Pueblo chieftain., 1921-07-17
Messages From
the People
Editor Pueblo chief,ain


Dear Sir. In recsu. ISSUE cf The
Chieftain. Mr.. c. W Porter. state rep
resentatiye. and AT the same time an
empioye of the Game and Fish Dc
partment. in letter regarding the
issuance of fishing licenses in Pueblo
County makes a number of statements
that call for a reply from me which l
trust you will have space 10 print
The Fish and Game law gives the
State Commissioner the power to ap-
point suh-agents other than county
clerks to sell licenses and these agents
are allowed the same fee for their
services as the county clerk. Viz. .
cents per license. but with this DIFF
ference that the county clerk turns his
fees over TO the county treasury. This
provision OF the law. / am informed
was for the benefit OF those living at
a distance from the county seat as
matter of business Judgment and couf-
tesy and not Intended to create com
petition between a county government
and the merchants for business.
In Pueblo county the county clerk
always has been the exclusive agent
Of the State Fish and Game Depart
ment in the sale Of licenses, and in
1919 in order to facilitate and extend
the business I appointed suh-agents
IN the outlying communities. eicry one
Of them approaching the fact that the
agency for licenses brought other bust
ness TO their counters. The result was
mat 1 increased inc SAFE OF licenses
almost - per cent over the figures for
1915 depositlny 1855 so in fees with the
county treasurer and sending over
1850 to the State Game Department.
These are record figures, l believe, in
the fishing license business of the.
county.
In letter dated February rs. 1870.
Mr.. r. @ Farvin. the state Came and
Fish Commissioner. assured me OF his
entire satisfaction with the handling Of
tho license business and I'm other let
tiers he agrees with me that wherever
The commission can te conserved to
the county funds 1t should not he sii-
verified.
The SUCCESS Of my plan was self-evi-
dent. yet Mr. rarvin saw At in 1870 to
appoint all NV agents direct from his
office. adding c. W, Porter and one or
two others tn the list. and divsrtinc
the fees from our county treasury tn
these agents Mr. Porter In his let
ter TO The Chieftain takes great per
sonal credit for the marvellous increase
IN the number NJ fishing licenses sold
in 1920 over that Of preceding years.
vet his own statement as a matter Of
tact shows that the total was less than
in 1912
am probably Just as deeply inter
ested in the success NJ the Fish nuh
Game Department Is Mr.. Porter and
in the enforcement Of the laws but
do not consider II fair to the taNpav-
ars Of Pueblo County that the fees for
tho sale Of fishing licenses shall be
paid tn private individuals land all
these local agents have been my
friends for yehrsl and then that Mr.
Parvln and Mr. Porter should require
the taxpayers to stand tho expense Of
trials for violation Of the game laws
II II were left TO n vote Of the fish
srmen themselves as to whether they
wanted the foes to go into tho county
treasury or he retained h~ the agents
believe fhov would vote 100 to I for
the county. With this In view. I draft
Cd a hill providing that county clerks.
who nre familiar with the needs Of
their counties. he given the power In
stead Of the game commissioner Of
appointing sub a gentE in their respect
I've counties. The bill was introduced
in the last assembly by Senator Peter
son in the Senate and Mr.. stubhleneld
in tho House. /, passed the Senate
and was killed in the House by the
efforts Of Mr.. Porter
To extend the ideas Of Mr.. Porter to
their logical conclusion every garage
should be allowed TO issue Its own
his own marriage licenses and So on
down the limo no that even every dog
should have his day.
II Mr.. Porter desires 20 add dignity
and stability To the department T.
seems to me that he had better ad-
vocate the proper regulation of his H.
cenre department and not turn II into
get tho money" grab Mt the ex-
pcnse Of tho taxpayers.
I decline as n county official to enter
into competition for hunting license
business with private firms. the few
dollars that would incidentally trickle
Into my fec fund not being sufficient
TO pay for the extra office work de-
manded. and the result is that Mr. Par
vim has not sent me any licenses for
sale this year.
Tho county commissioners and other
officials are using every effort in econ
omy to head off bond issue that our
great disAster NAV demand and We
have CRYING need Of the thousand dol
lars a year the fishermen OF Pueblo
county arc contributing to private
channels.
Very truly.
WILLIAM BARBER,
Corpf, rte,k