The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-03-20

game of the country, and believe II
will, we must insure its popularity
This law will be applauded or con.
demned, according to how II is admin.
istered. II can be made so obnoxious
to the state authorities and the peo-
pie as TO insure its repeal Then, In
deed, would our second condition, be
worse than our first, Let us bear in
mind that this is a new movement, a
great departure in game protection;
that many are Jealous of what they
term state rights" and bitterly re.
sent interference by the federal gov.
ernment with what they deem local
affairs.
1t is difficult for some men to realize
how others can hold an opinion diff
ferent from theirs. 1t seems so patent
and so plain to the game-protection
enthusiast that he is right.
States are jealous of their reserved
rights, particularly in the South, and
in a measure as far-reaching as this
law public sentiment should be cult
waited, not offended, for even an act
of charity can be made offensive by
the manner Of its exercise. That the
law meets the long-felt want of uni
formity in the protection Of our mi
gratory birds must be admitted by all
who have given the subject serious
thought.
This is an age of progress, of new
thAYVnht oA fdAac Tho fnh-
eral migratory bird law is the most
progressive measure in game protec-
tion ever enacted in this country.
Government protection is effective
and strong, and men who would open.
ly defy a local game warden will
think twice before they oppose the
authority vested in a federal official
The game commissioner should work
in conjunction with the biological sur.
vey, and his duties should be to visit
the different states. there consult with
the respective wardens and commits
sioners having charge of the enforce
ment of the state laws; study careful
ly local conditions, and select under
the direction of the secretary of agri-
culture, efficient men who will be
called upon to enforce the law. For
such a purpose the present appropria'
tion will suffice.
But what of the future?" is the
natural query. Well, to meet the ex-
penses of an organization thus formed
we should have a federal shooting
license of one dollar, payable by all
those who shoot migratory birds. Such
a license will, in my opinion, be not
only popular, but provide ample rev
enue, and will, in time, cause many
states to abandon their nonresident
shooters license, particularly when 80
per cent of the amount collected is
to be returned to the states in pro-
portion to their respective contribu-
tons, conditioned, however, that it
shall be used exclusively for game pro-
lection.
Making an estimate on the amounts
collected from resident shooters in a
number of the states, think it con-
,ervative to state that this fund
would amount to little short of a
million dollars per annum. With half
If this amount at its disposal, the
department Of agriculture need not
I'LL upon congress for any appropria-
ion for game protection.
With such sum, system OF protec-
ion could soon be perfected that
would insure our migratory birds
rom wanton slaughter in all the
ears to come. With rare exception,
very sportsman of the country would
.dvocate this tax and urge his repre-
entatives in congress to enact the
aw.
have been interested in the preser-
-ation of birds and beasts for many
ears. l have been game warden Of
Tennessee several times, and this po-
ition has afforded me good opp@r-
unity TO discover the needs for the
,roper protection of our game.
believe, with the aid Of congress,
he office of United States game war
len will be able to perform a great
ervice to the country.
~, rrafituda Che 1-afIIrna6 |