Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-07-30
W|LDMAv REPLIES
To HIS CRITICS
Candidate For Legislature Sets
Fourth His Position on
Hunters License Bill

Augustus Wildman candidate for the
Legislature, this morning gave IL the
following reply to a criticism of the
Hunters and Anglers. Association di-
rected against him because he voted in
favor of the hunters license bill at the
last session of the Legislature:
TT is the exception, rather thar the
rule, that l make reply to newspaper
criticisms of my past official actions,
during a political campaign, and 1t is
with much reluctance that l feel my
self obliged to take exceptions to the
article which appeared in The Patriot
of July 29 last, heade in large type,
.Wildman Called Pledge Breaker by
will call me a pledge breaker. as l made
no promise whatever to any sportsman
prior to the election of 1911.
The resolution, as adopted by the
Hunters and Anglers Association, ac-
cording to The Patriot, provides. that,
Whereas. pending the campaign for
Representative in the General Assembly
for the First District of Dauphin coun-
ty, composed of the city of Harrisburg,
the Honorable Augustus Wildman. then
a candidate for the ofice made a
solemn pledge that he would oppose
the legislation subsequently enacted
imposing a license fee of 81 per annum
upon hunters, residents within the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, etc
Il desire to say most emphatfcaily
not, to the Hunters, and Anglers As
ship | have a high regard-but to the
coterie of peanut politicians that were
directly responsible for the said resolu-
ton, that the statement therein that
made them a solemn pledge is a ma
licious and infamous lie.
THE facts in the case are these: Dur
ing the campaign of 1911, being a can
didate for Representative, l was APP
preached by several of the members of
the Hunters and Anglers Association,
about three, as near as l can recall at
this time, for the purpose of soliciting
from me a promise to oppose the resi-
dent hunters license bill, in the event
of my election. l made answer to them
that l knew absolutely nothing as to
the provisions of the same. its merits
or dement's, and that | would be guided
in my action by the discussions and
the legislative body, and furthermore,
that l would be fair and impartial to
all the people concerned in my final ac-
ton. l am satisfied that in this par
ticular | have kept my promise. The
statement was made during the de-
iiberations before the game committee
by the advocates of the bill. and 1t was
not denied by it's opponents, that 81
per cent. of the voting population of
the State are non-hunters, and that but
3 per cent. are hunters.
1T was argued that the Department
of the State Game Commission is main
tanned expressly for those who enjoy
fair and just that they should at least
bear a portion of the expense necessary
TO maintain this department, thus re-
leVing. those taxpayers who do not in
NaASN - thAo spun . VI 81 NAS a pOA
ton of this burden. This argument, in
particular, influenced me to suppor the
bill. During my term of office as Rep
resentative, | have put forth my best
efforts to take care of the interests of
all the people as a whole as against
any particular clique or sect.
II am perfectly satisfied that l am
under no obligation, whatever. to the
persons responsible for the above men
toned resolution. for they did all that
lay in their power to defeat me for the
nomination in 1911, in order to locate
one of their own number on the ticket.
who was a candidate at that time.
In my opinion, 1t comes with poor
grace from a disappointed applicant
for the office of Game Commissioner
a defeated candidate for Legislative
honors and several Democratic politi-
clans, who have the interest of one OF
the legislative candidates on the Demo
cratic ticket at heart, to speak of drop
ping party lines. | Cannot conceive II
possible that gentlemen could resort to
deliberate falsehood to accomplish their
aim.
I'm conclusion, I might say hat the
axiom, If vol wish to avoid being UNI
justly criticised as a public official. dc
nothing, be nothing and say nothing, is
applicable in this Instance"