Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-09
Con,icn,n. Gam, nm.

TO the Editor OF The Times dispatch:
S!F.-As the representative of one OF
The most fertile agricultural coun,ie.
IN the state. ! feel called upon in the
interest of my people TO oppose siren
uously the passage OF House bill IL.
known In 1912 as the Moncure- Ruthcr-
ford game bill. In 1914 as the liar,
White bill, and now as the Farmers
Union game bill. The most important
thing TO consider about any general
or even a local bill. Is who the pro-
ponents are: what Their material in
terests are in it's passage; what it viii
cost; who are TO derive any benefit by
its passage. and whether or not the
dement's derived are such az TO warrant
the expenditure necessary to carry II
Into effect.
Does any one think that the farmers,
the great producing class OF our State.
IL they understood fully the provisions
OF this bill, would indorse 1t? Would
they agree to have placed AT their own
expense, In every county OF this state,
a band OF riders and raiders, with
unlimited legal power 10 arrest, seize
or 50 "ch anything or anybody without
q >vs,~-'.t. the only place secure from
;hen :. -.Ch being n mans own home i?
II any OF this ku kluX gang found
a fish or fowl in the possession of any
man. il would be priml facic evidence
OF guilt, and the burden of proof would
he upon the accused to rebut the
charge. If this is not 4 blow ut con-
stitutional liberty and Il violation OF
every principle of justice and fairness,
then ! knew nothing OF the inherent
and inalienable rights OF every man.
They refer to- the states that have
passed such bills and put upon the
witness stand to prove their case, the
6alaried officers under such commits
sion, and they who claim in the other
4, hnt hai,, lp{t rl-c
cessfully and so beautifully are bcne-
ficiaries under the law.
/ will tell you how this law will
affect those counties bordering on the
Potomac All Of the Potomac, to the
low-water mark on the Virginia side,
belongs to Maryland. whose fishing
and hunting season opens two weeks
earlier than in my county. \ man
looking for little sport leaves home
early with rod and reel. or dog and gun.
Flo bags either fish or birds in Mary
land waters, or on Maryland soil. He
meets one OF these appointceS of the
game warden who, exposing his badge
OF unlimited authority, places the man
under arrest, subjects him to much
trouble and humiliation; Caught with
the goods so to speak. being prima
facic evidence OF guilt. Upon the word
of the warden, he is convicted, and If
he cannot induce a sufficient number
of witnesses 10 come from Maryland
TO Virginia 10 testify to his innocence,
he would he at once subjected to a
heavy fine
If fish are caght in the Potomac, in
accordance with Maryland game laws.
the game warden may claim they were
caught in tributary to the Potomac
in violation of the Virginia law Is
IL not expected that this fellow. whose
very living depends in way upon tho
number convicted, will put up hard
fight to convict?
In all seriousness, 7 regard it as
simply monstrous that we, the repre-
sentativcs of the greatest people God
ever created, vote away every ves-
tige of the rights of our people, to
create an expensive commission, 10 be
paid for to n large degree by tho
farmer, and n number OF Offices to be
filled by gentlemen who are either
too proud or too indolent to do manual
labor-and who expect TO live an easy
life on the hard earnings Of the farm
ers OF this old Commonwealth. which
is now weighted down with commits
sions and ohicialdom.
B. +. holland.
Richmond, February s.
IOur correspondent is correct as to
his statement that the pending bill