The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-10-22
KALbFUS DEFENDS WARDENS
Points Out Purpose of the Law in Re-
Quiring Licensed Hunters to
Wear Tags

Joseph Kalbfus, secretary of the
State Game Commission, gave out a
statement to-day, which said, in part:
Information has just come to this
office that certain Justices of the peace
have assumed the authority to tell ap-
plicants for the resident hunters Ii
cense that they may hunt as soon as
they have paid the license fee of 81.
Where the justices secure such authori-
ty is unknown to us, and | am writing
this letter fol the purpose of warning
would.be hunters regarding this sub
iect. When this bill requiring resident
hunters to secure a license was being
considered by the Legislature represent
atives of the Grange in this State, Mr..
Greasy, now candidate for Lieutenant
Governor upon the Democratic ticket.
and many others interested in agricul-
tural pursuits demanded of those push
ing this measure that a particular fea
ture of the bill should be the wearing
of tag by those engaged in hunting,
the purpose of the tag being to identi-
fy the man who was trespassing upon
their lands, who was shooting their
stock or their poultry, who was tearing
down their stone walls in the effort to
catch rabbit who was cutting their
wire fences, opening their gates, start
ing fires and otherwise wronging prop
erty owners.
1.-The farming interests of this State
gave this bill their endorsement
through their representatives because
of the acceptance of this feature by the
sportsmen of the State, who had first
introduced the idea, and a reading of
the bill will convince any one that the
wearing of this tag is just as much
requisite of the law as is the payment
of the dollar to the County Treasurer,
and the Justice of the Peace nor any
other man has the right to waive this
provision.
"It is the duty of the Game Com
mission to enforce this law and if we
did not enforce it in a reasonable way
we might well be accused of neglect of
duty. | hold in my hand an issue of
the Patriot, of Harrisburg, Pa, bear
ing date of Thursday, October %.
1914. headed Political Scent Is Sus-
pected in Hunters Arrest The Off
Ger making this arrest has simply done
his duty under the law. If he refused
to enforce this provision he might well
be accused of political activity, and l
ask every honest man who has an IN
terest in this matter to read the bill
for himself and see whether or not |
am correct t..
81 consider it exceedingly unfair to
the farmers OF this State, to the agri-
cultural interests of this State, as we'll
as to true sportsmen, apd to the Game
Commission, for any Justice of the
Peace or any other individual to as
sumo the authority to waive this fea-
ture We are threatened with court
procedure if we do not refrain from
making arrests of this kind We are
perfectly willing to have this matter
tested by the courts.
"In the article published to-day in
the Patriot for political purposes, be-
yond question. the statement is made
that division of the penalties secured
in matters of this kind is made, that
the deputy game protectors making an
arrest for a violation of the resident
hunter s license act secured one-half of
the money collected. This is clean
cut misstatement of facts, and must
have been published for effect. The
matter of division of penalties collect
ed for violations of the provisions of
this act was carefully considered before
the act was drafted, and section IL spe-
officially provides that all license fees
collected under the provisions of this
act, and all fines and penalties imposed
its provisions, shall be paid to the
State Treasurer as heinbefore designat-
ed, who shall keep the moneys thus col
lected as fund separate and apart.
solely for the purpose of wild bird and
game protection, and for the purchase
and propagation of game under the SUI
pervision of the Board of Game Com
missioners.' SO that no individual, off