The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-02-09
rlrcoMB SAYS MORE MONEY
Fish and Game Commissioner Should
Be Paid $25o0


Montpelier, Feb. John W. Tit
comb of Lyndonville, who recently
resigned as state tsh and game com
missioner OF Vermont, has issued the
following letter to the officers and
members OF the Vermont Fish and
Game league and to the officers of
various fish and game organizations
in Vermont:
you have doubtless seen in the
papers a notice Of my resignation as
state fish and game commissioner.
The governor viii undoubtedly re-
oeive many applications for appoint
ment TO this position at the present
salary Of $500 per year. a bin is
now before the legislature to raise
the salary OF the commissioner to
$3, ,00o.
The duties Of commissioner have
now been so developed by the legisla-
ton of 1915 and the Inauguration Of a
plan to have numerous field stations
that they have reached a point where
the technical details pertaining to the
establishment, construction, mainte-
nance and operation Of series OF
hatcherles calls for man with tech
nical knowledge as well as admins
trative ability | have no doubt That
we have plenty OF men here in Yer
mont competent to administer the
protective laws quite as efficiently as
they have been administered in the
past. but the men available for per-
forming the technical duties pertain
ing to the Office under the present
policy are few, and they command
coed salaries. ! happen to be quite
familiar with the market OF supply
and demand in this line from the fact
that | have had frequent applications
to fiji positions in various parts OF the
country.
Now that my resignation has been
accepted, ! feel free, without being
open to the charge of personal mo-
tives. to urge those interested in the
conservation of our wild life and the
development OF our fisheries, to use
their influence with friends in the leg
islature TO secure the passage of the
ball which will provide suitable sal
ary to secure a good man. The state
can well afford to pay all of the $4,000
called for in the bill and can i'll afford
to pay less than $2.500 to secure a
man competent to fill this position.
The development of our attraction
along this line is just getting started
as a result OF the anglers license
law. We are hardly beginning TO see
the results Of the work which has
been made possible by this law Yer
mont is making rapid strides in her
progress in education, afiricultuTe.
good highways, etc, Let us not per-
nit the good old state to take a step
backward in legislation pertaining to
he enactment Of a provision which
will secure the best man possible to
continue the work in the department
of fisheries and game.
81 have promised the governor to
keep on the job until the end of this
month. 1t is up to you to see that this
glorious old state does not receive a
serlous setback, but to make it pos
sible for the governor to offer a price
which will secure a high-class man
with the necessary technical know
edge to go on with the work.
q take this opportunity to express
my hearty appreciation OF the CO.
operation which | have had for so
many years and without which |
would not for one moment have con
sidered the holding OF an Office which
has involved more or less personal
sacrifce. 1t is with sincere regret
that | feel obliged in the interests OF
my family, to relinquish work In the
upbuilding of which | have been so
much interested and which upbuild
ing would not have been possible
without your cooperation.
please take hold and boost for a
| greater Vermont in the lines above in
dicated, and obige
Yours very truly,
John w, Titcomb."