Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-28


the land of the setting sun. Cali
fornia is the sportsmen's paradise,
home of diversified game and ex-
cellent shooting. An efficient state
game warden is the antithesis of
professional politicians. Frank NJ.
Newbert Of Sacramento, Cal, pres
ident of the California fish and
game commission, is a popular and
efficient appointee to the position
of game and fish protector. The
Office is appointiYe and handed out
in many states as political sap to
some non-competent ward-heeler
who has neither practical nor &C
quired knowledge of fish and game,
their haunts or habits. Incum-
bents of this type receive no sup
port or respect from conscientious
sportsmen who lack faith or conf
dence in their ability and refuse
/ to cooperate with them in their
semi-attempts at law enforcement.
Complaints are frequently heard of
lack or infficiency of assistant war;
dens in fish or game protection. If
/, the head Of the department is COM
petent, sincere and efficient, sports
men of the state, almost to man
will rally to his assistance, coop
Grating with him in his work, ere.
ating a united constabulary, thus
eliminating transgressors and ed
ucating others along the lines of
game perpetuation and practical
propagation. Governors are great
ly in error when they cancel or
pay off political obligations by ap-
/ pointing a political heller to the
head of a department in which
/ many thousands of their constitu-
ents are vitality interested. Verify
this statement by the number Of
hunting and fishing licenses issued
and paid for each and every year.
Conservation of food supply and
perpetuation of live bird life for
the benefit OF future generations
should not be overlooked through
the appointment of inefficients.
Practical. conscientious and ener-
getic state wardens should be Sc
lected and placed at the head Of
departments. Men who are con-
versant with all game and fish
conditions and handle mooted ques-
tons intelligently. The day is past
for inflicting upon the unsuspect-
| ing public, incompetent, non-inter-
ested and inefficient campaign
managers or politicians, useful no
doubt in some close district but
/. utterly worthless as state game
wardens. Eliminate politicians;
appoint efficient wardens. With
that out of my system l return to
California. The abundance Of game
in that section is accounted for by
the native sons and their descend
ants by the one word, climate"
Parks and inaccessible localities
produce large game, small game is
universally present, migratory
birds in season are so numerous.
their presence becomes menace
to growing CROPS.
Land reclamations by the drain
age route is congesting the duck
and goose roosting and feeding
area. The Nethland swamp, con-
tanning $4,000 acres; Natomas with
1000 acres; Suffer basin with &c.
900 acres, have all been drained
for farming purposes. A very con-
siderable acreage has been con-
verted into rice fields which fur
Eish excellent feed and most de-
ductfve play grounds for "puddler
ducks" Migratory birds at times
become a crop menace. It is ru-
mored that federal shooting per-
mission has been granted to some
land owners as protective meas
ure to their growing crops against
the depredations Of those migratory
feathered aces Of the air. Objec-
tons are filed by western sports
men against class privilege. claim
ing that rice growers violate the
spirit of the concession by extend
ing to their friends or the general
public. for remuneration, shooting
rights which create shooting pre-
serves to be invaded in or OFT Of
season This should be investigat-
ed. Desirable or available terri
tory where q duck marsh OF the
virgin variety may be found ID now
restricted to approximately 5000
acres scattered over the state. Pre-
vaiNng preserve Of shooting condi-
tons now found In the east and
middle west are extant ON the
coast; mafshes have been mr..
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