The Belding banner-news., 1921-12-28
KENT co. SOLON
INVESTIGATES GAME
WAROEN'S DEPT
SAYS TAXPAYERS MONEY is
WASTED THAT PLUMS MAY
BE HANDED OUT

countys representatives In the state
leg stature, has recently been max
ing an investigation into Irregular
ties and extravagances connected
with the state game warden's Office
insofar as the appointing of ineffi-
cient and sick men being appointed
to office merely to crafty the wish
of some politician and to further ce-
ment the support of the sa'd politi-
clan in future campaigns.
! Mr.. Braman's arraignment of
Rep. George Welch and Game Ward
en- John Baird should be investigated
| by Sportsmens clubs in the state and
| if found to be true, steps should be
taken to ask Gov. Groesbeck to re-
move the warden from Office, while
Mr.. Welch's constituents will un-
doubtedly know how to take care Of
him when the proper time comes,
| should he ever come up again as a
candidate for public office.
Mr.. Braman's statement to the pa
pers is as follows:
| | wish to place myself on record as
being entirely in accord with the OBJ
jects Of the Conservation department
of the state of Michigan.
These objects are so praiseworthy
that they are receiving the unqualifi-
| ed support of the taxpayers of the
state.
The public has the right to expect
I that the money expended for the en-
! ployment of teputy game wardens
shall at least be expended in employ
ing competent men to gain the OBJ
jectives for which the money was ap-
propriated and spent; and not for the
purpose of giving sick relations of
state offic ais vacation for the sum-
mer months at the lake resort to-
! gether with their attendants.
In the cases of the appointments
of deputy wardens located in the dis
trict which / have the honor TO rep
resent in the state legislature. just
such appointments were made for
the purpose stated.
| refer to the appointments Of
James Welch and Harry Vieger,
whom Mr.. Baird claims were ap-
| po'ntel at the solicitations of Geo.
w. Welch, and which Mr.. We,ch de-
nies the recriminations passing back
and forth between Mr.. Baird and Mr..
Welsh is due to the fact that James
Welsh was appointed deputy game
war, en- with all the police authority
| thereby gwen; when his brother,
Representative George w. Welsh,
4 knew that the appointee was under
medical treatment and that the ap
pointment of the man Vieger was APP
parently necessary as an attendant.
AS conscientious executive. Mr..
Baird should have investigated the
nature of the illness of James Welch
before sending him to the lake shore
! for the summer at the expense of the
game conservation funds.
| | have no personal quarrel with
any of these gent,emen; the taxpay-
ers in my district called my attention
TO these cases an1 after an investi-
cation | learned that the taxpayers
were not receiving their moneys
worth, SO l took the matter up with
Mr.. Baird and members of the House
of Representatives whom / could con-
veniently reach, Mr. Baird's defense
is that the appointments were made
at the solicitation of Representative
George W. Welsh.
As to the compensation pad these
duty game wardens and their ex-
Welsh is pleased to say that / thot
they were reasonable and the state
ment credited to me has no founda-
tion in fact, as consider every item
including grocery and meat bill
charged to and paid by the state by
these deputies an outrage upon the
taxpayers of the state.
l have no interest whether Rep
resentative Welsh or John Baird is
qualified for membership in the
Anan as club upon these appoint
ments.
1t is further fact that then on
October the 22nd, 1921, personal
friend Of mine wrote Mr.. Baird for a
list of the Deputy Game Wardens
employed by the state, their locations
and salaries. such list was compiled
and ma lied by Mr.. Baird on October
25th, 1921, ami the names of James
Welsh and Harry Vieger were omit
ted or suppressed although James
Welsh continued in employment and
was paid to and including October
81. 1921.
II is up to Representative Welsh
and Mr.. Baird to explain these mat
ters to Governor Groesbeck and the
sportsmen Of the state, and further
if Governor Groesbeck or a commit
tee of any number of sportsmen and
conservations will spend a few hours
with me in the district where James
Welsh and Harry Vieger were sup
posed to operate, they VII be con
vinced that the appointment of these
people was made in payment of polit-
ical debts operating to the detr.
ment of the state.