Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-03-21

a"m" of rN. country. and ] l.Er.y. F..
WILL We must ias.r. .r- popularity
This .aH win %. a,u..H.d or c...
domuod. according 10 hos Is fs admin
istcrpd. o. can Do, made $50 obnoxious
20 the state authorities and ID. poo.
Pic ass To- insure its repeal Iln #
deed. would our second condition 10.
wors" than our first. Let MS bear ign
mind that this is a now movement. q
great departure I'm game protection.
that many are jealous of What they
term state rights" and bitterly re-
sent interference by the federal gov.
eminent with what they deem local
affairs
II is difficult for some men 20 realize
how others can hold an opinion diff
ferent from theirs Ii seems so patent
and so plain to the me-protection
enthusiast that he is right
States are jealous Of their reserved
rights, particularly in the South, and
in 2 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
thought and advanced ideas. The fed
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 i'm 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-
ton 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, III 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 30
per cent. of the amount collected is
to be returned to the states In pro
portion to their respective cOntribu-
tions, 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 1t con
servative to state that this fund
would amount to little short OF
million dollars per annum. With half
of this amount at its disposal, the
department of agriculture need not
call upon congress for any appropria-
tion for game protection.
With such sum, system OF protec-
ton could soon be perfected that
would insure our migratory birds
from wanton slaughter in all the
years to come. With rare exception,
every sportsman of the country would
advocate this tax and urge his repre-
sentatives in congress to enact the
law.
have been interested in the preser-
walton of birds and beasts for many
wears. / have been game warden or
Tennessee several times, and this 20
sition has afforded me a good oppor-
tunitv to discover the needs for the
proper protection of our game.
I believe, with the aid Of congress.
the office Of United States game war
den will be able to perform great
service to the country.
o~-~-~~-~~-O~~~--~o-~-~~~~