Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-29

one OF the Cflitl TOPICS VI NAsNoSS4S--
at the recert convention Of the Maine
I Sportsuan's Association held a Augusta
was the proposed resident hunters
license law Commissioner Harry B.
Austin of the Inland Fisheries ana Game
/ Department has given tbs following ex-
posiriou of this proposed law for publ
cation.
| Probably no proposed legislation is
| the subject Of more discussion
throughout the State this winter than
the resident hunters license law
which will be introduced al the pres
| ent session Of the Legislature.
This Law is favored not only by the
Inland Fish and Game Commission
| ers, but by the Maine Sportsmens
Fish and Game Association and by a
large number of sportsnen who have
made a study Of recent game condi-
tons in this state.
In order that the public might be
/ informed Of the position taken by the
| proponents Of this measure, the Com
| missioners of Inland Fisheries and
/ Game have. in a recent interview
! gwen their reasons for asking for the
passage of this legislation
Contrary to the generally accepted
idea, the proposed law IS not prinar-
lily for the purpose Of raising revenue
except as a secondary effect.
Purpose Of the Law.
The main purpose is TO assist in the
( better enforcement Of the non-Tesl-
dent and alien license laws at present
on our statute books.
Since the use OF automobiles la
/ become SO general, many more hunt
ers, in the opinion Of the Commits
sioners, are coming into the State By
automobile than by train as formerly,
and it has become well nigh i'm
possible, owing TO the fact that hunt
ing parties from out Of the state are
IN one section today and perhaps
hundred miles away tomorrow, 20
see that these PRESIDENT hunters
are allprovided with licenses.
The assurance Of an unprincipl@d
hunter that he is i resident of this
State must be accepted by warden
PRIV AAtQ LIN has AZ fA4ic NANdS1 ~ blA~
contrary. as il would be entirely i'm
practicable to keep in touch with d
party travelling through the State by
| automobile and trace them TO their
homes Hundreds OF deer and thou
sands OF paruldges are killed by auto
hunting parties in this State yearly,
! and the amount Of game DESTROYED Is
Yearly increasing, so that today there
is no larger drain upon our game re-
sources than that caused by auto
mobilists-resident and nonresident.
There are. too. large numbers ot
aliens who are carrying guns in many
, sections Of the STATE ana killing no.
only our game IN and out Of season
bu, our song and insectIvorous birds,
ana while The most Of these persons
aye subject 10 the provisions Of the
alien hunters license law, for The
same reasons as apply 10 the non
resident hunters il is impossible for
our wardens to properly enforce lis
provisions.
on the other hand. if every hunter
resident and non -resIdent-wds
obliged 10 carry a license, il would h''
comparatively an easy matter Tor on!
wardens TO enforce the provisions Of
the resident and alien hunter 5
/ license law. which would result in an
added income TO our State Of InanN
| hundred dollars each year.
/ Fairness and Equity CT the Law.
The proposition that The game # :.
State belongs TO the whole people II
that State has long since been estao-
lished by the United States Supreme
Court-in the celebrated case Of Gee
vs. Connecticut, ICl L: 5. Report. ]age
51s
II IS also a pretty well established
fact that only about three per CEN.
Of the people Of this STATE are hunt
ers. Nevertheless. the g. per cent. II
+ hose Of our people who GO not hunt
have the same inherent right to the
game as the vastly smaller portion
which alone draws upon our gam"
resources In other words those who
prefer 10 enjoy the birds and game Of
our fields and forests aliye-in its
/ natural state-have the same right 10
such enjoyment of that game as TIL
I comparatively small number of killers
( OF game. however, Inc history o.
game legislation shows that by IA
the largest part Of the game laws nov
existent have been made in the inter-
ests Of the hunters rather than III
( that Of those who have an equal till
/ 10 the game but who are not hunters.
Is il not, then. a fair proposition. that
the small percentage Of our people
who draw upon our game resources
| should bear at least a portion Of the
/ burden Of their protection?
Experiences Of Other State.
Maine is the only State north Of
4 Mason and Dixon's line which has
not resident hunting license, ana
4 there are only seven other States in
/ the Union which 90 not have il, these
/ states being Virginia, West Virginia,
! Maryland. North Carolina. South
+ Carolina, Arkansas and Mississippi.
7 This law, once enacted has never
( been repealed except in one instance
! where il was not given a sufficient
/ trial 10 prove its worth. but. on the
! other hand, the sportsmen and COM
| nissioners Of the states having this
! law are enthusiastic in its commenda- =
I