Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-08
HUNTERS WOULDPAY
FOR RIGHT TO SHOOT
Need for Revival of Old Law to
Protect Country's Bird
Life.

This is tho third Of a series OF articles
dealing with the question OF replacing on
Delaware statute books the law provld-
ing an annual tax on those who shoot q
tax commonly called the hunters license
fee.
In previous articles reference was made
to the fact that there was widespread
misapprension among those who do
not shoot as TO the hunters license.
For instance II was stated that many,
mistakenly, thought possession of II
cenAe gave the privilege OF gong upon
land privately owned.
Again. many were under the impression
that the general public Is taxed Tor the
maintenance of the paid forces that pro
tect wild lie the game wardens
whereas the funds for this come wholly
for this from the hunters license which IL
imposed only on those who shoot.
Still again melton was made of the fact
that game wardcns. supported by the
hunters license dccs, were a necessary
force in restraining the alien population
from the slaughter of birds invaluable 10
the farmer from their consumption OF
insects and weed seeds
On this occasion some attention VIII IL
| given the. relations of the man who owns
"A farm and the man who wants 90 shoot
| on that farm The term commonly APP
| piled to the latter IS sportsman In
| conversation recently with person
| who is an officer III one Of the large farm
crS organizations, sald
DO YOU know, there IS nothing =
! farmer 80 rcSCntS rs the presumption ON
/ the part of those who shoot IN putting
! themselves IN class, separate and
| distinct from their fellow citizens ane
| calling themselves sportsmen by
| farmers contribute Just as many men u
/ the class called sportsmen rs do any
| other element IN our population.
Candldlv, one hardly has looked at tbs
! thing that WAY and, while ono d"eS mol
| think that apurtstncn worthy the name
| aTrogatr amy special virtues 20 themselves
/ one Is we'll aware Of the thousands Of splen'
! did men throughout the country WHO
! live on farms and ENJOY nothing h'lic
] than an occasional day behind q brace .
I good dogs III the field No one has \ bette
4 right to the ttlc 81 eportsmcn thar
/ these
/ II i upon the farms that most OF on
/ game. exclusive 81 water io"l mus "
! s,lstrnancc and it is no wonder that th'
| man who owns the farm feels an interest
4 IN II.
| On the other hand rs shown in proceed
! ing articles ii is the man Who shoots who
/ paws the hiIl for the protection 81 boil
/ game ana Inorganic birds, the insect ant
| weed seed consumers. Bird life Will not
materially increase where there IS not or.
I gained protection 81 It, whereas where
such projection docs exist the increase II
due in large measure TO the patient, IN
turing efforts II the organizations OF men
who shoot. feeding birds IN stress OF
winter weather trapping the vcrmln that
prey three hundred and siNty-tlvc days IL
the wear On hird life, keeping the pot
hunters out Of the field and circum-
ScribInc similar activities that spell the
difference between a depicted and an
abundant bird life
The man Who shoots asks no legal
enactment giving him the right 10 60
,inhidden % farm lands but he does ask
tllat he bc allowed 10 tax himself IN order
10 bring about effective. systematic pro-
lection II the wild life Of Delaware With
the increase lie knows will come ne Is
willing 10 take the chance Of securing
permission ~ hunt from friends among
those who own farms.
American history does not record
another instance in which any So ction Q
the cItlzeIry requested the right % tax
itself for i lawful purpose and has
been refused