Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-04

and not by the Game Commission.
our files show that these reports were
published as far back as 1902. Again.
he attempts to deceive the farmer by
having him believe that this Resi-
dent Hunters License is taking
money from his. the farmers pocket.
when the law specifically provides
that the farmer and members of his
family who live upon and cultivate
that land may hunt, without a license
on such land and lands adjacent
thereto. Mr.. Shearer surely does not
credit the farmer as possessed of
much wisdom, and thinks he is easily
deceived.
Again, Mr.. Shearer's effort to con-
meet the Game Commission with a
Fishing License and a Cat License
shows the character of the man who
tries to do this. He knows the Game
Commission has nothing to do with
the fishing interests of the state, and
he must know If he knows anything
that l as secretary of the Game Com
mission have persistently opposed a
license on cats. because at this time
there is no property value to a cat,
and such animal may be killed at
will, whereas a license might make
the cat personal property n its
killing cause trouble. Poor Shearer;
he is sorely pressed for a reason to
justify his position before the pub
lie, although he surely has one for
himself. Let us look at the deceit
in his figures.
I'VE will accept the figures as given
by Mr.. Shearer both as to the moneys
collected each year also the amount
paid out for game. Let us look at
the remainder of the claim. The law
! -,A,r,1aa chat on n mount not IN nX-
coed one-half of the moneys derived
through the Resident Hunters Lii
cense Act shall be, if necessary, used
for the payment of bounties, and this
has been done, and a reference to the
bounty records will show that the
great majority of those claiming
bounties were country people, many
of them paying no license at all. Our
records show that from the moneys
collected during 1913. 1914 and 1915,
$274,724.97 had been paid up to No
vember 30th, 1917, and a number of
thousands of dollars in addition to
this amount, the exact figures of
which l am unable to give because
the office of the Auditor General is
closed at this writing, all of which
was paid from these funds to
ties, the law at hat time providing
that the County Commissioners shall
pay the bounty and in turn be reim-
bursed by the state from this Resi-
dent Hunters License fund. In 1915,
1916 and 1917 we paid through this
office up to the end of November. 1917,
$149, 720.S3. and from December l.,
1917, up to the end of September,
1915, we have paid $50, 959.33. or a
total of S205,679.16 paid in bounties
through this office, making a grand
-. r 49,. chan "a half Fnfl1inn
dollars (S500.0 00) hat has gone back
to the country boys for the killing
of vermin, paid to them too from a
fund to which the majority of them
have not contributed one cent.
ION the other hand, since the pas
sage of this Act we have expended
Thousands of dollars in feeding game,
we have created twenty-four game
preserves at an expense of at least
one thousand dollars 10000 each,
n maintained them, we have pur-
chased game per our published re-
ports referred to by Mr.. Shearer, ag-
gregating thousands of dollars; we
have employed and paid the salaries
and actual expenses of game protec-
tors during the time this Act has
been in force per our published re-
ports filed with the Governor and
available for distribution upon re-
quest. In addition to the above we
still have in the State Treasury a
balance to our credit a"ggregating
hundreds of thousands of dollars, the
exact figures of which we are unable
to give because that Office is closed
at this writing, this fund being avail
able for future use. Now what do you
think of Shearer and his attempt to
deceive? And why has he done this?
In my opinion because he fears the
game protector and the identifying
tag with its number on his arm. When
he goes hunting under the present
law the farmer can easily without
quarreling with a hunter secure his
number and prosecute him at leisure
for damage done, or for trespass. The
game protector can easily find the
man bearing a number reported to
us; violators do not like this system
that guarantees to farmers for moth
ing a protection that can be secured
in no other way for any amount of
money.
Some years ago complaint came to
our office that a real estate man of
Carlisle and a coach of the Indian
1 football team at the Carlisle Indian
School had been shooting quail on
Sunday contrary to law. Joseph Ber-
IlNII hOH uGGGdGt0g lhNG6Il6 dlCu Ilt
charges and up to a certain point was
satisfied he could convict these violat-
ors. He was directed to prosecute:
then the witness for some reason re-
fused to testify. and hat ended the
matter. No arrest was made. but the
all was TOO close for comfort.
Protection For Farmers
81 know CT several men who think
the farmer is not entitled to the pro-
lection accorded by this Resident
Hunters License Law. and who feel
that game protectors are too plenti-
full and too thoroughly on the Job. I
wonder IL the two candidates from
Cumberland county Joined by Mr..
Shearer in his circular, Mr.. Beistllne
and Mr.. Barner. stand ready to say
point blank to the farmer, We pro-
pose to AXE from the books a bill
that without price guarantees protec-
ton to you from hunters. We pro-
pose to take from you the bounty now
offered for the killing of noxious ami
mails, and paid from a fund to which
you, unless you SO of your own lands
or Immediately adjacent lands. do not
contribute one cent. The force that
protects your best friends. the song
and insectivorous birds, hat make
your crops possible. and toward the
protection OF which you pay nothing.