Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-09
WOULD SEPARATE GAME
AND FISH DEPARTMENTS
Claim Enough Revenue Is Derived
From Hunters Licenses to Pay
t$ All Expenses.
ROANOKE ASSOCIATION ACTS

Appalachian Game and Fish Protcc-
tive Association Issues Statement
:. Tof It's Views After Sounding Gubcr-
Material Candidates.
That the Department OF Game and
Inland Fisheries already has been
created and derives enough voluntary
income from the sale of hunters Ii
censes to make il independent Of adj
dttional taxee is advanced by the APP
paiachian Came and Fish Protcctivc
Association sufficient reason for a
separate department free from the
entangicancrts OF other departments
The association Is careful to say
that 1t doesn't care whit" who the
head Of the proposed department may
be, and that Or. W. IL Saunders. prcsi-
dent Of the association and dcposcd
game warden for the city OF Roanoke.
is not a candidate for the Office. IT
simply wants a live man" according
to Its printed statement, who shall
draw enough salary to enable him TO
give his entire time to his duties.
The statement is rs follows:
January. 1916. Forty-four States in
the union enforce their game laws
through State officers appointed or
elected for that purpose. Four States.
Virginia included depending upon To-
cal officers The passage of the game
act. soon after that time. placed Nir
Etnia the forty fifth State 10 adopt
some form of model game law. OF
these twenty-threc States are in charge
OF a single officer, and twenty -onc are
governed by board Of commissioners
while Virginia was placed under the
old Ash commission. During recent
years several States have changed
from single officer to commission, and
others from commission TO single Of
fcer. Some Of them changing more
than one time.
WORKED FOR MODEL.
GAME LAW FOR YEARS
In Virginia those really interested
in the protection Of game have per
sistently and enerEeticany worked for
the passage of model game law for
a number of sessions Of the General
Assembly past, only succeeding at the
last session after hard work. and now.
VIC believe. the sentiment even great
er In favor of game department.
This association worked hard for
those ideas they thought correct. and
among which was an independent De-
partment Game and Inland Fisheries
with warden head. composed OF :,
chief under n Board OF Game Commits
sione after the idea of Pennsylvania
but because of that sentiment in the
State in opposition TO the creation
OF any new department brought out
by the replies OF the three candidates
for Governor aud the uncertainty OF
the total revenue Of the contemplate
ed department of game and inland
fisheries. the new department was pIac-
ed under the Commission OF Fisheries,
with the understanding. as We were
informed, and il was SO stated In the
public press. that the chief clerk in
the office at Richmond should TO all
intents and purposes, be the acting
commissioner.
The hunters of Virginia have put up
game protection fund much in ex-
cess OF the most optimistic estimations,
showing clearly that Virginia is en-
titled to her own separate Game and
Inland Fisheries Department, as are
the other forty-four States. The Cen
eral Assembly, very wisely, we think,
restricted the expense OF this depart
ment to Its own fund--a voluntary
one-as no persons are compelled to
buy a hunters license. unless he de-
sires To hunt upon others lands Just
as no man has to pay dog tax unless
hs chooses to own dog-and this
thought should nppcase Mr. Pollard in
his desire for lower taxation when he
says would oppose any measure
which increases that burden Uaxa-
tion). whether IL be in the shape Of n
hunters license or taxation in any
other form
CLAIM DEPARTMENT
Is ALREADY CREATED
The candldatea osll attention to the
fact that put,iie sen tnent Is opposed
TO the creation of any new depart
nerts. unless they be really necessary
Why this sentiment they do not saw
but 1t is inferred that II is to keep
down taxation. albright We doub, il
there Is a single dissenting voice in
thu State to that sentiment but we
claim that The Department OF Game
and Inland Fisheries. has already been
very much created. and THINKS be
given to the 1916 General Assembly
and to the energetic efforts of Virginia
sportsmen for this nIuch--not only has
1t been created. but is actually work
Ing and producing good-and our
prayer now Ia that II be allowed the
greatest la tttude possible. and he
placed In that position in which we
think It can do the greatest amour,
Of good: first. by divorrinE il from the
entanglements OF other departments,
and. secondly. the placing in charge
thereof man thoroughly capable and
as one prominent sportsman saws. one
that will play ball Now we do not
care a whit who that man is lsome
opinions 20 the contrary notwithstand-
ing). II the present ex of!icio com
missioner is the proper man. all right;
II 1t be the present chief clerk all
right; If II be the present acting as
sistant commissioner, all RICH, again
But Try all means pay the one man
sufficient salary for his whole time and
the sportsman Of Virginia will see 10
it that he does his duty Now, will
this increase the expense Of this de-
partmen,? We have already shown
that II must be self-sustaining and
voluntarily so. Let's see:
WANT WHOLE TIME
OF STATE COMMISSIONER
Section two OF the game act gives
the commissioner 5000 yearly, in add
ton to his other salary as Fish Com
missioner. with an additional ) cents
per mile for all travel in the discharge
of his duties. We have no written
statements at hand TO tho amounts
paid the chief clerk and the acting
assistant commissioner. but they ar.
both men OF merit. and We do not be.