The sun., 1916-10-15

w.,
used In collecting bounties repeatedly In
one Of the towns of Massachusetts.
In nearly every State Of the Union and
IN the experience of nearly every person
who has carefully studied the problem,
the bounty law is grouped with the most
pernicious type OF legislation.
BOuntics Encourage Graft.
In the view OF Edward II. Forbush.
State ornithologlst OF Massachusetts.
bounty laws not only %coura hunting
at all times Of the year. but they en-
courage fraud and graft. Dr. Warren
says that when the last scalp act was
passed In Pennsylvania upward OF $1,000
was realized for a buffalo hide and mule
skin cut up Ia small pieces to resemble
the scalp and ears OF predatory NAM
mails.
massachusetts had for several years n
law which provided for the payment OF
a bounty of s. each for seals tails. Some
Of the Passamaquoddy Indians shot a
few seals In Maine and manufactured
from their skins seal tails enough 10
take from tie different towns in Massa-
chuset,s some 5 $500 in bounties. That
resulted In the repeal Of the bounty law.
In the 'sUs ohio had n bounty law
which upset natures equilibrium SO
much that 1t WAS hastily repealed.
a resident o. Ohio at the time testified
he knew to a certainty Of a case where
a black billed cuckoo was sho, 10y a
country boy and It's head was taken "a
the township clerk and the latter In his
ignorance decided II was the head OF n
hawk and paid 80 cents bounty for it.
The cuckoo feeds wholly on caterpil.
lars and other destructive forms OF in.
sects. he says. and there should be no
law making Il possible for such birds
TO be destroyed. much less for 4 rewaru
to be offered for their destruction.
This man also knew OF the heads o.
fox squirrels having been offered and
accepted as foxes. and also OF other ami
mails having been offered as weasels and
the bounty paid upon them. The OK.
pense to tho State for its lesson
amounted to en- OF thousands OF dol.
lars.
Hawk Law Costs Penna. ~, 1000
William r. Hornaday OF the New YORK
geological Park recalls Pennsylvania.
bounty laws of 1855. lie says: lie
no other State repeat the error that one,
was made In Pennsylvania when thai
state enacted In 1855 her now famou.
hawk and owl bounty law. In order I,
accomplish the wholesale destruction %
- ''''S Va lhNs a Jaw NhE DiSSth III
vidlng for the payment of a bounty o
SO cents each for the scalps OF hawks
and owls. Immediately the slaughtc,
began. In two years 10000 scalp,
were Drousn IN and $4,000 was pa!C
out Tor them. II was estimated tha
ttc saving To the farmers in poulti!
amounted 10 ~ Tor each Sl,.Vo paid GU
In bounties.
me awakening came even NOR
swiftly IMAM orhIthoioslsts expected. Is!
u!e enc OF two years from the passas'
Oh 'ne ha~k .aw 'ne farmers round t.'ci
ne'us ana ~orchards thoroughly oHerru'
W ues.iuet''s ra's, mice ana insects an'
shey appealed 10 the Legislature Tor tn
uu,VH repe"! OF 'he law Win all pos
SioIe n"sle thls was Drought ABOUT IN
~ was e~stiNha'eu oy competent Jntvo
.n"' u u"'hases 70 th''r crops me nav
n"w W., lhe p'"r'e OF i.hi''slSah''
''''"s 'ess TIA" s-'ooV'ooo'
., ,.., D.
As a result or the work Of nr, JOsep'
ha!hrus' secretary or the Board Of Gam
commissioners OF pennsylvania, a neN
system has been devised for the Iieyston
STATE wniGh does away with bount.
fiauds. Every skin must he passed %
by his office Instead of BY County Com
h'''S''lei' - heltboio4''
Wholesale frauds resulted from, N
passage al the act giving a bounty ~
certain birds and mammals that pre-
upon game. Here are a few Instances @
the results following the enactment @
the bounty law as told by DR.. Ealbfus:
"a young man was asked IL he woul
like TO make some easy money. and wa
directed to go TO n certain man III
found the man to be II Justice. Claim
for S74 were made out. The Young ma
presented the aindavits TO the Count
Commissioners. got the money. and gay
ono-half OF II to the Justice. He is no,
In the pcnitcntiary, and the Justice
fugitive.
"Skins IF animals. especially those G
weascls. were purchased from fur dealer
In Canada. New York. Indiana, Ohio an
elsewhere, Mt u Limited prlce, say = cen,
each, and turned over as animals kille
In Pennsylvania FOR So.
"In one county claims were presente
nv "A man living In opotbar count, 4,