The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-05

Dill and what they do take in does
not go to the fine and forfeiture fund
from which the wardens' salaries are
to be paid, but the salaries are to be
paid regardless of the amount they
take in for hunters licenses. If this
be true, and it will be seen that ii
is true, then it necessarily must BIZ
true that the ten or twelve counties
referred to get most benefit from
hunters licenses.
Fourth-The receipt of hunters
licenses after paying the wardens
and county judges the license fees
under the new bill goes to the school
fund of the respective counties. If
the school funds of the several coun-
ties need money for educational pur-
poses why not let each county adopt
direct assessment as it seems fit for
. the purpose of increasing the school
fund instead of forcing an assess
ment upon them to carry out the
provisions of an act that does not
benefit but few of them in an edu-
cational way or otherwise, but on
the other hand places a further bur-
den of taxes upon them.
Fifty-The above objections says
nothing of the fact that the new bill
fixes an almost prohibitory price for
hunters licenses. There was a time
when hunters licenses were we'll
worth IS in ach county Cor the ter
ritory now covered by each county,
but 1t is of the past, except to a very
few people of this state who are able
to pay the price, and surely when
they pay this price it will be to hunt
in either Lee or Levy county, or pos
sibly in not more than ten others
which absolutely confirms the fact
above set forth.
Sixth-It will be seen from the
provisions of the new bill and the old
that the fixed expenses under the
new bill is nearly three times as
much as it has proven to be under
the old, and the old law has gone
through it's experimental stage, now
meeting with favor and adopting it.
self to a system of protecting the
game as well as being large net
revenue to all the people of the state
and without a compulsory tax. In
further ragard to the compulsory
tax. 1t will be said by some that
this tax is not necessary, but it can
not be disputed that If the wardens
receive their salary it is necessary
because the fine and forfeiture fund
of the different counties are bank
rupt.
Depletion Under Local Laws.
Seventh produced information
to the representatives before passing
on the new bill that one by one for
ty-five states of the Union had seen
almost a depletion of their supply
of game and birds under local laws,
such as this new bill proposes, until
they enacted state laws to restore
and protect it under state supervis-
ion. / gave them other information
which required great deal of hard
work and drought to compile, most
Of which was made joke, some of
which, however, was used as a basis
to enact laws which weakened the
game and fish department. I refer
to the salt water fish laws. 1t is an
evident fact, and I have the words
of some of the best men and men,
bers of the house, that this new
game bill would have been defeated
in the house had it not been for
some personal feeling that some of
the representatives had against me
and for a further fact that the
strongest supporters of the old game
laws were afraid to make a strong
fight to sustain them for fear of los
ing votes on unfinished legislation
they had before the house them
selves. I also had letters from more
than half of the county judges and
sheriffs of the state in which they
emphatically stated that the laws
could not be enforced by local super
vision or by local elective officers.
OF course this is not a position to be
appreciated for good men to take but
one who is on the ground could not
blame them for doing so because it
was principally give and take
proposition.
Claims Diligence
l have been very diligent in dis
charging the duties of my Office.
Notwithstanding one or two repre-
sentatives say l have done nothing.
| defy any person to say that they
have entered my Office and found me
idle. Ny clerks will tell you that
they have not seen me idle one min
ute. This is a broad but a true as
sertion.
Any course that you desire to pur-
sue in order to get this information
before the public, especially before
the taxpayers of the state, will be
satisfactory to me and you may use
this letter as you see fit.
Thanking you and Judge Philips
for your interest in the matter, /
have the honor to remain.
Very Truly Yours,
E. q. JONES,