT his fields. How much OF our
magnificent yields of corn and other
grains and fruits of all kinds should |
be credited to our birds, we cannot
even approximate.
illinois can and should cooperate
with the general movement in this
work Of Conservation. II is too extern
sive and its possibilities too varied
for me to attempt enumeration today.
The new law affords a wonderful
opportunity to perform a great service
that will benefit cur people financially
and socially. Ihopethat it will measure
up to the demands and opportunities.
1t is my desire that you shall so en-
force this law that it may be raised to
plane of dignity and responsibility,
and so administer your department
that when you leave it you will leave
q monument to efficiency and an asset
to the pubic service.
CULTURE NEEDED.
Further, let me say that the inves-
legations of the game and fish depart
ments have impressed me with the ne
cessity for applying, especially to
fish, a system of culture and conserva-
ton that will, In years to come. assure
! the people of the state of Illinois a
needed auxiliary food supply. Our
beef food supplies are diminishing
! year by year at rate that Is startling
to contemplate. The last decennial
census disclosed that, Notwithstanding
| there has been an increase in popu.a-
| ton aggregating nearly 100000, the
cattle supply OF the nation had dimin-
| ished from 100000 to $1,000, 900.
This, obviously, can mean but one
thing. The people, sooner or later
will be forced TO seek new forms of
food supply.
my Investigations disclosed that
the state OF Illinois possesses elemen-
tary sources Of food supply that are
/ equal to those of any other state in
the union. The Illinois river alone
! should become, under thoughtful,
skillful management by the new game
and fish conservation commission, one
OF our greatest and most enduring
/ sources of wealth.
GET FORBES TO HELP.
81 would respectfully suggest thac
as soon as the new commission has
been organized and is ready for bust
ness. that the question of fish con-
servation be taken up in a broad, in
telligent manner, with Professor
Stephen A. Forbes of the state univer-
sity, who is acknowledged to be the
most eminent biologist in the country
! Professor Forbes is wonderfully inter.
ested in our natural resources and pos
sesses a vast fund of important infer
nation, which can readily be applied
to existing conditions.
Il wish you gentlemen to go to
work at once and divide the state
into districts, each to be overlooked
by a district warden. The deputy
wardens you viii assign to such places
as you think they are most needed. II
might not be a bad suggestion to have
some Of the district wardens continu-
ally travelling throughout the state to
see that the deputy wardens are pro-
Perly performing their duties.
"All wardens should be required to
make a daily report showing what
work they have done and where their
time has been spent. Every man who
accepts position as a deputy or dis.
trict game warden is expected to per
form honest work for the compensa-
ten he receives from the state.
Il shall hold you gentlemen re-
!, sponsible for the proper conduct OF
he fish and game department and for
the conserving of our great natural re-
sources. hope you will do your duty
and you shall find me at al times CO
operating with you"
THU MODEL. SYSTEM.
The Wisconsin system, upon which
{ the new board will base its organiza
ton Of the fish apu game ccnserva
ton department in accordance with
the plans Of the state civil seryics
commission, is considered the best il
the country. Under II, deputy game
wardens are divided into classes al
follows:
Supervising warden--S4 a day.
Wardens for outlying waters.
Grade l, beginning salary, So
grade 2. $3.50 per day.
Inland wardens for service on
lakes. streams and elsewhere,
grade l, $3.50 per day; grade 2, SO
per day; grade 8, $3.50 per day.
Wardens are advanced from one
grade to another by promotional ex
animation. All are required by the
warden to compete. For increases in
pay only the efficiency record has
, counted one-half. For promotion &c
serve as supervising warden the