Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-18
+. NJ. EdmeS to Sp0riSmen
the Editor Of the Telegraph

10 he Edttor OF the Telegrdph.
The gunners and sportsmen of
Pennsylvania are soon to be con-
fronted with conditions that will
require their immediate action.
While thousands of State sports
men were in military camps over
three hundred and eleven thousand
paid resident hunters license last
fall, and which swelled the License
Fund to over five hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. subject to the order
of the State Game Commission
under the terms of the Resident
Hunters License Act, which act
was volunteered and passed by the
sportsmen of the State in 1913;
passed by them in good faith and
TO better the game conditions of
the State, it being impossible to
obtain appropriations to the amount
required to do this. This fund is
now so large because of the in
ability of the Game Commission to
procure desirable game in the
United States or Canada under war
conditions, they are now turning
to game preserves, and already
have established over sixty-one
thousand acres in game refugees on
State lands. around which gunners
will never be confronted with signs
mo trespass." There is a reported
scheme on foot to combine State De-
paftments of Game, Fisheries,
Forestry and Water under one con-
servation head, these departments
To hnnnn,n cnh nhcarI-iant
scheme is not new, as it has been
secuted before and dropped. Such
a proposition will quadruple costs
of these departments to the Com
monwealth and kill their efficiency
through becoming subservient de-
partments, and their efficiency in
consequence has never been ques-
toned. A bill to the above
end is being quietly prepared with
evident intention of being rushed
through the Legislature. Remarks
are freely passed by those connected
with the preparation of this bill
that the Hunters License Fund
does not belong to hunters and their
game interests That it belongs
to the State same as automobile tax
or any other tax" That it will be
used by those in power in any way
tht9 Sct IT. out'n STATEN entS are
absolutely false. The Hunters Lii
cense Fund does belong to the gun
ners and their game interests, and
is pledged to this purpose only by
Act of Assembly April II, 1918, sec
tion 12.
The Good Faith of the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania is at Stake.
For years the Legislature refused
to consider Resident Hunters Lie
ense, and not until gunners and
sportsmen volunteered. both in their
own committee meeting, before the
State Legislature and with the presi-
dent and Directors of the State
Grange in 1911 in Harrisburg, they
agreed with them that when Resi-
dent Hunters License passed the
farmers should be allowed bounties
for killing vermin according to law
in amount to equal one-half the
license returns. Hunters License
was passed in 1913, and this prov
ision was embodied in the bill, which
with general provisions was so
popular among State sportsmen that
over three hundred thousand of them
voluntarily paid their dollar for
Hunters License within ten days
time. Nearly two hundred thou
sand dollars in bounties was paid
last year, and this amount will soon
be increased, and the gunners have
fulfilled their obligations.
Now, Gunners and Sportsmen of
Pennsylvania, it is up to you to
protect your License Fund, every
dollar of which you have contributed.
1t is up to you to continue paying
the farmers the bounties agreed
upon. 1t is up to you to see that
any who would take your fund for
any other purpose than the purpose
for which you gave it, in good faith.
are quickly and severely dealt with
1t is up to you to pass this word
quickly to all your club members.
to farmers, to your neighbors, to
yours friends and to your local
papers and AL of you to direct YOUR
representatives in the Legislature to
protect this fund and to down this
Conservation Bill as soon as il an
pears. Do this Immediately or it
may be too late. Write your State
Senator at the Senate Chamber at
Harrisburg. Write your State Re-
preventative at the House of Re
presentatives at Harrisburg. Do
this at once. for if this Conservation
passes you will still have to pay a
hunters license tax. but the money
you pay will be diverted to some