The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1921-01-12
RATHER INCONSISTENT

4, i
The first one has to do with the number of state
employees and says in part,
/. According to information obtained at the adui-
K tors office the Miner learns there approx
mately 250 steady employees the pay roll of
II the state government.
II No one can tell you off hand just what this
NAL regiment of 1850 does beyond signing pay
checks.
The editorial then goes with pointed query
as to why so many people are needed to. run the
state of Montana.
/ Directly following it in the columns of the Min
er is an editorial opposing the proposed bill OF
Mrs. Maggie Smith Hathaway, abosishing the Of
flee Of game warden and all his deputies. The
chief point made by the Miner in it's opposition to
the bill is that the game warden's department is
entirely supported by the hunters and anglers OF
Montana through their license fees.
The argument over the game warden's depart
ment is no new one 1t has been bone OF con-
tentiOn, talking point for politics for many cam
paigns At the last session similar bill was pass
ed by the republican legislature but vetoed by the
governor. This time Mrs. Hathaway, democrat
intends to again put the matter up to republican
legislature that has behind it a republican eXecu-
tive
/ For many years the game wardens department
has been nothing more than a political machine
indeed one of the most powerful political machines
in the state. AS every hunter and fisherman
knows the warden and his deputies seldom do
much save sign their pay checkS-A convection Tor
violation of the game laws is a rare occurance
Save when shipping game on a railroad, few hum
tiers or fishermen are ever called upon to show
their licenses. What convictions there are nearly
always result from the complaint of some ordinary
hunter or fisherman who uses his prerogative as
citizen and resents an abuse of the game laws
In the western part of the state, where deer
numerous, the homesteaders kill them for meat
during most of the months of the year. But these
/ same homesteadeds are careful to kill only the
same homesteaders are careful to kill only the
bucks out of season and fiercey resent any dep
relations of game hog. They appreciate the
fact that the deer furnish meat which would other
wise be impossible for them to obtain and IN re-
turn for the game they kill they spend long hours
after wolves and coyotes and cougars, the worst
foes of the antlered tribe The game wardens-
well no one ever pays much attention to them save
when complaint is filed.
In other counties of the state where there are
neither fish nor game no one seems to know the
duties of a game warden. His is an office which
is always filled literally he nearly always be
found in his office save when away on private
business.
There is no earthly reason why the sheriffs of
the different counties could not perform all the
legitimate duties of the game warden. Indeed with
deputies in practically every small hamlet, they
would be in far better position to push the duties
of the office than the deputy wardenS themselves
4 Governor Dixon in his message has suggested
placing this department under a form OF civil
service In making this suggestion the governor
to build up a political machine, but ii the sug-
geson is not acceded to there is nothing to hinder
the next governor to again make the office the
plaything of politics.
81 What the sportmen of Montana demand is ade-
uuate protection for the wild life of the state.
They do not care whether the sheriff does the
work or whether it is performed by warden. The
specimens associations of the country would, for
the sake of the game doubtless furnish volunteer
s wardens to serve without pay, who would more
adequately protect the game than the present
corps of the wardens. Indeed some of the most
4 successful wardens in the state today are men
d serving without pay from the state
The argument that the department is sup
Z ported wholly by the sportsmen themselves and
not from the revenues of the state is foolish at
the outset. There is more reason that the fees
from hunters licenses should go to the game de
partment alone than there is for the automobile
licenses, or any other of the state licen-
1t is form of state tax and the money should go
. to the state.
By all means protect the fish and game. They
are disappearing fast enough as it is. No legis-
q lation should be neglected which will preserve
the wild life of Montana. 1t is part of the herit-
age of the state to be preserved for our children
& and our chidren's children. But do away with
q the farce of the game warden and his deputies
Keep the fish hatcheries functiOning, protect the
= elk deer, big horn goat and feathered tribe, but
& do away with the political hacks who strip the
IS public teat in every county.
e If the Miner is so anxious to further the public
veal, why is it so inconsistent in where the axe
falls? The sportsmen of Montana would be
lot more enthusiastic over game protection were
u u It left to them alone.