Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-02-14

D6IOTe the oil tbNoC WV
measures was over the Senate cham
ber was crowded.
Chairman Austin of the inland fisheries
and game commission said that there
had been Sunday hunting law upon
the statute books since 1883 but that it
was only since the original prohibition to
game birds and game animals had been
made to extend to all wild birds and will
animals that there had been any serious
effort OH the part of the department to
enforce it. because previously it was i'm
possible to enforce it. He said that if
the present law was unjust and could
not be enforced he was in favor of it's
repeal
Senator Merrill of Somerset of the
committee. inquired of Chairman Austin: 1:
can the law be enforced?"
1T has been too much enforced To he
come popular, replied Chairman Austin
Representative George f. Grant OF
Hope spoke in favor of the repeal of Sun
day hunting law and said that it worked
great injustice to men who could no.
get out on any other day for hunting.
In his opinion the law ought to be re-
pealed or modified at least so as not to
apply to the larger centers where Sunday
was the only chance that the poor mill
OF factory worker had to get out He
presented letters and petitions for the
repeal OF the law
For the better understanding of those
present at the hearing REPRESENTATIVE
iodgdoh {. Buzzell of Belfast, the au-
'hor OF the blli Tor the repeal OF the Sun
day hunting law, explained that there
were two bills under consideration. one
providing for the repeal Of the Sunday
hunting law and another forb:dding fish
ing on Sunday.
}. II. Hobbs, the postmaster at Camden,
thought If there was to be a close time
for the protection of game it had better
be on week day. Prohibition Of Sunday
hunting worked a hardship upon the
poorer class. He spoke for those VINO
lad suffered under the provisions of the
Sunday hunting law and who felt when
the Sunday fishing bill came in that it
was more than they could stand.
F.. A. Drnkwater of Sabattus said thai
since the Sunday hunting law began to
be enforced two years ago it had worked
great hardship and proved an unpop-
ular law. He was in favor of its repeal
so as to give the working man a chance
TO get out on Sunday.
Even if the committee should report
favorably upon the Sunday hunting law
and the Legislature should pass it I do
not believe that Governor Milliken would
sign such a bill declared j. l.. Johnson
of Harmony. the first person to speak
in favor of the present Sunday hunting
law He declared that to repeal this
law would be a step backward in moral
principles and that there was better en-
ployment on Sunday than hunting in the
woods "If a man who works in the mill
or factory wants to hunt let him take
three days off in the spring and three
days off in the fall" he said.
Mr. Johnson declared that he did not
feel quite so strongly upon the enac actmenr
OF a Sunday fishing law as he did upon
retaining the Sunday hunting law. In
the case of Sunday fishing there was
no question OF putting bullet through
someone and no disturbance of other
people.
Representative BuZZell made most
eloquent plea in behalf of the proposed
measure to repeal the Sunday hunting
law. II want to legalize the Sunday eff
forts of some of the best people of the
state and to repeal a vicious piece Of
class legislation" declared the Belfast
man. He urged the members of the
committee to vote on it just as they
. felt and to remember the fellows back
home
h,,,l- hot no r
this law would better the morals of
Maine" asked Senator Merrill, who
sharply questioned all of those who
spoke in favor of the bill.
"It would have great tendency to
make the people of Maine more honest
than they are now" replied the Bel
fast man.
Perley II. Lawrence of Augusta
spoke in favor of repeal of the present
law and presented petition of 400
names in favor of repeal.
Rep. Phillips of Southwest Harbor
spoke In favor of retaining the present
law and said that there were other
forms OF recreation than hunting on
Sunday. II the present law was re-
pealed he knew of many people who
were in the habit of walking in >the
woods on Sunday that would stop do
ing so.
Charles A. Holt of Belgrade quoted a
Maryland bishop as in favor of sun
day hunting under certain circum-
stances.
Rev. J B. Ranger of Presque Isle
spoke strongly against repeating the
present law. Legislators were working
more and more along the line of the
moral law and to permit transgression
of one of the greatest commands of
Almighty God would be taking a
backward step. He felt greatly for the
man who was shut up all the week but
was not in favor of taking the day
set apart by God and turning it into a
day of hunting and fishing.
Here Representative Sherman L.
Berry of Waterville took hand at
cross-examination would you advo-
cate law against Sunday pleasure
riding. Mr. Ranger?" he asked.
II wouldn't advocate that this aft
ernoon.'' replied the Presque Isle cler-
Eyman.
James NJ. Gillin of Bangor declared
that the measure forbidding Sunday