Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-05
PROTECTION OF GAME IN VIRGINIA
One of the Day's Best. Cartoons.
BY WILLIAMS TODD.
President Came and Game Fish rrotectlIe As.ociaton

should have a much greater revenue
than Alabama, for It has more natural
feeding grounds for bird life and Is
nearer the great centres that draw
sportsmcn and tourists.
In the matter of local pre1udice
there still exists u belief that the wild
game on land should be the property
OF the owner to Kill aa he sees fit
Strange as this may seem and print
tive as the idea Is. 1t still exists here
In Virginia. a very ostimable gentle
man, standing high in the service TO
this State, of exemplary character. and
known to many readers of this paper.
believes that tho quail on his farm
is his just as his poultry is, and re-
sonts tho States interference in a mat
ter lie considers purely private. The
case was actually brought into n Nor
folk court some time ago. by man
arrested for killing game out oc sea-
son on his own farm. He, of course,
lost his suit, and tho incident Is mem
toned only az illustrating a Bentimen.
which must always he opposed to any
game protection. The same local pre-
)udice leaves to county supervisors
question OF open seasons and game pro-
lection. Why leave to county super
visors q matter which Is so vitality I'M
portant 10 tho whole state? Would il
not be better to leave game protection
10 Il State commissioner, a specialist.
study. and who will evolve uniform
laws all over tho State instead OF the
tumble or open SEASONS as now exiat-
iIiS. and the many loopholoa Off thei,'
evasion? For example, a good State
law was passed in lsl2 for the pro-
lection Of fish wcat of the Blue Ridge,
and then nine out OF tho counties at
fccted were excepted from the action
OF tho law. Why pass tho law at ali.
The rivers which contain tho fish noS.
through both tho protected and the
unprotected counties. and Why pro-
tect tiah in ono section OF the stream
II lie ia TO DO hooked. nctted or dyna-
nitcd when he passes an ima Sinary
limo into another county,
Opposition 10 sclasl,uess.
1t has been sa.d that there can be
no possible grounds for opposition TO
game protection except seliistness
This thought is worthy Of considsra-
ton. II means that when you see Il
legislator opposing 4 reasonable game
bill or T. man actively lobbying against
1t. that the legislator represents a con-
stituency who are. or the lobbyist him
self is, protitins by the killing or sale
of game. II means that he is not OPP
posing the bill for tho general veal
Of the Commonwealth. but for the mat
tor OF dollars and cents TO sorne pri-
vate individuals. II means this be-
GAUGE no legitimate argument can be
states resources The market hunter
and the commission merchant who buys
his bag. cannot possibly have stand
ing In the court of public opinion, be-
cause the idea that there is enough
game left in Virginia for any one to
attempt to make n livelihood through
its destruction is absurd. 1t is 30
absurd that opposition from this source
is usually hidden. The very knowledge
OF such opposition would condemn IL
as purely nercenary and selfish. Yet
II cxists. and is the real reason for
NirSinia5 deplorable condition to-day.
f Tho time ilaS passed In Virginia
when gamo can be killed for profit il
NO would prevent it's practical extinc-
ton. He who desires game on his
table must kill it for himself. IIe cam
not pay some one else to do 1T for
forbtds the sale Of quail and grouse.
1t Is effective because it removes the
reason for game destruction. There
Is no use killing for market IL there
is no market. This law should be OK
tended to embrace all game birds. Game
is not used to reduce tho cost OF iir-
ing through furnishing q food supply.
1t is SO expensive that only the prog
porous can buy it. Purchased golno III
used not. so much in feeding aa I'm
overlooking. 1t is a fact, proven often
in our own experience, that any spe-
cies Of bird or mammal killed Cor
money-making purposes. is eventually
wiped out OF Observation-Disclosures the
buffalo, the beaver, the prairie chicken
Of the Mississippi Valley, the 11skirno
curlew and tho wild pigeon. >
Tho cheap gun--thoro are Ave men
owning guns to-day where thore was
one fifteen years ago-the, increasing
love for outdoors. which is drawing
moro Americans each year afeld with
rod and gun, and the automobile, which
has SO shortened Observation-Disclosures. with
tho market hunters. have driven our
game and game fish into their last
ditch, where they must surely be an
initiated unless the strong arm OF the
state comes to their assistance. If you
think this prophecy is that Of a the
orist, comparc the amount OF game NJ,
teen years ago with that OF to-day
compare your average bag fiftssn yoars;
ago, IL you arc sportsman, with yotl,,
bag this fall. rs any further argus